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Sleep, Death's Brother
Sleep, Death's Brother is an instruction manual on dreaming for children or incarcerated persons, teaching such individuals to lucid dream and thus use their dreams to somewhat escape their situations. While it is often the case that dream life is passively experienced, acclaimed novelist Jesse Ball (born 1978) reminds us that dreaming life is also a place where a sense of agency can grow. Even in the midst of physical or emotional environments that do not support such development in waking life, dreams are a place where one can take control. Ball calls for bravery in the exploration of this practice, and provides the dreamer with useful habits and techniques. Full of affirmation and wisdom, Sleep, Death's Brother is a guidebook -for all oneironauts young and old.-
- GenresPsychologyNonfiction
88 pages, Paperback
Published March 28, 2017
About the author
Jesse Ball
32 books937 followersJesse Ball (1978-) Born in New York. The author of fourteen books, most recently, the novel How To Set a Fire and Why. His prizewinning works of absurdity have been published to acclaim in many parts of the world and translated into more than a dozen languages. The recipient of the Paris Review's Plimpton Prize, as well as fellowships from the NEA, the Heinz foundation, and others, he is on the faculty at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews
April 3, 2025
This short text about lucid dreaming gives practical advice on how to remember and gain agency over dreams, but as this is Jesse Ball, the book is also a poetic endeavor. The content is especially directed at children, and while the language is easy to understand, it is never condescending and has some dark undertones: Ball addresses the fact that the world can be a terrible place and that kids are fully dependent on the adults around them, and he points to the mind as a refuge. With the text come images that do not offer a direct connection to what is said - there's a reason why the author biography at the end of the book refers to Ball as a "fabulist" and calls his books "works of absurdity" (although I would claim that this is only correct to a certain degree, and the description itself is part of a narrative). Ball lets his readers behold pictures of a buffalo, a war scene, enigmatic drawings, a corpse, a woman smelling flowers - you get the idea. Some pictures are printed twice, and I tried to find a difference, but I think they are exact reproductions (and the author only wanted me to puzzle over it and look closely).
I really enjoyed how Ball addresses his audience, his emotional honesty and mixture of seriousness and playfulness. Ball talks about dreams as spaces to explore, offering the possibility to change the rules of life and to work with your own mind, strengthening the protection against outside control: "Remember - your mind is very valuable!" (...) "You want to feel as much as you can, even when it hurts."
I really enjoyed how Ball addresses his audience, his emotional honesty and mixture of seriousness and playfulness. Ball talks about dreams as spaces to explore, offering the possibility to change the rules of life and to work with your own mind, strengthening the protection against outside control: "Remember - your mind is very valuable!" (...) "You want to feel as much as you can, even when it hurts."
March 3, 2018
5 stars for now. But we'll have to try this whole lucid dreaming thing before I'll really know.
I have very boring, fairly vivid dreams, for the most part. But nothing chaps me more than a work dream.
I always thought the answer was that workplaces should give you like 3 dream days per year. Days where you call in, not sick, not vacation, but you're like, "I dreamed about work all night, so I put in my time. I'm not coming in."
But I guess lucid dreaming is a more realistic alternative until I rise to power and make the world a much better place.
I have very boring, fairly vivid dreams, for the most part. But nothing chaps me more than a work dream.
I always thought the answer was that workplaces should give you like 3 dream days per year. Days where you call in, not sick, not vacation, but you're like, "I dreamed about work all night, so I put in my time. I'm not coming in."
But I guess lucid dreaming is a more realistic alternative until I rise to power and make the world a much better place.
March 29, 2025
Todo lo Que hace Jesse Ball me encanta, este no es la excepción.
Es un libro hermoso, cortito pero hermoso, que arranca con la premisa de explicarte como poder dominar los sueños, como aprender a darte cuenta que estas en uno y como poder controlarlos. Pero tambien es una forma de decirte que trates de vivir la vida lo mejor que puedas, que aceptes que no podes cambiar el pasado, ni te enfoques en lo que vendrá; que vivas tu vida, hoy!
Amo a jesse ball y sus libros. Siempre
Es un libro hermoso, cortito pero hermoso, que arranca con la premisa de explicarte como poder dominar los sueños, como aprender a darte cuenta que estas en uno y como poder controlarlos. Pero tambien es una forma de decirte que trates de vivir la vida lo mejor que puedas, que aceptes que no podes cambiar el pasado, ni te enfoques en lo que vendrá; que vivas tu vida, hoy!
Amo a jesse ball y sus libros. Siempre
July 3, 2017
lifeboat pocket book
July 13, 2018
Fantastic -- a little silly, a little serious, and ultimately incredibly helpful if you want to try to take more control of your sleep. Jesse's just fucking brilliant, y'all.
September 21, 2024
Like reading Thich Nhat Hanh, the trickster
May 12, 2018
"When I say that life is an illusion, I mean that many people end up constructing a barrier between themselves and the actual life that is passing by. A barrier is a wall. In this case, the wall prevents them from feeling the life that is actually happening. You don't want that to happen to you! You don't need to remember all of what I just said. The main thing is, to try not to be afraid, and to try not to regret things that have happened. Instead, just look around you. See what there is to do and do it."
So I bought this book because I saw a book in the same Groundworks series by the same author (Notes on My Dunce Cap) and I decided I wanted to check this one out too. I've had a passing interest in lucid dreams and developing the skill. I tried it out for a few months when I was a freshman in undergrad, but I got frustrated by it and ended up giving up. I'm not too sore about that, but I still have this nagging feeling that I could be doing something more with it. Maybe like there potential energy there that I'm just ignoring by ignoring my dreams or, in the worst case, becoming distressed by them. And besides that, I'll admit that I am irritated by the passivity with which I experience my dreams. It's not about not being in control, it's just about accepting something as the default that's no less arbitrary than anything else. Why must I watch my dreams like I watch a movie?
I've also had this strange fascination with Jesse Ball even though I still haven't gotten around to reading any of his novels, of which I own four, but only one of his short stories called The Early Deaths of Lubeck, Brennan, Harp, and Carr. The story haunted me so much that in inspired my fascination. When I found a book that combined two of my curiosities, I couldn't resist.
The back of the book says that it is an instruction manual on dreaming that is intended for children or incarcerated persons. I get that. It is written very plainly and explains potentially confusing concepts. However, there is also what I would call borderline disturbing pictures in the book that I might not show to children. I'm not a parent so I might not know, but a dead body with arrows sticking out of it? And police fully suited up in riot gear? I mean sure why not. Just a comment I suppose. The fact is, the text is absolutely something I would want my children to read. Maybe the quotes I have here are good indicators of that. I know that when I was child people said the exact things to me that Ball warns the reader they will hear about dreams. And people are just wrong. It doesn't make them bad...just wrong.
Is it good as a dream manual? Yeah it covers all the bases. It doesn't particularly have anything you couldn't find online for free, except Ball's gentle wit. And if you want to go a lot more in-depth into lucid dreaming there are texts out there for you. I don't believe this book purports to be anything but a very basic guide. Other than that, its a nice read. Doesn't take too long. And the cover has this nice cardboardy look to it that I admire. Not to mention the monolithic keyhole on the front. Fuck i love minimalism.
So who would I recommend this to? Anyone. Why not? Give it a shot. And good luck. You'll need it.
"But dreams do not have meaning any more than anything else does. When you are dreaming you are learning about yourself more than you are learning about anyone else. Of course this is true because you are inside your own head!...If people try to tell you that dreams mean things they may use a word: symbol. They may say that there are symbols in your dreams. Just politely say that you do not remember your dreams and continue on. There is no need to talk to a person like that. Your dreams are yours and you don't need to let people say what they are or what they mean. You feel already what they are for yourself."
"Another thing to beware of is that when people don't know very much about something, they tend to find it easier to lie about that thing. This is especially true if they believe others don't know about it either. You have to be on guard all the time against people giving you bad information."
So I bought this book because I saw a book in the same Groundworks series by the same author (Notes on My Dunce Cap) and I decided I wanted to check this one out too. I've had a passing interest in lucid dreams and developing the skill. I tried it out for a few months when I was a freshman in undergrad, but I got frustrated by it and ended up giving up. I'm not too sore about that, but I still have this nagging feeling that I could be doing something more with it. Maybe like there potential energy there that I'm just ignoring by ignoring my dreams or, in the worst case, becoming distressed by them. And besides that, I'll admit that I am irritated by the passivity with which I experience my dreams. It's not about not being in control, it's just about accepting something as the default that's no less arbitrary than anything else. Why must I watch my dreams like I watch a movie?
I've also had this strange fascination with Jesse Ball even though I still haven't gotten around to reading any of his novels, of which I own four, but only one of his short stories called The Early Deaths of Lubeck, Brennan, Harp, and Carr. The story haunted me so much that in inspired my fascination. When I found a book that combined two of my curiosities, I couldn't resist.
The back of the book says that it is an instruction manual on dreaming that is intended for children or incarcerated persons. I get that. It is written very plainly and explains potentially confusing concepts. However, there is also what I would call borderline disturbing pictures in the book that I might not show to children. I'm not a parent so I might not know, but a dead body with arrows sticking out of it? And police fully suited up in riot gear? I mean sure why not. Just a comment I suppose. The fact is, the text is absolutely something I would want my children to read. Maybe the quotes I have here are good indicators of that. I know that when I was child people said the exact things to me that Ball warns the reader they will hear about dreams. And people are just wrong. It doesn't make them bad...just wrong.
Is it good as a dream manual? Yeah it covers all the bases. It doesn't particularly have anything you couldn't find online for free, except Ball's gentle wit. And if you want to go a lot more in-depth into lucid dreaming there are texts out there for you. I don't believe this book purports to be anything but a very basic guide. Other than that, its a nice read. Doesn't take too long. And the cover has this nice cardboardy look to it that I admire. Not to mention the monolithic keyhole on the front. Fuck i love minimalism.
So who would I recommend this to? Anyone. Why not? Give it a shot. And good luck. You'll need it.
"But dreams do not have meaning any more than anything else does. When you are dreaming you are learning about yourself more than you are learning about anyone else. Of course this is true because you are inside your own head!...If people try to tell you that dreams mean things they may use a word: symbol. They may say that there are symbols in your dreams. Just politely say that you do not remember your dreams and continue on. There is no need to talk to a person like that. Your dreams are yours and you don't need to let people say what they are or what they mean. You feel already what they are for yourself."
"Another thing to beware of is that when people don't know very much about something, they tend to find it easier to lie about that thing. This is especially true if they believe others don't know about it either. You have to be on guard all the time against people giving you bad information."
May 7, 2017
A slight primer on the act of lucid/guided dreaming. Hypnotic language and great imagery to accompany the text.
Great printing quality.
Great printing quality.
September 9, 2024
"Mucha gente piensa que la muerte es algo terrible. El final de la vida. Una frontera que no cruzarás. ¡Es donde dejaras de ser quien eres! Pero el sueño es un poco así también, porque es una frontera, y las cosas que son verdaderas de un lado, en el otro dejan de serlo. En los sueños puedes romper cualquier regla. De manera que el sueño y la muerte son hermanos (o hermanas) y ambos son lugares donde las reglas cambian. El cuerpo se acuesta y las reglas cambian."
Un breve aunque hermoso ensayo sobre cómo tener sueños lúcidos.
Un breve aunque hermoso ensayo sobre cómo tener sueños lúcidos.
February 11, 2017
This is an important book for children to read. When a person feels trapped by circumstances, there is a way out. Knowing that is the beginning of the trip. Jesse Ball is your guide at the threshold, and he is the best of all possible guides, for he took his gifts of perception and elocution across the oneiric divide and forfeited that paradise to return, Chicago Boddhisattva, to share his maps with those assaulted by normativity.
September 28, 2024
Me gusta este librito con ideas voladas.
October 29, 2024
Este pequeño ensayo es una gran demostración de la sensibilidad y magia de este autor. Me encantó. Idea para compartir con los niños y niñas.
January 8, 2025
Un libro que te enseña a jugar con los sueños
November 28, 2025
«A medida que crezcas descubrirás que la vida se parece a lo que sentimos por ella».
En 2º de Bachillerato elegí Antropología y Sociología como optativa. Sólo cuatro personas querían lo mismo, los números no daban, así que tuve que conformarme con la segunda opción: Psicología. En ese momento, yo tenía intención de estudiar Matemáticas, con lo que mis elecciones no guardaban mucha relación, pero qué sé yo; tenía 17 años y quería probar. La cuestión es que, en Psicología, descubrí dos cosas fundamentales: por un lado, a Tere —quien también me dio Filosofía— una profesora a la que siempre querré; por otro, los sueños lúcidos.
Desde que soy pequeño, quién recuerda la edad, tengo un sueño recurrente: estoy en un lugar desconocido y el asesino de «Scream» me persigue; ¡quiere matarme! Yo huyo a mi manera, un tanto torpe, como si un poder invisible me impidiese correr, porque bien sabe unx que en los sueños la realidad se distorsiona. Yo huyo y, siempre, en algún momento, aparece a lo lejos una PlayStation 2 (no la he actualizado con el paso de los años). Entonces, yo, mi personaje onírico, sé bien qué hacer: llegar a ella para apagarla y poner fin al sueño. Siempre soy consciente de que debo hacer eso... y siempre funciona. Cuando pulso el botón de apagado, la pesadilla acaba.
«El sueño, hermano de la muerte» habla de eso. No de mi sueño, porque yo a Jesse Ball, nos pongamos como nos pongamos, no lo conozco. Habla de los sueños lúcidos, de momentos en los que somos conscientes de estar en un sueño, lo que nos permite «despertar» y controlar todo cuanto sucede a nuestro alrededor. Es un ejercicio tan difícil como sencillo. Basta con conocer los pasos a seguir... y ser constantes para aplicarlos en nuestro día a día.
En 1º de carrera —al final no estudié Matemáticas, sino Periodismo y Comunicación Audiovisual— tuve un compañero de piso que se propuso aprender a controlar sus sueños. Yo, que tenía el gusanillo desde mis clases de Psicología, seguí de cerca sus pasos... y vi cómo, después de meses de intentos, en los que las ojeras se convirtieron en su característica más notable, abandonaba. Ahí comencé a creer que eso de los sueños lúcidos no me gustaba tanto.
Sin embargo, llega a mis manos este libro de Jesse Ball en un momento un tanto inesperado. Me escriben desde Sigilo y me dicen: «Vamos a sacar una guía para tener sueños lúcidos. Es precioso. Se lee en una hora y es muy raro, lindo, desconcertante y tierno; todo a la vez». Y yo digo: «Esto va a sonar a invento, pero resulta que soy un loco de los sueños lúcidos, así que... sí, por favor. Me encantaría».
Y llega el libro a mi casa, y lo leo en menos de una hora. Sus 88 páginas, bastantes llenas de fotografías, se leen en nada, porque Jesse Ball no engaña cuando dice que su objetivo es explicar de forma clara y sencilla qué son los sueños lúcidos y cómo llegar a ellos. Pero va más allá. Habla de la vida, de crecer y darnos cuenta de que no es lo que esperamos, de la posibilidad de cambiarlo todo si queremos (y si podemos; no siempre es fácil).
Y, de repente, aquí estoy, escribiendo esta reseña con mucho entusiasmo porque, años después, despierta en mí esa idea otra vez: la de aprender a controlar los sueños, la de creer que es posible seguir viviendo incluso cuando dormimos. Para alguien que le tiene miedo a la muerte, a no aprovechar los días que tenemos, esto es un regalo.
En 2º de Bachillerato elegí Antropología y Sociología como optativa. Sólo cuatro personas querían lo mismo, los números no daban, así que tuve que conformarme con la segunda opción: Psicología. En ese momento, yo tenía intención de estudiar Matemáticas, con lo que mis elecciones no guardaban mucha relación, pero qué sé yo; tenía 17 años y quería probar. La cuestión es que, en Psicología, descubrí dos cosas fundamentales: por un lado, a Tere —quien también me dio Filosofía— una profesora a la que siempre querré; por otro, los sueños lúcidos.
Desde que soy pequeño, quién recuerda la edad, tengo un sueño recurrente: estoy en un lugar desconocido y el asesino de «Scream» me persigue; ¡quiere matarme! Yo huyo a mi manera, un tanto torpe, como si un poder invisible me impidiese correr, porque bien sabe unx que en los sueños la realidad se distorsiona. Yo huyo y, siempre, en algún momento, aparece a lo lejos una PlayStation 2 (no la he actualizado con el paso de los años). Entonces, yo, mi personaje onírico, sé bien qué hacer: llegar a ella para apagarla y poner fin al sueño. Siempre soy consciente de que debo hacer eso... y siempre funciona. Cuando pulso el botón de apagado, la pesadilla acaba.
«El sueño, hermano de la muerte» habla de eso. No de mi sueño, porque yo a Jesse Ball, nos pongamos como nos pongamos, no lo conozco. Habla de los sueños lúcidos, de momentos en los que somos conscientes de estar en un sueño, lo que nos permite «despertar» y controlar todo cuanto sucede a nuestro alrededor. Es un ejercicio tan difícil como sencillo. Basta con conocer los pasos a seguir... y ser constantes para aplicarlos en nuestro día a día.
En 1º de carrera —al final no estudié Matemáticas, sino Periodismo y Comunicación Audiovisual— tuve un compañero de piso que se propuso aprender a controlar sus sueños. Yo, que tenía el gusanillo desde mis clases de Psicología, seguí de cerca sus pasos... y vi cómo, después de meses de intentos, en los que las ojeras se convirtieron en su característica más notable, abandonaba. Ahí comencé a creer que eso de los sueños lúcidos no me gustaba tanto.
Sin embargo, llega a mis manos este libro de Jesse Ball en un momento un tanto inesperado. Me escriben desde Sigilo y me dicen: «Vamos a sacar una guía para tener sueños lúcidos. Es precioso. Se lee en una hora y es muy raro, lindo, desconcertante y tierno; todo a la vez». Y yo digo: «Esto va a sonar a invento, pero resulta que soy un loco de los sueños lúcidos, así que... sí, por favor. Me encantaría».
Y llega el libro a mi casa, y lo leo en menos de una hora. Sus 88 páginas, bastantes llenas de fotografías, se leen en nada, porque Jesse Ball no engaña cuando dice que su objetivo es explicar de forma clara y sencilla qué son los sueños lúcidos y cómo llegar a ellos. Pero va más allá. Habla de la vida, de crecer y darnos cuenta de que no es lo que esperamos, de la posibilidad de cambiarlo todo si queremos (y si podemos; no siempre es fácil).
Y, de repente, aquí estoy, escribiendo esta reseña con mucho entusiasmo porque, años después, despierta en mí esa idea otra vez: la de aprender a controlar los sueños, la de creer que es posible seguir viviendo incluso cuando dormimos. Para alguien que le tiene miedo a la muerte, a no aprovechar los días que tenemos, esto es un regalo.
December 31, 2025
1/2 ...no es que me haya disgustado el motivo de mi calificacion, de hecho, ME ENCANTÓ. Lo que pasa es que me hubiese gustado que sea un libro mas largo, y ademas no puedo decir que es mejor que "como provocar un incendio y por que" o "los niños 6".
mas allá de eso, es un librazo y es la esencia pura de Jesse Ball. Quienes lo leemos sabemos como es: absurdista como se denomina el, pero reflexivo, ingenioso, sabio; y todo eso hace que sea brillante.
Nos invita a reflexionar y filosofar a traves de una premisa tan curiosa como son los sueños, y encima es tan audaz que lo hace en forma de una especie de guia practica. Eso es lo que tiene Jesse Ball, es ingenioso y es un tipo de lectura poco convencional que le sale barbaro. Lo amo.
mas allá de eso, es un librazo y es la esencia pura de Jesse Ball. Quienes lo leemos sabemos como es: absurdista como se denomina el, pero reflexivo, ingenioso, sabio; y todo eso hace que sea brillante.
Nos invita a reflexionar y filosofar a traves de una premisa tan curiosa como son los sueños, y encima es tan audaz que lo hace en forma de una especie de guia practica. Eso es lo que tiene Jesse Ball, es ingenioso y es un tipo de lectura poco convencional que le sale barbaro. Lo amo.
October 17, 2025
"Una particularidad sobre el mundo de los sueños es que descubrirás cosas que otra gente no...".
En esta guía práctica sobre los sueños lúcidos Jesse Ball tiene una forma curiosa de explicar este tema a los niños sin ser condescendiente. Esta traducción de Sigilo viene acompañada de imágenes tan extrañas como la misma propuesta literaria de Bell. Una lectura obligada para los soñadores y para quienes desean recuperar el control de sus sueños.
En esta guía práctica sobre los sueños lúcidos Jesse Ball tiene una forma curiosa de explicar este tema a los niños sin ser condescendiente. Esta traducción de Sigilo viene acompañada de imágenes tan extrañas como la misma propuesta literaria de Bell. Una lectura obligada para los soñadores y para quienes desean recuperar el control de sus sueños.
June 27, 2025
Primer libro de este autor. cortito raro pero encantador. Sobre cómo tener sueños lucidos, como tener sueños y algunas otras concepciones interesante de la vida. ¿Tomás un café? Este es un gran compañero para ese ratito.
August 20, 2017
"an instruction manual on dreaming for children or incarcerated persons" - which really means that it is for everyone. The picture of the dead guy with arrows in him is a nice touch.
July 7, 2018
I like the novels and had no idea what this was and...i really enjoyed it.
read-in-2023
August 8, 2023Lucid note on lucid dreaming, in the least esoteric of terms. Invitations to escape for "for children or incarcerated persons."
January 7, 2024
a strange, enticing book, dreamlike and raw and simple
April 19, 2024
Quick and fun read. Love the photography and media
November 17, 2024
a weird little manual about lucid dreaming, death, and how to be a more empathetic person
January 6, 2025
Cortisimo, pero altamente efectivo
December 15, 2025
Consejos sobre sueño lúcido, estuvo bien, nada extraordinario
December 26, 2025
Leer Jesse Ball siempre es intriga, sutileza y un calorcito en el alma
July 9, 2017
extremely rudimentary instructions explicitly addressed to children
not more than 5000 words
anybody more than passingly interested in dreaming should just read LaBerge instead, from whom this text derives all of its content
not more than 5000 words
anybody more than passingly interested in dreaming should just read LaBerge instead, from whom this text derives all of its content
July 4, 2025
Volví a leer este librito este mes. Aún no tengo sueños lúcidos, pero si recuerdo más lo que soñé. Me gusta dejarlo en mi velador.
December 23, 2025
Para ninos, personas encerradas (literalmente o no), como dice el autor, y cualquiera con ganas de tener sueños lucidos!!
Superrrr cortisimo, lleno de imágenes, gracioso y práctico.
Superrrr cortisimo, lleno de imágenes, gracioso y práctico.
April 17, 2017
It was very straight forward and a fun read. I have been looking into lucid dreaming for a while but this book gave me the last push I needed to go ahead and finally give it a try. I couldn't have picked it up at a better time in my life. I will definitely create some new habits which will hopefully get me back to dreaming like I used to as a child.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews