Hey folks,
After a long workday, I'd automatically switch on Netflix and let reruns play in the background—almost mindlessly. I spend all day on screens, so the extra screen time before bed felt draining. I love Lenny's Podcast, but it often felt too intense right before sleep.
I've tried reading books as a nighttime ritual, but as a mom of a young kid and a startup founder, it's tough to stay committed to one book over two weeks with so many interruptions and shifting contexts.
So I built Tales.so—a platform that converts books into fun, conversational podcasts. It covers everything from startups, finance, history, sci-fi, to parenting—topics; I've always been curious about but never quite managed to finish in book form.
Why I built it:
* I love exploring new ideas before bed, but I didn't have the energy for dense content or hours of audiobook narration.
* There are many great books I've always wanted to read but never got around to, and this seemed like a way to get a taste of them.
* As a parent, I am clueless about a 100 different things on an everyday basis, and simply listen to top parenting books provides a solid source of information
* I have so much "dead time" in a day—commutes, stroller walks, chores—and this helps me make the most of it.
I am launching it on HN today with 2 key features.
Key features:
1. 20 minute summary by a single host or
2. 60-90 minute by 2 hosts combined with banter and life stories to make it relatable and fun
Using Tales.so in place of endless Netflix reruns has helped me discover new ideas without feeling like "work." It's been great to unwind, learn a bit, and avoid extra screen fatigue at the end of the day.
I'd love any feedback—especially on whether you prefer the solo or duo format, or any book topics you'd like to see. Thanks for reading, and I hope it helps some of you find a screen-free way to relax at night!
P.S. Book I recently listened to —
1. Zero to One (https://www.tales.so/book/zero-to-one)
2. The Whole Brain Child (https://www.tales.so/book/the-whole-brain-child)
3. This is Marketing (https://www.tales.so/book/this-is-marketing)
4. Ikigai- The Japanese Secret to Long and Happy Life (https://www.tales.so/book/ikigai)
5. Guns, Germs & Steel (https://www.tales.so/book/guns-germs-and-steel)
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