Pocket-Worthy Reads

Stories to fuel your mind

Inc.

How to Remember Anything You Really Want to Remember, Backed by Science

A three-step process to commit important information to memory.

The Washington Post

How to Use All Those Takeout Chopsticks in Your Miscellany Drawer

Try the disposable utensils when cooking, twisting orange peels or cleaning those hard-to-reach places.

The Kitchn

Recipe: Slow Cooker Chicken Tikka Masala

This curry dish benefits from the nice, long simmer—a slow cooker specialty.

Lifehacker

Stop Answering Your Kid’s Questions

It’ll help them gain a critical skill—and get you out of the hot seat.

The Washington Post

7 Hotel Red Flags That Should Make You Run in the Other Direction

No pictures? No booking.

Stylist

Should You Use Castor Oil for Your Skin? Our Beauty Team Investigates

Castor oil has gained a reputation in hair care for its ability to help your hair grow and shine. But could the benefits extend to skincare? We spoke to a dermatologist to find out.

Bustle

Would A More Humane Housewives Still Be Watchable?

We don’t tune into the Bravo franchise for lessons on being a good person, which makes the sourest moments a bit sticky.

BBC Worklife

The Case for Turning Off Your Zoom Camera

Bosses want video call cameras on. But workers may have a strong argument against appearing on screen when they don’t want to.

Aeon

Anger Is Temporary Madness: The Stoics Knew How to Curb It

Anger is a complicated emotion, but one you can learn to control. Here’s how.

Homes & Gardens

7 Common Household Items That Are Polluting Your Air

Learn what household items are polluting the air around you in your home.

The Hustle

The Economics of All-You-Can-Eat Buffets

Is it possible to out-eat the price you pay for an all-you-can-eat buffet? How do these places make money in this situation?

Popular Mechanics

We Used to Make Fun of Fool’s Gold. Now, It Might Fuel Our Future.

The misunderstood mineral pyrite is hiding a big secret.

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 17

CBS News

This Car Ranks as America’s Most-Stolen Vehicle

Here’s why one Chevrolet model is the most-stolen type of car, according to a new report.

BBC

How Kentucky Bourbon Went From Boom to Bust

Tariffs, oversupply and teetotaling Gen-Zs have all contributed to the downfall of one of America’s most iconic liquors.

ESPN

The Predatory Web of Sextortion Increasingly Ensnares Young Athletes

A Michigan teen was goaded into sharing an intimate photo that scammers threatened to expose unless he paid up.

ESPN

How Happy Are You As a Fan? Find Out Where You Score in Our Sports Misery Index.

Whether there’s confetti falling from your team’s last title or you’re still waiting to see your first, you probably have an idea of how satisfied - or miserable - you are as a fan. But could you put a number on it?

Serious Eats

5 Ways You Should Be Using Salt (But Probably Aren't)

Salt is the spice of life.

The New York Times

He Announced His Intention to Die. The Dinner Invitations Rolled In.

In early December, a 28-year-old Ghanaian artist and entrepreneur named Joseph Awuah-Darko announced on Instagram that he wanted to die.

The Guardian

‘The Forest Had Gone’: The Storm That Moved a Mountain

On a small ledge in the Swiss mountains, 200 people were enjoying a summer football tournament. As night fell, they had no idea what was coming.

Food & Wine

I Tracked a Wild Salmon From Sea to Plate — What I Learned Surprised Me

Wild salmon is abundant in Alaska and coveted by chefs — but most Americans eat the cheaper, milder farmed kind. Journalist Kim Cross set out to learn why — and how to cook the real thing right.

Recommended Reads

Curated by Pocket

ESPN

2025 Preseason College Football Playoff, Bowl Projections

It’s August and no games have been played, but we’re breaking down who will be where in December and beyond.

Real Simple

Not All Ultra-Processed Foods Are Bad for You—These 8 Are Actually Healthy

Ultra-processed foods make up the majority of what's in your grocery store. But while ultra-processed foods have been linked in studies to serious health risks, there's a wide spectrum as far as safety profile. Choose from the "green-flag" foods from the American Heart Association—including nuts, whole grain breads, and soy milk—to limit your risks.

Condé Nast Traveler

Could the US Have the World’s First Nuclear-Powered Airport?

Officials at Denver airport are looking into adding a nuclear reactor to its campus.

Kiplinger

Think Selling Your Home ‘As Is’ Means You’ll Have No Worries? Think Again

There are significant risks and legal obligations involved in selling a home ‘as is’ and by yourself, without a real estate agent.

Fast Company

Retail Sales Rise in July As Shoppers Rush to Spend Ahead of Tariffs

The increases followed two consecutive months of spending declines in April and May.

Kiplinger

Social Security Turns 90 — Five Important Things to Know

Social Security has become a cornerstone of the American retirement system and works to keep over 16 million retirees above the poverty line. Here are five key facts about the program as it turns 90.

The Hollywood Reporter

The 15 Best ‘Sex and the City’ Episodes of All Time, Ranked

As the world waves farewell to Carrie Bradshaw — for good, it seems — with the end of ‘And Just Like That,’ I couldn’t help but wonder... which episodes of ‘Sex and the City’ stand the test of time?

Martha Stewart

How to Harvest Aloe Vera for Its Gel—Without Harming the Plant

Aloe vera looks beautiful, but you can also harvest it and extract its soothing gel. Here’s how to do it the right way, according to experts.

Fast Company

‘Made in the USA’ Is a Struggling Brand

New data shows that shoppers are putting cost over country.

Smithsonian Magazine

How the 1973 D.C. Home Rule Act Enabled the Nation’s Capital to Govern Itself—With Congressional Oversight

Far from being a new debate brought on by current events, the discussion over extending home rule to Washingtonians has been around as long as the District of Columbia itself.

Literary Hub

How Small-Town Public Libraries Enrich the Generative Research Process

Like many authors, I love doing background research. Also, like many authors, I do some of my research online. Setting a chapter in San Luis Obispo, but never been? Drop your little gingerbread dude into Street View.

The Atlantic

The Pull—and the Risks—of Intensive Parenting

This mindset can be both isolating for parents and damaging for kids.

Life Hacks

Tips for better living

NPR

Private Equity and Crypto Could Be Heading for Your 401(K). Here’s What to Know

A recent executive order paves the way for retirement accounts to include a lot more than stock and bond funds.

The Week

What Is an Upside-Down Car Loan and How Do You Get Out of It?

This happens when the outstanding balance on a car loan exceeds the vehicle's worth.

NPR

Electricity Prices Are Climbing More Than Twice As Fast As Inflation

Electricity prices are rising more than twice as fast as overall inflation. That's especially costly during the dog days of summer when air conditioners are working hardest. In addition to hot weather, a variety of factors are causing power bills to climb, including the high cost of natural gas used to generate electricity and soaring demand from data centers.

The Associated Press

FACT FOCUS: No, Taxpayers Will Not Receive New Stimulus Checks This Summer

This is false. Taxpayers will not receive new stimulus checks of any amount this summer, an IRS official said.

NPR

8 Essential Conversations to Have With Your Aging Parents

There comes a time when it’s the kid’s turn to take care of mom and dad. Here’s how to broach this sensitive subject with your parents, and what to talk about.

The Local

On the Front Lines of the War Against ‘Super Lice’

With the emergence of drug-resistant nits, lice removal has become a booming business, catering to harried, itchy parents willing to pay for relief.

Allure

Why Is the FDA Suddenly Calling Out Foam Sunscreens?

The agency issued warnings to two beloved brands regarding alleged regulatory violations. What gives?

NBC News

Why Investors Shouldn’t Try to Be a ‘Hero’ in This Economy, Analyst Says

In other words: Stick to your long-term investment plan, including an appropriate asset allocation and time frame to reach your goals.

The Guardian

Ozempic Didn’t Work for Me. I Was Furious – and Ashamed

Everyone taking the ‘skinny shot’ was losing weight, but my scales didn’t change. My inner dialogue became toxic.

KFF Health News

AUDIO: A Wild Health Insurance Hustle

A couple in New York thought they bought insurance. Instead, they got fake “jobs.”

The Marginalian

Wonder, Play, and How to Be More Alive

We build our lives around structures of certainty — houses to live in, marriages to love in, ideologies to think in — and yet some primal part of us knows that none abides, knows that we pay for these comforting illusions with our very aliveness.

NPR

Counting Steps for Health? Here’s How Many You Really Need

Counting steps is easy using a phone, a wearable or fitness tracker. And scientists have lots of data to figure out how many daily steps you need to improve health. Here’s what they’ve found.