Pocket-Worthy Reads

Stories to fuel your mind

The Kitchn

How To Make Freezer-Friendly Breakfast Sandwiches

Breakfast on rushed weekday mornings, solved.

Aeon

What Know-It-Alls Don’t Know, or the Illusion of Competence

Ever been so confident of something that you were shocked to find out you were wrong?

Atlas Obscura

The Dirty Secret of ‘Secret Family Recipes’

Surprisingly often, they’re copied from mayo jars and famous cookbooks.

Inc.

The Beginner’s Guide to Recognizing and Changing Negative Thoughts

This strategy will help you recognize and replace the negative thoughts that can hold you back in life.

Popular Science

Why Do People Say the Moon is Made of Cheese?

The moon-cheese nexus may have started with a fable about a hungry wolf and a crafty fox.

Harper’s Bazaar

The Ecstasy of a Great Outfit

The best dressers know that the right piece of clothing is an invitation to connect with the world around them.

Darius Foroux

A Quick And Easy Survival Guide For Dealing With Jerks

Because some people never outgrow being bullies.

Greater Good Magazine

Six Tips to Avoid Being Overwhelmed by the News

Here’s how to cope when all the negative news is triggering you.

MIT Press Reader

The Extraordinary Ways Rhythm Shapes Our Lives

Rhythm plays an important role in how we perceive — and connect with — the world.

Outdoor Life

The Leave No Trace Principles, Explained

Backpackers, campers, and hikers can leave the land better than they found it with these seven fundamentals.

Knowable Magazine

Why Probation and Parole Don’t Work as Advertised

The current system of supervised release may do more harm than good, some experts say. How can society rehabilitate law-breakers while keeping them from re-offending?

CityLab

Should Evictions Be Banned After Hurricanes and Climate Disasters?

Sonoma County, California, has adopted a moratorium on evictions during declared emergencies — a model that housing advocates want to see nationwide.

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

Saturday, July 5

Boston

Did We Ruin Summer Camp by Making It Safe?

The kids are all right—but are they missing out?

Reuters

They Tried Made in the USA. It Was Too Expensive for Their Customers.

Tens of thousands of American small and midsize manufacturers are facing the choice between paying steep tariffs on Chinese imports or taking on significantly higher domestic production costs.

New York Magazine

'People Want That African Euphoria'

Black Americans are moving to Ghana — and driving up the cost of living for everyone around them.

CNN

A Couple Tried for 18 Years to Get Pregnant. AI Made It Happen.

As artificial intelligence shapes fertility care, it’s now helping doctors find hidden sperm.

The Atlantic

The Feminine Pursuit of Swoleness

A new book considers how weight lifting can help you unlearn diet culture.

Bon Appétit

An Inside Look at the Best Snack Trends at the Summer Fancy Food Show

At the Comic Con of snacks, we track down the latest in sweet treats, sauces, and drinks.

The New York Times

He’s Ringo. And Nobody Else Is.

As he turns 85, one of the last surviving Beatles is still musically curious, dispensing his signature wisdom, and preaching the gospel of peace and love.

KCRW

Want Better Bakes? Here’s What Your Ingredients Actually Do

Pastry chef Nicola Lamb sifts through the essential ingredients of baking — flour, sugar, eggs, and butter.

Recommended Reads

Curated by Pocket

Variety

Why ‘The Sandman’ Final Season Changed a Key Character From Neil Gaiman’s Comics

The final season of Netflix’s adaptation of Neil Gaiman’s “The Sandman” graphic novels opens with a storyline dear to many fans: “Season of Mists.”

Fast Company

Employees Are Crashing Out All Over TikTok. Here’s Why

Crashing out at work is all over TikTok—but why? A new report lays out why employees feel like work isn’t working for them.

Los Angeles Times

South Korea Celebrates the Transformative Power of ‘Squid Game’

In South Korea, much of the domestic reaction to ‘Squid Game’ has focused not on plot but on the prestige it has brought to the country.

Context

‘Bosses See Us As Machines’: Content Moderators Unite to Protect Mental Health

Outsourced and out of sight, content moderators call on Big Tech to address the mental trauma of content moderation.

Inc. Magazine

Half of Remote Employees Nap During the Workday, a Survey Says 

Employers might want to keep an eye open for any visible facial creases, suspiciously mussed hairdos, or groggy comments during video meetings with remote staff. It turns out nearly half of people working from home admit to taking naps on company time.

BBC

Roadblocks Replace Rallies As Serbian Protesters Demand New Elections

After months of rallies, Serbian protesters are calling for people to join a campaign of civil disobedience.

Bustle

This Cash Hack Lets You Enjoy a Fun Weekend on a Budget

Cash only weekends are a good way to stick to a budget without having FOMO.

Vanity Fair

“No One Is Happy About It.” CBS Staffers Were Tired of the Paramount Drama, but the Settlement Intensifies Media-Capitulation Concerns

As Elizabeth Warren calls for an investigation, staffers within the news division of the media giant have expressed a combination of disappointment and “acceptance” over a settlement with Donald Trump that was “out of their hands.”

Undark

The Gates Foundation’s Global Reach Expands, to Mixed Reviews

As the U.S. and other countries cut funding for global health initiatives, what role will philanthropy take?

Smithsonian Magazine

Scientists Shed Light on the Mysterious ‘Cold Blob’ in the North Atlantic Amid a Search for Its Cause

In two recent studies, researchers suggest a weakening ocean current system is to blame for a persistent cold spot in the Atlantic Ocean, though other factors may also be at play.

Travel + Leisure

Overbooked Flight? the Airline Could Owe You Over $2,000—Plus, How to Avoid Getting Bumped in the First Place

These are the steps you should take if you’re bumped from a flight, plus tips to avoid becoming the victim of an overbooked flight in the future.

Smithsonian Magazine

These Cod Have Been Shrinking Dramatically for Decades. Now, Scientists Say They’ve Solved the Mystery

Eastern Baltic cod grow to much smaller sizes than they did just 30 years ago, because overfishing altered their genes, according to new research.

Life Hacks

Tips for better living

Men's Health

How Long It Should Take to Walk a Mile—and How That Can Help to Improve Your Fitness

Whether you're looking to move more or you want to upgrade your daily stroll, these tips will help you pick up the pace.

Lifehacker

Five Psychological Tricks You Can Use to Make Yourself Feel Happier

It’s easy to see why being happy is such a challenge these days. People are working jobs they hate, struggling to pay bills, and living in an increasingly isolated, digitally driven world.

Fast Company

Why Office Gossip Can Be Good for the Workplace (If It’s the Right Kind of Gossip)

Gossip at work is inevitable. But what exactly workers gossip about can be key in dictating company culture. Rumor has it that gossip can be a positive force in workplace cultures, under the right circumstances.

The Conversation

Self Determination Theory: How to Use It to Boost Wellbeing

A foundational idea in self-determination theory is that we have three basic psychological needs: for autonomy, competence and relatedness.

The New York Times

Illness Took My Mother’s Independence, but It Gave Us Something Precious

An immune condition changed my mom’s life — and taught us to see art differently.

Fast Company

How to Make the Most of Your Summer Vacation

Plan to connect with loved ones and plan to disconnect from work.

The Guardian

How Sorry Are You? Why Learning to Apologize Well Could Save Your Relationships

Got something to say sorry for? Here are words that have no place in your apologies, according to those who have spent years analysing them.

The New York Times

Better Half

The midpoint of the year is an opportune moment to look back at where we’ve been, and set our sights for where we want to go.

The New York Times

Gen Z, It Turns Out, Is Great at Saving for Retirement

Brynnley Beckman is only 23, but she is already thinking about retirement. She teaches ninth grade biology at the Shelton School in Dallas and contributes 3 percent of her salary to an employer-sponsored retirement fund. She hopes to increase her contribution by 1 percent each year.

Time

Are You Just Tired or Truly Burned Out?

Fatigue and burnout are similar, but one requires more serious attention.

The Atlantic

How to Make Your Work Your Calling

Three ways to find purpose and meaning in a job.

Money.com

The Ultimate Guide to Paying Less for College

Running the numbers on typical college costs can leave you feeling breathless and wondering how you’re going to afford it. Sticker prices look staggering these days, especially for private colleges.