Pocket-Worthy Reads

Stories to fuel your mind

Slate

When Critics Could Kill

What was it like when a review could end a career? Most musicians still don’t want to talk about it.

Atlas Obscura

The Joy of Collecting Stamps From Countries That Don’t Really Exist

“Bogus Cinderellas” can come from micronations, outer space, or parallel dimensions.

Fast Company

What to Do on 15-, 30-, and 60-Minute Breaks to Boost Productivity

If you aren’t taking regular breaks or don’t feel refreshed and focused after taking a break, you might be doing it wrong.

SELF

Why Do I Get Out of Breath Walking up Stairs If I’m in Good Shape?

If climbing a couple flights is humbling every time, you’re not alone.

Popular Science

Is It Time to Change the Way We Talk About Human Evolution?

The human ancestor Homo bodoensis just got a new name—and it could shake up some old ways of thinking.

Smithsonian Magazine

The Moral Cost of Cats

A bird-loving scientist calls for an end to outdoor cats “once and for all.”

Outside

Stop Cooking with Coconut Oil

Coconut oil's health benefits are overblown, at best. Here are five healthy alternatives.

WIRED

How to Use Your Phone Addiction to Actually Learn Stuff

These apps can help you slow your mindless scrolling—or put it to good use.

Stylist

Is Exercise Giving You a ‘Fitness Hangover’?

Why do you feel sick and have a headache after exercise?

Popular Mechanics

Scientists Confirm the Incredible Existence of Time Reflections

Basically, if you look in a time mirror, you’ll see your back instead of your face.

Aeon

The Healing Power of Nature

The idea that immersing yourself in forests and nature has a healing effect is far more than just folk wisdom.

Men’s Health

How to Do the World’s Greatest Stretch

Dr. Aaron Horschig, DPT, of Squat University explains the intricacies of this widely-renowned mobility move.

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

Wednesday, July 16

The Walrus

Greenland Has Been Fighting Off Americans for Over a Century

There may be only about 51,000 Kalaallit in the world, but we know how to resist imperialism.

The Guardian

The Fascinating Science of Pain – and Why Everyone Feels It Differently

Do you scream when you stub your toe? Could you play a grand final with a shattered jaw, or work all day as your belly fills with blood? When it comes to suffering, perspective is everything.

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.

Mother Jones

Pregnancy Is a Minefield When You’re Disabled

Few OB-GYNs get disability training—and their disabled patients are far likelier to die.

Harper's Magazine

The Geological Sublime

Butterflies, deep time, and climate change.

The Cut

You Should Invite All Your Friends on Your Honeymoon

The wedding wasn’t enough; I wanted to see my friends together on the honeymoon, too.

Esquire

I Was Diagnosed With Incurable Cancer. This Futuristic Treatment Could Save Me.

I’ve endured numerous rounds of radiation and taken thousands of pills—but CAR-T is the most effective therapy I’ve completed yet.

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.

Recommended Reads

Curated by Pocket

The Atlantic

The Biggest Myth About the YIMBY Movement

There’s nothing centrist or conservative about the push to lower housing costs.

Context

In Data: Where Do International Students Study and What’s Changing?

From the U.S. to Canada, tougher immigration rules are pushing foreign students to non-traditional markets.

Parents

Adults Say These Generational Parenting Norms Have Been the Hardest To Break

After a recent Reddit thread sparked conversation about unhealthy parenting "norms," we asked mental health experts for some tips on breaking the cycle.

Bustle

Need to Curb Your Spending? Use This Viral Flow Chart

How to save money using TikTok’s viral “Should I Buy It?” flow chart.

Gizmodo

Superheroes Are Spending 2025 in Their Reboot Eras

From ‘Superman’ to ‘Fantastic Four’ and ‘Daredevil: Born Again,’ the year is defined by studios trying to get their superhero groove back.

Outside

Triceps Exercises You Can Do at Home With Just a Set of Dumbbells

Even a light weight can give you results.

Los Angeles Times

From an L.A. Parking Lot to a $1 Billion Deal — the Red-Hot Success Story of Dave’s Hot Chicken

From a $900 parking lot pop-up to a $1-billion valuation: Here’s how Dave’s Hot Chicken and its four founders built a worldwide fried-chicken empire.

Inc. Magazine

Apple After Tim Cook? Succession Plan Talk Picks up As He Stays Put

Tim Cook is Apple’s longest-serving CEO. But what industry gossipers want to know is, what will happen if and when he’s replaced?

Discover

The Seven Sisters Eclipse Will Temporarily Block Stars From View

On July 20, 2025, the Seven Sisters celestial event will be visible across the United States and Canada.

Real Simple

The Counterintuitive Trick That Makes Guests Feel More Comfortable

Want to really make guests feel right at home? Don’t go to extreme lengths to get every dust bunny or bit of paper clutter out of sight. See why getting your house spotless before guests arrive may not be in your best interest.

Grist

This Fuel Is 50% Plastic — and It’s Slipping Through a Loophole in International Waste Law

Environmental groups are concerned that rich countries are exporting plastic to poor countries in the form of “refuse-derived fuel.”

BBC

US Tariff Threat Leaves Russia Less Rattled Than Relieved

The US is threatening Moscow with financial consequences if a deal to end the Ukraine war is not reached within 50 days.

Life Hacks

Tips for better living

GQ

What to Wear to a Job Interview, According to Hiring Experts

Make sure your suit fits, don’t dress too sexy, and other essential advice from professionals in law, tech, finance, and marketing.

Kiplinger

I Want to Buy an Annuity, but I’m Scared I’ll Get Ripped Off. Should I Get One Anyway?

An annuity is a way to achieve lifetime income in retirement, but you need to understand how this product works before making a purchase.

NPR

‘Panicking’: Why Recent College Grads Are Struggling to Find Jobs

Recent college graduates are facing one of the most challenging job markets in years — with the exception of the pandemic period — even as the overall unemployment rate remains low.

Business Insider

The Hot New MBA Hustle

Millennials’ hottest new career pivot: ditching the corporate grind to run unsexy small businesses.

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.

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.