Pocket-Worthy Reads

Stories to fuel your mind

The Hustle

The Economics of Cruise Ships

For decades, the industry has done everything in its power to avoid paying into the system.

GQ

We Regret To Inform You That You May Have ‘Email Apnea’ and Not Even Realize It

Your inbox can literally take your breath away. Here’s how to not let it.

Quanta Magazine

How Space and Time Could Be a Quantum Error-Correcting Code

The same codes needed to thwart errors in quantum computers may also give the fabric of space-time its intrinsic robustness.

Outside

How to Eat Like a Nutritionist (And Never Feel Like You’re On a Diet)

It doesn’t have to be all kale salads and quinoa.

The Marginalian (formerly Brain Pickings)

Walt Whitman on the “Meaning” of Art and How to Best Access the Poetic

“At its best, poetic lore is like what may be heard of conversation in the dusk, from speakers far or hid, of which we get only a few broken murmurs. What is not gather’d is far more — perhaps the main thing.”

Apartment Therapy

Decluttering Advice—Things to Get Rid Of

This “thrift store” tip will forever change how you declutter.

Scientific American

The Scientific Underpinnings and Impacts of Shame

People who feel shame readily are at risk for depression and anxiety disorders.

Popular Science

Probiotics Are More Hype Than Science

Experts say that the marketing for these supplements has outpaced the actual science.

Atlas Obscura

The Man Who Went to War With Canada

For centuries, the United States and Canada’s only remaining land border dispute has been kept alive by a single family.

Slate

Dismantling My Dreams, One Brick at a Time

We lived out our fantasy to flip a house. We will never do it again.

Fast Company

How to Land a Job You’re Not Qualified For

It doesn’t hurt to apply, even if you feel underqualified. But there is a strategy you should follow.

Bon Appétit

How to Make Boxed Cake Taste Homemade

However you look at boxed cake mix—a desperate measure or a jumping-off point for delicious desserts—here are my best strategies to make it taste better than you ever imagined.

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 26

The Guardian

How Video Games Are Keeping Romance Alive – One Level at a Time

Some are using Final Fantasy and GTA Online as dating sites and long-time lovers are finding comfort and connection through Resident Evil. Could video games be the ultimate relationship tool?

The New Yorker

Mary Had Schizophrenia—Then Suddenly She Didn’t

Some psychiatric patients may actually have treatable autoimmune conditions. But what happens to the newly sane?

The Guardian

The Rise and Fall of the British Cult That Hid in Plain Sight

Philippa Barnes was a child when her family joined the Jesus Fellowship. As an adult, she helped expose the shocking scale of abuse it had perpetrated.

Slate

The Rise of the One-Day Overseas Vacation

In the age of remote work, Instagram reels, and shrinking PTO, the one-day international trip is becoming both absurd and strangely relatable.

The Associated Press

Photos Show a Filipino Couple Walking Down a Flooded Aisle on Their Wedding Day

Jade Rick Verdillo and Jamaica Aguilar were determined to walk down the aisle on their wedding day.

NBC News

The Deadliest Extreme Weather Event Is Not What You Think It Is

Nationally, extreme heat causes more deaths each year than any other weather event, including floods, hurricanes and tornadoes.

Business Insider

Return Fraud Is Running Rampant

Whether it’s sending back broken items or claiming a package never arrived, Americans are committing return fraud at Amazon and other retailers.

NPR

The Best Games of 2025 So Far, Picked by NPR’s Staff

From indies like ’Blue Prince’ to big console exclusives like ’Donkey Kong Bananza’, NPR staff and contributors round up their favorite games of the year so far.

Recommended Reads

Curated by Pocket

The Guardian

‘If I Switch It Off, My Girlfriend Might Think I’m Cheating’: Inside the Rise of Couples Location Sharing

Many apps like Find My allow us to follow our loved ones at all times. But just because we can, does it mean we should?

SFGate

Large Ancient Hawaiian Petroglyphs Uncovered by Waves on Oahu

This month, large ancient Hawaiian petroglyphs were exposed along the shoreline on Oahu’s west side. Usually covered by sand, they haven’t been seen for years and are believed to be more than 1,000 years old.

Vox

How Millennials Ruined Summer Camp

Once a world of lanyards and nature walks, camp looks a lot different than it used to.

Ars Technica

Hackers—Hope to Defect to Russia? Don’t Google “Defecting to Russia.”

To the casual observer, cybercriminals can look like swashbuckling geniuses. They possess technical skills formidable enough to penetrate the networks of the biggest companies on the planet.

MIT Technology Review

Google DeepMind’s New AI Can Help Historians Understand Ancient Latin Inscriptions

Aeneas aims to “connect the past” by providing researchers with historical parallels.

CBS News

Trump Yanks Habba’s Nomination for U.S. Attorney, Enabling Her to Serve in Acting Capacity

The federal district court in New Jersey appointed Alina Habba’s deputy, Desiree Leigh Grace, to serve as U.S. attorney.

The Guardian

Venezuelans Deported by Trump to El Salvador Describe ‘Horror Movie’ Mega-Prison

Venezuelan men who were deported by the US to a notorious prison in El Salvador without due process are speaking out about treatment they described as “hell” and like a “horror movie”, after arriving back home.

Los Angeles Times

Ed Park Drops Clues Like ‘Barbie’ Throughout ‘An Oral History of Atlantis’

Ed Park, a Pultizer Prize finalist for his last sprawling novel, wrote an interlocking series of stories for his follow-up, ‘An Oral History of Atlantis,’ and his joy at working in shorter form is palpable.

Inverse

Xbox Learned the Hard Way That $80 Games Can’t Be the Standard

Just six weeks after Xbox announced that The Outer Worlds 2 was going to be the first $80 Xbox Game Studios release, the troubled publisher said, actually, nevermind. Xbox plans to go back on its controversial decision, citing “current market conditions.”

Homes & Gardens

‘They’re Gold!’ – 5 Unusual Ways to Make Use of Space Under Cabinets and Sideboards

If you’ve not given much thought to the small spaces beneath cabinets and sideboards, they can offer that little bit of extra storage for perfect home organization.

The Hollywood Reporter

How John Legend Gives His All

THR’s philanthropist of the year speaks out on fame, family and fighting the system.

PS

PSA: Jessica Biel’s Onscreen Physique Is “Not Maintainable” — Even for Jessica Biel

Jessica Biel says her body in “The Better Sister” is “not maintainable.” Here’s why that transparency matters and why we’re applauding her honesty.

Life Hacks

Tips for better living

The Cut

‘Are My Student Loans About to Become Unaffordable?’

You could do nothing—or you could sign up for a new repayment plan. Here are your options.

The Associated Press

For Some Employees, Education Benefits Such As Tuition Assistance Prove Life-Changing

As higher education costs have grown to heights many U.S. residents find unattainable or illogical, some adults are looking to their employers for help.

Allure

Why Are People Fighting About At-Home Gel Nail Kits on TikTok?

A closer look at both sides of the “OPI nail drama.”

The Atlantic

The Problem With Rewards Credit Cards

Their fees are getting higher—and their benefits are sometimes wildly complicated to redeem.

NPR

What Borrowers Should Know About Student Loan Changes in the One Big Beautiful Bill

If you’re a federal student loan borrower or about to become one, your head may be spinning.

Axios

Venmo the Treasury to Help Pay Uncle Sam’s Debt? You Can, If You Really Want

Of all the things you might use Venmo for — buying drinks, splitting a check with friends, repaying a loan — there’s a good chance you’ve never had “sending the government a gift to help pay the public debt” on your list.

Axios

Social Security Recipients Set to Face an $18,000 Benefit Cut in Just Seven Years

Retirees are facing the prospect of substantial Social Security cuts in just seven years, sooner than projected, due to the “big, beautiful bill,” per an analysis out Thursday from the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget.

Harvard Business Review

Make the Most of Your Vacation When You Can’t Fully Unplug

While advice abounds on the importance of fully unplugging during your hard-earned time off — and for good reason! — what should you do if you’re in a situation where you can’t be fully offline?

NPR

You Can’t Outrun a Bad Diet. Food Not Lack of Exercise Fuels Obesity, Study Finds

One explanation for the rise in obesity in industrialized countries is that people burn fewer calories than people in countries where obesity is rare. A major study finds that’s not the case.

NBC News

Did Your Doctor’s Office Charge You a ‘Facility Fee’? Here’s What to Know.

Facility fees, often associated with inpatient hospital stays, are becoming more common for outpatient doctors’ appointments.

HuffPost

This Unfair Job Interview Question Can Instantly Determine If You’re Hired — and It’s Very Common

Experts offer advice on how to answer this tricky question — and still get the job.

CNN

Don’t Get Overwhelmed by 10,000 Steps. Here’s How Many You May Really Need

Don’t worry, you can get health benefits just by moving a little more than you already are, new research has found.