Pocket-Worthy Reads

Stories to fuel your mind

Stylist

How to Get Rid of Milia, Those Tiny White Bumps That Appear Around Your Eyes and Cheeks

Ever wondered what’s causing those small white bumps around your eyes? They could be milia, and your moisturizer might be to blame.

Srinivas Rao

Why Excessive Consumption Limits Your Creativity

We consume far more than we create when it should be the opposite.

Aeon

On the Benefits of a Blue Period

Painful times can confer benefits that make us happier over the long term.

Knowable Magazine

Mysteries of the Poisonous Amphibians

Many brightly colored frogs and salamanders have enough toxins in their skin to kill multiple people. How do they survive their own noxious weapons?

Homes & Gardens

I Found Decluttering Exhausting – Then I Tried the ‘One Touch’ Tidying Rule

The ‘one touch’ rule could be the solution if keeping your home tidy feels like a never ending challenge.

The Hustle

The Millionaire Who Lost It All and Became a Castaway

When David Glasheen lost his fortune in the 1980s stock crash, he packed a small suitcase and moved to a remote island.

Atlas Obscura

In 1930s New York, the Mayor Took on the Mafia by Banning Artichokes

Gangs and mafiosos have a long history with food crime.

Narratively

How the World’s Most Venomous Fish Convinced Me to Stop Working Myself to Death

I spent years practically glued to my computer. Then one heartstopping encounter left me thankful to be alive – and made me realize I wanted to live much differently.

Quanta Magazine

Physicists Find a Way to See the ‘Grin’ of Quantum Gravity

A recently proposed experiment would confirm that gravity is a quantum force.

Literary Hub

No One Cares About Your Dreams—Unless You’re a Famous Writer

Saul Bellow, Susan Sontag, Sylvia Plath and more on their nighttime visions.

CityLab

Burned-Out Parents Need Better Public Spaces

To ease the burden on families, we need places to let the kids roam free.

MIT Press Reader

The Myth of Objective Data

When we view objectivity and subjectivity as opposites rather than complements, we distort the empirical realities of data collection.

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

Thursday, July 31

The Walrus

Millennials Are Becoming Caregivers Whether They’re Ready or Not

Still under 40, many are responsible for aging parents while raising kids and managing debt.

The New Yorker

Notes on Bed Rest

I spent months limiting my movement, to protect a high-risk pregnancy. How did it change me?

The Hustle

The Only State Without a Walgreens Pharmacy

Many independent pharmacies are in turmoil throughout the US. But a unique law has made North Dakota a haven for mom-and-pop operators.

Rolling Stone

How a ‘King of the Hill’ Revival Brings Hank, Bobby, and Dale Into an America Gone Mad

‘King of the Hill’ showrunner talks about the Hulu revival and updating the characters and stories for today’s culture of political extremes.

Vulture

Let Your Kids Watch TV. It’s Fine.

A no-guilt screen-time guide.

The San Francisco Standard

‘Jerry Is Rolling in His Grave’: The Deadheads Boycotting Anniversary Shows 

Some Deadheads are sidestepping San Francisco entirely ahead of the anniversary shows. “There’s no more Grateful Dead family — this is a business, through and through,” one said.

ProPublica

Now That They’re Free

Venezuelan men deported by the Trump administration say they endured months of physical and mental abuse inside a Salvadoran prison. Though happy to be home, they say the fact that they were released is proof of how senseless their detentions were.

Punch

Are Kava and Kratom Drinks Addictive?

In detox centers and online support communities, it’s called “the little blue devil.” But its real name is less insidious: “Feel Free” is a drink sold in tiny blue bottles in gas stations, liquor stores and smoke shops to people 21 years or older.

Recommended Reads

Curated by Pocket

Parents

New Study Says Kids Under 13 Shouldn’t Have Smartphones—but What If They Already Do?

An extensive study looks at the risks of smartphone use for kids under age 13, and those risks are very real.

Big Think

Leadership Philosophy: Why Machiavelli’s “Virtù” Fits Hand-in-Glove With AI

Author and geopolitical strategist Paulo Cardoso do Amaral asks: Will we shape AI with wisdom, or will AI reshape us with strategy?

Education Week

Sandy Hook Survivor: Teachers Need a Louder Voice in School Safety Debates

Aspiring teachers also need the opportunity to talk about gun violence during their time in college, Abbey Clements said.

Popular Mechanics

Scientists Say Your Body Starts Aging Faster After 50—But Not All Parts at Once

Your aorta could be aging differently than your adrenal gland, but don’t worry—that’s normal!

Time

How to Excel at Small Talk When You Have Social Anxiety

Script yourself some go-to phrases ahead of time.

Martha Stewart

How to Eliminate Termites for Good—and Keep Them From Coming Back

Dealing with a termite problem? Learn how to get rid of termites permanently with expert-approved methods that eliminate infestations and prevent them from coming back.

Essence

The Corporate Ladder Is Dead—and Gen Z Wants Nothing to Do With It

Burnout, broken promises, and no work-life balance—young workers are opting out of the old path to success.

Dazed

So You Want to Quit Your Smartphone?

Thinking of getting rid of your iPhone for good? Here’s everything you need to know

The New York Times

The Secret to a Great Tomato Salad Is in Your Pantry

A dash of an umami-packed ingredient can change a whole dish as the fish sauce does in this deeply flavored recipe.

CNET

Yes, Starlink Is Now Much Cheaper: Here’s the Catch

Starlink’s Residential Lite plan costs just $80 a month. Here’s everything you should know before signing up.

ProPublica

Idaho Schools Consistently Break Disability Laws. Parents Say They’re Not Doing Enough to Fix the Problem.

Idaho students with disabilities have worse outcomes than many of their peers in other states, according to federal data. Parents say it can take months to evaluate students, and in some cases schools have refused to provide needed services.

Vox

Most Couples Used to Meet This Way. What Happened?

If you’re sick of dating apps, consider this tried-and-true method.

Life Hacks

Tips for better living

CNBC

Back-to-School Shopping Is More Expensive This Year — Here’s the Breakdown

This year, parents will pay more for back-to-school essentials such as pens, pencils and backpacks.

CNN

‘Ozempic Face’ May Be Driving a Cosmetic Surgery Boom

“You can only refill a deflated balloon so much, and often surgical intervention is necessary.”

CNBC

While the Fed Kept Its Benchmark Unchanged, Here’s What Happened to Consumer Borrowing Rates

When it meets this week, the Federal Reserve is widely expected to keep its key short-term interest rate at its current target range — where it has stayed for all of 2025.

Maclean’s

Confessions of the Working Poor

I work hard, buy quality clothes and know how to fake my way through dinner-party conversations. But behind the scenes, I’m part of a fast-growing Canadian underclass.

The New York Times

Study May Undercut Idea That Cash Payments to Poor Families Help Child Development

Rigorous new research appears to show that monthly checks intended to help disadvantaged children did little for their well-being, adding a new element to a dispute over expanded government aid.

The Associated Press

If You Don’t Have Diabetes, Do You Really Need a Continuous Glucose Monitor?

A quarter-size device that tracks the rise and fall of sugar in your blood is the latest source of hope — and hype — in the growing buzz around wearable health technology.

NPR

The Manhattan Gunman Believed He Had CTE. What Does That Mean?

The gunman accused of killing four people in New York City suspected he had chronic traumatic encephalopathy, or CTE — a degenerative brain disease often associated with football players.

The Guardian

‘It Would Destroy Me’: Fear of Student Loan Default Haunts US Borrowers

The Trump administration has ended the pandemic-era pause on repayments, leaving many facing colossal debts.

USA TODAY

Trump’s Trade Deal With the EU: What It Means for Your Wallet

The new tariff could increase prices on goods such as cars, furniture and pharmaceuticals. Trump's tariffs are expected to raise prices by 1.8% in the short term, per the Yale Budget Lab.

CNBC

Even Many High-Earning Americans Don’t Feel Wealthy. Here’s Why

Many high earners in the U.S. still feel broke. Between lifestyle creep, debt and social pressure, even $200,000 per year doesn’t always buy peace of mind.

Vox

How to Make the Hardest Choices of Your Life

From picking a career to picking a spouse, one radical philosophical idea will guide you.

The Guardian

Trust Your Gut and Fail Bravely: Seven Influential Women on the Advice They Would Give Their 30-Year-Old Selves

It’s tempting to imagine what we might have done differently. But, as Diana Nyad says: ‘We earn our wisdom.’