Pocket-Worthy Reads

Stories to fuel your mind

Atlas Obscura

How a Chicago Dive Bar Exposed Corruption and Changed Journalism

In the 1970s, the Chicago Sun-Times used the Mirage as a front.

Popular Science

Why the Recycling Symbol Is Part of a ‘Misinformation Campaign’

The recognizable chasing arrows icon could be doing more harm than good—so the EPA wants to toss it.

Knowable Magazine

Spots, Stripes and More: Working Out the Logic of Animal Patterns

More than 70 years ago, mathematician Alan Turing proposed a mechanism that explained how patterns could emerge from bland uniformity.

Bon Appétit

Pretzel Focaccia

One of the easiest breads to make at home gets pretzel-ified with a highly burnished, salt-coated crust and a delightfully bitter twang.

Literary Hub

Classic Reviews of Beloved Children's Books

Eudora Welty on ‘Charlotte's Web’, Dorothy Parker on ‘Winnie the Pooh’, and more.

Narratively

A Super Strange True Love Story: My Disappearing Fiancé

After years of avoiding love, I found a match that seemed almost too perfect. We were practically walking down the aisle before I realized it really was too good to be true.

The Hustle

The Secretary Who Helped Uncover One of America’s Strangest Ponzi Schemes

The whole thing started because Robin H. Swanson wanted to send flowers.

Nautilus

When Good Waves Go Rogue

Even in calm seas, waves can become monsters.

The Conversation

Pollen Season Is Getting Longer and More Intense—Here’s What Allergy Sufferers Can Expect in the Future

Rising temperatures mean longer, earlier pollen seasons, but the bigger problem is what carbon dioxide will do to the amount of pollen being released. A 200% increase is possible this century.

The Atlantic

How Friends Become Closer

It’s hard to organize a busy life so that it has enough room for deep friendships, but there are a few strategies that may help.

Greater Good Magazine

How to Stay Open and Curious in Hard Conversations

Here are eight tips for having better conversations across our differences.

MIT Press Reader

10 Tips for Cultivating Creativity, From the Director of the Lifelong Kindergarten Group at MIT

The challenge is not how to “teach creativity” to children, but rather how to create a fertile environment in which their creativity will take root, grow, and flourish.

Popular Collections

Curated guides to the best reads on the web

Pocket Collections

The Art of Navigating Thorny Office Politics

From bad bosses to gossipy colleagues and, of course, office refrigerator drama.

Today’s Pocket Hits

Sunday, August 3

PBS

In the Gray World of GLP-1 Supplements Online, Health Experts Urge Caution

TikTok beauty influencer Kaycee Ogle is regularly contacted by brands who want her to promote their products. But one email she received in June was different, and made her curious.

CNN

Meet America’s First Ever Wife-Carrying World Champions

Caleb and Justine Roesler are the first Americans ever to claim the world title at the Wife-Carrying World Championship in Sonkajärvi, Finland.

Scientific American

The Hidden Way Allergens Attack Nose, Throat and Lung Cells

The immune system senses damage to cell membranes caused by pore-forming proteins and mounts a response.

POLITICO Magazine

Meet the Fraudster Who Wants to Make California Its Own Country

The man behind the Calexit movement claims to be a baller. But he’s broke.

The Cut

What If a Child Was Terrified of Food?

The rise of ARFID, a new eating disorder driven not by body image but by fear.

Tampa Bay Times

She Left Her Abusive Ex. Could She Stay Away?

Money, housing, kids and heartache keep victims with abusers. For a Florida woman, breaking free meant risking it all.

Glamour

Would You Let Your Friend Pitch You to a Room Full of Single Strangers?

In 2025 we’re turning back to one of the oldest forms of dating: meeting a romantic partner through friends.

The Baffler

Winging It

For those trying to overcome their fears of flying, it’s been...a challenging time to say the least.

Recommended Reads

Curated by Pocket

The Conversation

Are You Really Allergic to Penicillin? A Pharmacist Explains Why You Might Not Be − and How to Know for Sure

As many as 1 in 5 Americans believe they have a penicillin allergy, but just a tiny fraction actually do. In recent years, it’s gotten a lot easier to find out.

NPR

3 Big Takeaways From the NTSB Hearing on the DCA Midair Collision

A three-day National Transportation Safety Board hearing on the deadliest U.S. aviation accident in decades dug into problems with altimeters, chopper routes and the busy Washington, D.C., airspace.

Mental Floss

The 10 Most Misdiagnosed Car Sounds

Turns out, identifying car problems with sound alone is tough—and ignoring them can lead to expensive consequences.

Rolling Stone

Inside the Battle Over ‘Napalm Girl’

A new documentary, ‘The Stringer,’ investigates the story of the famous Vietnam War photo “Napalm Girl,” raising questions about who actually took it.

AFAR

Fall Is the Ideal Time to Visit These 8 Charming Small Towns in the U.S.

Cute B&Bs and mom-and-pop shops galore.

HuffPost

This Mosquito-Borne Illness Is Being Reported in Multiple States — Here’s What to Know

Now’s the time to replenish your bug spray supply.

The Associated Press

What to Know If You’re at Risk of Having Your Wages Garnished Over Student Loan Debt

Millions of student borrowers could begin having their wages garnished as soon as this summer. That’s according to estimates from credit bureau TransUnion.

Teen Vogue

Supplement History: The Truth About Supplements and Vitamins That Teens Should Know

If you take a supplement, you should read this.

HuffPost

23 Telltale Signs Someone Is American, According to Europeans

“I’m sure other nations use guidebooks too but Americans carry Rick [Steves] with pride.”

Vanity Fair

The 25 Best Movies on Netflix to Stream Right Now

From comedy classics to recent Oscar winners, these are the titles you don’t want to miss.

The Guardian

The 10 Best Classic Seaside Arcade Machines

A trip to the seaside isn’t complete without a jangling cup of coins or an overconfident uncle nursing a sore hand. Here’s a rundown of the top nostalgia-inducing games.

The Guardian

I’ve Moved 28 Times in My Lifetime. This Is the Story of a New America

It’s not that the dream of the stable home disappeared – it just started charging an untenable monthly rent

Life Hacks

Tips for better living

NPR

If Compliments Make You Feel Super Awkward, This Comic Is for You

When someone says something nice about us, it can make us feel awkward and uncomfortable. Researchers explain the science behind those emotions — and make the case for accepting genuine praise.

Money

How to Prioritize Your Bills in a Financial Crunch

Which obligations need your immediate attention and which can wait.

The Atlantic

Three Ways to Stop Feeling Like an Impostor

This common syndrome can certainly harm your happiness. Here are three ways to get over it.

CBS News

What Will Happen to Gold Prices This August?

Gold prices have largely risen over the past 18 months, approximately, but will they continue to do so this August?

The Guardian

Sweat, Stingers and Scratching: 14 Expert, Easy Ways to Treat and Prevent Insect Bites

Some of us seem to be bitten much more than others – and in unlucky cases this can lead to an allergic reaction or chronic illness. Pharmacists explain how to avoid the worst insects have to offer.

The Cut

How Do People Actually Afford These Summer Trips?

If you’re wondering how everyone is staying at four-star hotels in Italy right now, you’re not alone.

SFGate

7 Dogs Suddenly Die in Southern California, 11 More Fall Ill

All were said to have been in good health before a sudden onset of lethargy, nausea, seizures and other symptoms.

SELF

5 Reasons You Get Random Bruises—and When to See a Doctor

Here’s how to tell if something nefarious might be behind them.

Culture Study

A Fascinating Look at How a Hair Stylist Organizes Their Days

This is so interesting.

NPR

The Transformative Power of Keeping a Daily Journal

In a new book, writer Suleika Jaouad explains why journaling is a form of alchemy — and offers tips on how to reignite your practice if you’re feeling stuck, bored or uninspired by your own writing.

CNBC

Back-to-School Shopping Is More Expensive This Year — Here’s the Breakdown

This year, parents will pay more for back-to-school essentials such as pens, pencils and backpacks.

CNBC

While the Fed Kept Its Benchmark Unchanged, Here’s What Happened to Consumer Borrowing Rates

When it meets this week, the Federal Reserve is widely expected to keep its key short-term interest rate at its current target range — where it has stayed for all of 2025.