Pocket-Worthy Reads

Stories to fuel your mind

Esquire

How to Be a Better Man Right Now

Here, our best guidance on how to look better, feel better, date better, and optimize your life.

MIT Press Reader

The Mysterious Deep Time Movements of Snails

How do organisms that are so sedentary end up being so incredibly widely dispersed?

The Hustle

Why Americans Stopped Buying Convertibles

We’ve traded the open-air dream for climate-controlled isolation.

Country Living

21 DIY Closet Organization Ideas That Will Make Getting Dressed So Much Easier

Getting dressed in the morning has never been so stress-free.

Literary Hub

14 Curious Telegrams from (and to) Famous Writers

“I can’t look you in the voice.”

The Conversation

Victorian Novels Highlight the Fragility of Public Health Today

Between 40% and 50% of children didn’t live past 5 in the US during the 19th century. Authors like Charles Dickens documented the gutting grief of losing a child.

The Washington Post

One Year, 41 Million Digits: How He Found the Largest Known Prime Number

Former Nvidia programmer Luke Durant used an unusual computer setup to discover a mind-bogglingly big Mersenne prime.

CityLab

What Happened to Hanging Out on the Street?

Urban pedestrians are walking faster and doing less socializing, according to a study of NYC, Boston and Philadelphia.

Apartment Therapy

Here’s What It’s Actually Like to Find an Apartment in Paris

“Unfurnished” could also mean no kitchen cabinets.

The Atlantic

How “One Hundred Years of Solitude” Became a Classic

When Gabriel García Márquez’s most famous novel was first published, it faced a difficult publishing climate and baffled reviews.

Narratively

This Boy From Mumbai Became the World’s Unlikeliest Crossword King

As a teenager, Mangesh Ghogre was obsessed with decoding puzzles filled with foreign references. Now he’s the only non-American to ever create them for The New York Times.

Wait But Why

Taming the Mammoth: Why You Should Stop Caring What Other People Think

Human are wired with an over-the-top obsession with what others think of them. Here’s how to bring it under control.

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, July 27

The Guardian

How Video Games Are Keeping Romance Alive – One Level at a Time

Some are using Final Fantasy and GTA Online as dating sites and long-time lovers are finding comfort and connection through Resident Evil. Could video games be the ultimate relationship tool?

The New Yorker

Mary Had Schizophrenia—Then Suddenly She Didn’t

Some psychiatric patients may actually have treatable autoimmune conditions. But what happens to the newly sane?

The Guardian

The Rise and Fall of the British Cult That Hid in Plain Sight

Philippa Barnes was a child when her family joined the Jesus Fellowship. As an adult, she helped expose the shocking scale of abuse it had perpetrated.

Vox

Why Your Energy Bill Is Suddenly So Much More Expensive

And why it’s not getting cheaper any time soon.

SELF

3 Simple Steps to Keep Your Bananas From Rotting Way Too Soon

Expert-approved strategies for extending the life of this potassium-packed—but short-lived—fruit.

Esquire

What I Didn’t Understand About My Autistic Son, and What I’m Learning Now That He’s an Adult

I have opened my heart and my mind to Sam, and he’s brought both of us to the place we so desperately need to be.

Business Insider

Return Fraud Is Running Rampant

Whether it’s sending back broken items or claiming a package never arrived, Americans are committing return fraud at Amazon and other retailers.

NPR

The Best Games of 2025 So Far, Picked by NPR’s Staff

From indies like ’Blue Prince’ to big console exclusives like ’Donkey Kong Bananza’, NPR staff and contributors round up their favorite games of the year so far.

Recommended Reads

Curated by Pocket

Popular Mechanics

Your Brain Is Editing Your Life While You Sleep, Scientists Say

While you’re snoozing, your brain is using NREM and REM sleep to strengthen and sort your memories for you.

Inverse

20 Years Ago, a Cult Classic Open World Game Transformed a Beloved Sci-Fi Genre

‘Destroy All Humans’ brought an inventive take on the alien invasion, and it still remains one of the definitive comedic takes on the genre in games.

Kiplinger

Google Smart Home Devices Are Glitching and Users Are Frustrated

From missed alarms to unresponsive commands, Google’s smart home tech is leaving users in the lurch.

Fast Company

Wall Street’s Winning Streak Continues in Another Record-Setting Week

The S&P 500 is on track to finish its fourth winning week in the last five while the Dow Jones was up 71 points as of 9:35 a.m. Eastern time.

CNET

Trying to Get a Better Night’s Sleep? Try the 10-3-2-1-0 Sleep Hack

Getting enough sleep can sometimes be difficult. This five-step sleep method can help.

Kiplinger

Are You an Auto Theft Target? Discover the Clues

Thieves seized over 850,000 cars last year. See which models, states and behaviors draw the eyes of opportunists.

NBC News

‘Nothing Beats a Jet2 Holiday.’ Except Maybe Viral Fame.

Zoë Lister, the actor who narrated the popular British ad turned viral TikTok sound, said she never expected the audio to resonate worldwide.

MIT Technology Review

The Deadly Saga of the Controversial Gene Therapy Elevidys

The drug, which was designed to treat Duchenne muscular dystrophy, has been linked to the deaths of two teenage boys.

Bustle

How Jess Smith Built the WNBA’s Newest Team From the Ground Up

Jess Smith, president of the Golden State Valkyries, chats about her career path, building the team, and how she stays centered.

The Conversation

Gene Editing Technology Could Be Used to Save Species on the Brink of Extinction

Earth’s biodiversity is in crisis. An imminent “sixth mass extinction” threatens beloved and important wildlife. It also threatens to reduce the amount of genetic diversity – or variation – within species.

Inc. Magazine

How HR Uses AI to Stay Human

A postcard from tomorrow’s workplace: how leaders balance technology and human connection.

Reuters

Increasing Drone Incidents Near US Airports, Stadiums Prompt Alarm, Officials Say

U.S. officials told a Senate committee on Tuesday that there have been more than 3,000 drone events near American airports since 2021, including 11 aircraft this year that reported taking evasive action to avoid collisions.

Life Hacks

Tips for better living

NPR

Home Sales Are Down. So Why Are Prices at an All-Time High?

Those with equity in a home can trade up more easily, while many first-time homebuyers are still stuck on the sidelines.

Fast Company

How to Go From Quiet to Commanding

An executive coach offers introverts five tips for sounding more confident. You’re smart, capable, and consistently deliver results. But in meetings, your voice disappears.

USA TODAY

Estate Sales Are Booming. Thank Gen Z

Environmentally-conscious young people are heading to estate sales for low cost, well-made products.

The Week

How Will the New Tax Deductions on Auto Loans Work?

Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act introduced a tax deduction on auto loan interest — but eligibility for the tax break is limited.

USA TODAY

Young People Always Worry About Social Security. Older People Are Joining Them.

Americans are worrying more about Social Security, and the Trump administration may be partly to blame.  In an AARP survey released July 22, only 36% of Americans voiced confidence in the future of the retirement trust fund, down from 43% in 2020.

NPR

Doctors Urge FDA to Remove Black Box Warning on Hormone Therapy for Menopause

The FDA may remove the warning labels on hormone replacement therapies used to treat the symptoms of menopause. Doctors say the warning is scaring people who could benefit from these treatments.

The Guardian

‘Old People Are Capable of More’: Meet the Female Weightlifters in Their 70s and 80s

Forget the stereotype of the frail old woman who needs help carrying groceries – fitness mavens like Joan MacDonald show you can strength train at any age.

Time

What to Say to Someone With Cancer 

Some well-meaning phrases don’t always go over well.

HuffPost

These 8 Common Habits Could Increase Your Risk of Dementia

These common daily behaviors can impact your cognitive health – and take a toll on your overall health, too.

Harvard Business Review

Make the Most of Your Vacation When You Can’t Fully Unplug

While advice abounds on the importance of fully unplugging during your hard-earned time off — and for good reason! — what should you do if you’re in a situation where you can’t be fully offline?

Axios

Social Security Recipients Set to Face an $18,000 Benefit Cut in Just Seven Years

Retirees are facing the prospect of substantial Social Security cuts in just seven years, sooner than projected, due to the “big, beautiful bill,” per an analysis out Thursday from the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget.

Allure

Why Are People Fighting About At-Home Gel Nail Kits on TikTok?

A closer look at both sides of the “OPI nail drama.”