Pocket-Worthy Reads

Stories to fuel your mind

The Atlantic

The Tyranny of Stuff

The letters of Seamus Heaney reveal that he was bedeviled by the same problem that overwhelms all of us.

Vogue

The Case for Statement Glasses

Committing to a pair of large, (literally) in-your-face glasses is a shortcut to leveling up your personal style.

Quanta Magazine

The New Science of Seeing Around Corners

Computer vision researchers have uncovered a world of visual signals hiding in our midst, including subtle motions that betray what’s being said and faint images of what’s around a corner.

Women’s Health

Eldest Daughter Syndrome: What It Is And 12 Signs To Look For, According To Experts

For starters, you might have people-pleasing tendencies.

Inverse

I Went to Carl’s Jr.’s AI Drive-Thru and All I Got Was Sad

Fast food chains are experimenting with having AI assistants take orders. The results aren’t particularly satisfying.

Fast Company

4 Simple Steps for Negotiating a Higher Salary

Even after a tough economic year, you still have a right to negotiate, and be compensated fairly for your work.

Architectural Digest

The 11 Most Beautiful Post Offices Around the World

From Algeria to Arizona, at these unique buildings you can drop off packages in architectural wonders.

Apartment Therapy

How To Wash a Pillow by Hand or Washing Machine

And how often they should be washed.

The Conversation

How Small Acts of Kindness and Connection Really Can Change the World

A psychologist explains how individual acts of kindness and connection can have a real impact on global change.

Literary Hub

“The Greatest Menace to the Writer is the Reader” and Other Advice from Shirley Jackson

(But don’t worry, you can beat them at their own game.)

Men’s Health

How Long Does It Take to Get Abs? You Might Be Surprised.

Revealing your six-pack isn’t as simple as just crunching into oblivion. Here’s what you need to know.

MIT Press Reader

The Two-Century Quest to Quantify Our Senses

The quantification of bodies, senses, and experience can be traced back to mathematical and statistical techniques of the 19th century.

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 21

Boston

Blood Feuds: The Fight Over Who Gets to Be Native American

A Rhode Island tribe’s quest for state recognition has sparked a controversy.

Popular Science

Why Do Our Ears Pop on a Plane? An Audiologist Explains.

Tricks to fix it go beyond chewing gum.

The New Atlantis

Does Marriage Have a Future?

From the Industrial Revolution to the pill to AI girlfriends, technology is unbundling what used to be marriage’s package deal.

New York Magazine

Inside the Media’s Traffic Apocalypse

The whole premise of internet publishing is starting to crumble.

Outside

Here’s Exactly What It Takes to Run—and Then Recover From—100 Miles

Physiologists track the calories burned and fluids consumed during a mountain ultra.

BBC

‘It’s Just a Weird, Weird Bird’: Why We Got the Dodo So Absurdly Wrong

The extinct flightless pigeon has captured imaginations for over 400 years. Experts and artists are now revealing how much we have distorted what the dodo was really like.

Vanity Fair

What I Witnessed Inside an ICE Women’s Prison

Tufts University doctoral student Rümeysa Öztürk opens up about her 45 days in a South Louisiana processing facility—and the generous and compassionate women she met.

NPR

4 Confidence-Boosting Ways to Overcome the Fear of Flirting in Real Life

Does talking to a cute stranger make your palms sweat? Confidence coach Regina Bonds offers advice on to how to put yourself out there, including how to show interest without coming off as creepy.

Recommended Reads

Curated by Pocket

Parents

Dad Admits He’s Envious of Other Parents Who Are ‘Effortlessly Social’ at School Drop-Off

Even as parents, navigating social pressures with our individual personalities can be exhausting.

BBC

‘The Village Will Die’ - Italy Looks for Answers to Decline in Number of Babies

The government wants to encourage women to have babies but Italians say they need greater help.

CNET

Americans Are Paying $78 Monthly for Internet on Average: Here’s What to Do If Your Bill Is Too High.

I compared over 150 plans from the top ISPs to find the country’s average broadband costs. Here’s what I found.

The Associated Press

Scottie Scheffler Dominates in British Open Victory for His 2nd Major Title This Year

Scottie Scheffler is the champion golfer of the year and one step closer to the career Grand Slam.

Axios

State, Local Officials Seek to Ban ICE Agents’ Masks

Trump administration says masks are necessary for agents’ security during immigration raids.

Martha Stewart

8 Weeds That Are Actually Great for Your Soil, According to Gardening Experts

Discover the common weeds that can actually benefit your garden’s soil. Gardening experts explain how these surprising plants improve soil health and support your garden’s ecosystem.

BBC

Parades, Flags and Songs: The Campaign to Force Ukrainian Children to Love Russia

Russian youth organisations are encouraging Ukrainian children to turn against their country.

Gizmodo

Is Climate Change an Existential Threat?

The constant deluge of bad news about rising global temperatures and their impacts can make it feel like the world is ending. Is it?

Time

What to Know About Birth Control If You Get Migraines

TIME spoke to doctors to unpack whether people who get migraines with aura can take certain types of birth control.

Vogue

The Future of Fashion Is Female: Nine Designers Leading the Way

From Prada to Tory Burch, Calvin Klein, Fendi, Victoria Beckham, and beyond: Women designers are pointing the way forward around the world.

Gizmodo

Origami Space Planes Could Solve a Major Problem in Orbit

To get started, all you need is a standard A4 sheet of paper and the folding skills of a 4-year-old.

Business Insider

My Daughter Went on a Cell-Phone-Free Weekend Trip. It Was Surprisingly Harder on Me Than on Her.

I didn't expect to be so anxious when my daughter was cell-phone free. I realized how addicted I am to the phone and how I need to change my habits.

Life Hacks

Tips for better living

CNBC

Student Loan Bills Could Double for Some Borrowers As Biden-Era Relief Expires

Many student loan borrowers could see their monthly bills more than double now that the Biden-era SAVE plan is defunct.

CNBC

What a Trump, Powell Faceoff Means for Your Money

Tensions are escalating between the White House and the Federal Reserve, with consumers caught in the middle.

Stylist

Managers, Here’s How to Have an Effective 1-to-1, According to Career Experts

How to help your team members get the most from your meetings.

The Walrus

Before You Share That Health Tip, Read This

Misinformation is everywhere. And yes, some of it has probably gotten to you.

Fast Company

I’m a Two-Time Tech Founder. but Restaurants Are Where I Learned to Lead

The surprising lessons the conveyor belt sushi business taught me. Sudden equipment failures. Supply chain surprises. Retaining staff as the goalposts move in real time. These aren’t challenges I’ve faced as a tech founder—but I have faced them running restaurants.

The Week

How Can You Get the Maximum Social Security Retirement Benefit?

For many, Social Security benefits are a key part of their retirement plan. So it makes sense that you would want to get the most possible from this monthly source of income.

Money.com

Why You Probably Need Flood Insurance — Even if You Don't Live Near Water

Over the Fourth of July weekend, parts of central Texas were devastated by flash floods after the region was hit with the equivalent of four months' worth of rain in just a few hours. At least 134 people were killed, and more than 100 are still missing as of press time.

Yahoo

What Is ‘Revenge Saving,’ and Should You Hop on the Trend?

“Revenge saving” emphasizes making up for poor financial habits by being aggressively frugal or restrictive with your current spending.

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.