Pocket-Worthy Reads

Stories to fuel your mind

Narratively

The Day a Native American Tribe Drove the KKK Out of Town

The North Carolina Klan thought burning crosses would scare the Lumbee tribe out of Robeson County. That’s not how things went down.

The Guardian

Can I Learn to Love Weightlifting in Six Weeks?

It builds muscle mass, improves bone density and is good for your heart, mood and sleep. But how easy is it to get started at 49, when you haven’t entered a gym for decades?

Mental Floss

What Your Car’s Air Recirculation Button Does—And Why You Should Be Using It

Your car’s air recirculation button can make life easier on you and your air conditioner.

SELF

Actually, ‘Bed Rotting’ Can Be a Very Legit Form of Self-Care

It’s called rest, people.

Scientific American

Why Do We Crave Sweets When We’re Stressed?

A brain researcher explains our desire for chocolate and other carbs during tough times.

Esquire

Inside the Weird and Wonderful World of Miniatures

Once the province of retirees, miniatures are now trending on TikTok, starring on reality television, and selling for six figures. Here, we take you inside the big moment for these tiny worlds.

The Hustle

The Sneaky Economics of Ticketmaster

Ticketmaster’s maligned fees and customer service issues are under the microscope. Will American music fans ever see anything better?

Fast Company

Use This 15-Minute Checklist to Prepare for a Job Interview

In just a few minutes you can make sure that you’ll nail your first impression.

Architectural Digest

7 Organization Hacks That Will Transform Your Messy Home

No need to get rid of clutter—find a good spot for it instead.

The Conversation

To Break Unhealthy Habits, Stop Obsessing Over Willpower

Understanding and changing the environment in which habits form is a critical step when it comes to breaking unwanted behaviors and forming healthy ones.

Prevention

9 Foods That Help Sleep, According to Dietitians

And why it’s never a good idea to go to bed on an empty stomach.

Delish

Apple Pie Cheesecake

It’s the best of both worlds.

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

Monday, July 14

The Hollywood Reporter

Sharks, ‘Sweethearts’ and Subs: 19 Docs and Real-Life Series to Watch This Summer

Whether you’re seeking true-crime tales, celebrity-focused fare or a closer look at the world around you, there’s something new for various tastes.

The New Yorker

How to Save a Dog

For nearly a year, a motley crew scoured New Orleans for a shaggy white mutt named Scrim.

Nautilus

Is the Show Finally Over for These Whales and Dolphins?

They were bred to entertain in a now-shuttered marine park. Now they need to be rescued.

The Narwhal

Emptying the Nest: Parenting Lessons From Bald Eagles

A photographer follows a pair of bald eagles in southern Ontario, returning to their nest every year to raise their young, and send them off

Business Insider

Can Millennial Dads Have It All?

Millennial dads spend much more time with their kids than their boomer parents, but they’re still struggling to break the breadwinner stereotype.

Popular Science

How Do Airplane Toilets Work?

The engineering is surprisingly simple and remarkably clever.

Texas Monthly

At 40, She Discovered She Was One of America’s Best Free Divers

Sara Burnett went from an introductory course to a world championship in just over a year.

WIRED

AI Is a Lousy Chef

I asked an AI-powered recipe generator to make some menus. It didn’t tell me to put glue in my guacamole, but the results didn’t come close to besting recipes written by professionals.

Recommended Reads

Curated by Pocket

Fast Company

How to Battle Work Intensification

It’s not just you. Work has gotten harder over the past few decades. A CEO offers advice on how to make your job more manageable.

Outside

Scientists Detected a “Swarm” of Earthquakes Below Mount Rainier

More than 300 tremors were recorded below Mount Rainier over the course of three days. Scientists say they were too weak for humans to feel.

Fast Company

These 75 Housing Markets Hit a Critical Threshold in Favor of Homebuyers

Among the nation’s 200 largest housing markets, these 78 metro areas now have active inventory above 2019 pre-pandemic levels.

Mashed

Old-School Summer Dishes No One Eats Anymore

If you’re feeling nostalgic and looking to mix things up this summer, these old-school summer dishes that no one seems to eat anymore could be the solution.

Futurism

Experts Warn That People Are Losing Themselves to AI

AI users are spiraling into severe mental health crises after extensive use of chatbots like ChatGPT — and health experts are taking notice.

Time

How to Give a Good Toast, According to a Stanford Communication Expert

From graduations to weddings, Matt Abrahams breaks down how you can deliver a toast that really resonates.

The Marshall Project

Shackled for Days and Weeks: A Federal Report Finds Widespread Abuse in Prisons

The report, by the Justice Department’s internal watchdog, comes after an investigative series by The Marshall Project and NPR exposed similar abuses.

Martha Stewart

11 Long-Blooming Flowers That Will Bring Hummingbirds to Your Garden All Season

There are some long-blooming flowers that will fill your yard with color all season—and that hummingbirds absolutely love. Here are a few that experts recommend.

Vox

Student Loans Are About to Get Worse

Trump’s new law is a major change to higher education. Here’s what that means for you.

Time

How the National Park System Is Faring Under the Trump Administration

Experts voice concerns that current measures could change “the National Park System irreparably for future generations.”

Nature

Survey of US Postdocs Finds Threefold Increase in Job Losses

Country-wide cuts are difficult to determine, but a survey by the National Postdoctoral Association reveals mounting pressures.

Axios

“You Could Never Have Enough”: Militaries Scramble for Air Defense Interceptors

“It’s a bipartisan sin to treat our missile-defense interceptors as expendable and attritable assets.”

Life Hacks

Tips for better living

The Walrus

Why Everyone You Know Is Suddenly a Birder

A pandemic pastime has grown into something deeper.

CNBC

These College Majors Have the Best Job Prospects — and They Aren’t What Students Expect

Which college major students choose often has significant implications for job prospects and future career potential.

The New York Times

You Saved and Saved for Retirement. Now You Need a Plan to Cash Out.

Nearly two-thirds of Americans say they are more worried about running out of money in retirement than dying, and many retirees could be on track to turn that fear into a stark reality.

Fast Company

Why Do We Trust Certain People (Even When We Shouldn’t)?

The science of who is (and isn’t) trustworthy. Why are some people perceived as more trustworthy than others?

Harvard Business Review

Leading Is Emotionally Draining. Here’s How to Recover.

Emotional depletion is a real and significant tax of modern leadership. Recovery is no longer a luxury.

Substack

The Death of Partying in the U.S.A.—and Why It Matters

Young Americans today spend 70 percent less time attending or hosting parties than they did at the beginning of the 21st century. Why?

Psyche

What to Do When Someone Goes on the Defensive

Our natural impulses often make matters worse. Here’s an approach that works, grounded in conflict resolution and psychology.

USA TODAY

Increase Your Social Security Income in Retirement With Three Powerful Moves

There's a reason people are commonly advised not to retire on Social Security alone. The average monthly benefit won't go very far in helping seniors cover their costs.

Vox

For Years, Women Complained That This Medical Procedure Was Painful. Doctors Are Finally Listening.

How a common birth control method became the center of a reckoning.

Harvard Business Review

New Research on Why Teams Overwork—and What Leaders Can Do About It

Why do so many high-performing professionals keep working at a punishing pace, even when it damages their health, relationships, and personal well-being?

NBC News

Job Scams Are on the Rise and More People Are Falling for Them

As job-seekers look for work in a challenging environment, an increasing number are falling victim to job scams that promise good pay for completing easy online tasks, according to the Federal Trade Commission.

Gizmodo

This Cough Syrup Ingredient Might Actually Slow Dementia

Several larger trials of ambroxol for Parkinson's are already underway.