Bedtime Stories for Grown-ups

By: Ben Holden

Narrated by: Ben Holden, Sandra Duncan, Luke Thompson, Gareth Armstrong, Esther Wane

Length: 12 hrs and 41 mins

Publisher's summary

There are few more precious routines than that of the bedtime story. So why do we discard this invaluable ritual as grown-ups to the detriment of our well-being and good health?

In this groundbreaking anthology, Ben Holden, editor of the best-selling Poems That Make Grown Men Cry, challenges how we think about life, a third of which is spent asleep. He deftly explores not only the science of sleep but also why we endlessly tell stories - even to ourselves, as we dream.

Holden combines his own illuminating storytelling with a treasure trove of timeless classics and contemporary gems. Poems and short stories, fairy tales and fables, reveries and nocturnes - from William Shakespeare to Haruki Murakami, Charles Dickens to Roald Dahl, Rabindranath Tagore to Nora Ephron, Vladimir Nabokov to Neil Gaiman - are all woven together to replicate the journey of a single night's sleep.

Some of today's greatest storytellers reveal their choices of the ideal grown-up bedtime story: writers such as Margaret Drabble, Ken Follett, Tessa Hadley, Robert Macfarlane, Patrick Ness, Tony Robinson, and Warsan Shire.

Fold away your laptop and shut down your mobile phone. Curl up and crash out with the ultimate bedside book, one you'll return to again and again. Full of laughter and tears, moonlight and magic, Bedtime Stories for Grown-ups joyfully provides the dream way to end the day - and begin the night....

©2017 Ben Holden (P)2017 Simon & Schuster Audio UK

What ???

OK I tried I tried and I tried again. White was the purpose of this collection? It is so bizarre and weird and I represent someone’s huge ego. Who are these people overdramatic over the top ridiculous stories. I really detested this experience

Not relaxing stories for sleep

If you’re looking for stories to listen to, so you can relax and fall sleep, this isn’t the book.

Frustrating

I like the stories but find it frustrating that they are not listed by name, only chapter numbers :(

Disappointed

I was looking forward to drifting off to sleep during this audio book but, no such luck. The stories are not relaxing and the narrators' voices are too harsh and not relaxing.

Best Sleep Aid Ever

The stories may be outstanding, you won’t stay awake long enough to know. That is the point! This collection soothes and relaxes your mind and allows you to fall asleep quickly.

You may have read to your children at bedtime, to help them transition from an active day to a deep, restful slumber. These readings are based on that same theory. There is a variety of offerings, including poetry. I set the timer for 30 minutes, and am always asleep before the readings stop.

I have been introduced to authors, whose work I enjoy and I want to explore further. But, remember this collection is exactly what the title indicates, bedtime stories, designed to help you fall asleep.

Did the job

I don't know much about the content of the stories, because I just wanted something to help me fall asleep.

it sucks not my thing looking for a soft spoken

I didn't like,this because I was looking for a soft spoken person to narrate and listen I g,to, the story is enough to drive you crazy because it isn't a story
I didn't like this at all I rate it at 0

Not what I expected

I got this to relax and fall asleep with. The intro is way too long and read as if someone was puking a thesaurus onto a page to get a word count. Had I been more tired I would have fallen asleep out of boredom but I was just unhappy. I cannot recommend this as an audiobook. It might be better as a hard copy so you can skip the first hour of meaningless stuff and actually read a story before it's way past your bedtime.

A collection of poems mostly

Not much in the way of bedtime stories. Lots of prattle about the author history etc. not helpful for sleep. Narrators are ok.