BBC Sounds, recommendations please…

In Our Time is perfect to fall asleep to. A similar programme, much easier to follow, but covering similar subjects, is "The Forum" from the World Service.

Depends if you want to learn something or if you just want to be bored to sleep.

That’s the one I was thinking of. Sometimes they mention other programmes at the end of You’re Dead to Me and that was one of them. One of my favourite books is Melvyn Bragg’s Speak for England. I liked it because it was ordinary people talking about their lives. Book at bedtime is good but is only in 15 minute chunks so I keep having to click on to the next one.

There are fourteen 60 minute omnibus versions of Neil MacGregor's The History of the World in 100 Objects in which he discusses 5 objects with a linking theme.

I find Matthew Parris's voice very soothing so a vote too for Great Lives. Episodes are 30 minutes long.

Thinking Allowed and A Good Read are also night-time favourites.

I like In our Time and Great Lives too.
But I also like anything to do with nature /wildlife and the countryside. So I enjoy On your farm and Open Country. And discovered The Countryside Hour.Chris Skinner a Norfolk farmer who has set aside large parts of his farm for wildlife and is very knowledgeable. And have listened to all Claire Baldings ramblings. Especially during lockouts made me feel I was exploring different areas without leaving home.

I listen to the World Service, but recently I have found asking Alexa for it gives me Radio4 from Sounds. I have to ask for it from TuneIn to get the real thing. So I have no idea what this Sounds thing is all about, or why.

Following as Melvin Bragg and You’re Dead To Me are my favourites at the moment for driving and I’d love to see others recommendations!

I'm currently enjoying A History of Britain in Numbers and 50 Things That Made the Modern Economy.

The Citadel is currently on Sounds, 2 episodes so far. Uncle Silas is excellent and there are 3 episodes available. Tsar, covering Catherine the Great, Alexander the Great 1 and Alexander the Great 2, run over 3 one hour episodes, was excellent as well.

Maybee70 some of the audio books come with all episodes there and it clicks automatically on to the next one. So you can fall asleep to them and work out later exactly how many episodes you really heard and start from that point the next night. In the Mountains by Elizabeth von Armen has 5 episodes and it is very soothing.

‘Conversations from a Long Marriage’ is a must for me.

….. but not necessarily to send me to sleep! Sorry, I rather missed that point.

They aren’t necessarily to send me to sleep. Bob Ross was but that was at the height of the pandemic and I needed something to help me sleep. It’s just that I listen to Sounds at night in place of having the tv on and it’s so late I can’t not fall asleep at some point. I also don’t have a tv in the kitchen any more so listen to Sounds when I’m cooking or washing up. imo it’s worth the whole licence fee!

Did you know that someone went to an auction to buy some dining chairs and accidentally bought Stonehenge which he then bequeathed to the nation as he didn’t really want it….

MayBee70if you like the Greek myths you could try Natalie Haynes stands up for the Classics www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/brand/b077x8pc
She is informative and amusing.

I love everything historical trisher. I don’t seem to have the concentration to read these days. Used to read constantly when I was younger. So it’s good to feel as though I’m learning something (albeit not remembering much of it afterwards!).

Natalie has a fascinating mix of the historical and the mythical aspects. She has experts to chat to as well. I loved them.

Agree with Trisher about Natalie Haynes - excellent. And Conversations from a Long Marriage because I love the actors - Joanna Lumley and Roger Allam.

Something quite different. I like the podcast : Fortunately with Jane Garvey and Fi Glover