Pocket-Worthy Reads

Stories to fuel your mind

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.)

Epicurious

How to Pipe, Stripe, and Dip Meringue Cookies Like a Pro

Meringue has a reputation for being finicky, but these tips and recipes will have you piping in style.

Scientific American

When Does Intelligence Peak?

Maybe that’s not even the right question.

Greater Good Magazine

When Are You Most Likely to Catch Other People’s Emotions?

Researchers discovered an important factor that influences how contagious emotions are.

Mental Floss

An Empty Boat in the Grand Canyon: The Disappearance of Glen and Bessie Hyde

Bessie and Glen Hyde made history with their Grand Canyon boat trip in 1928, but not for the reasons they intended.

MEL Magazine

A Gentleman’s Guide to Getting Out of a Conversation

Because telling someone to shut the heck up isn’t ‘gentlemanly’ or ‘civilized’ or ‘appropriate for a 5-year-old’s birthday party, Brian, Jesus.

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.

Aeon

What Are Natural Foods?

The glass of orange juice at the breakfast table tells a tale about what’s natural, what’s whole and what’s healthy for us.

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.

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.

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.

BBC Future

The People Who Believe Plants Can Talk

While many gardeners believe talking to their plants encourages them to grow, there is a war of words in the scientific world about whether plants are listening, or even talking back.

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, July 20

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.

The Independent

30 Best New Books to Read

Discover debut novelists and immersive page-turners from acclaimed authors.

Los Angeles Times

AI Can Write a Scene. It Can Pitch a Movie. So What Happens to the Screenwriters?

As generative AI reshapes Hollywood, screenwriters like Billy Ray, Paul Schrader, Bong Joon Ho and Todd Haynes, along with a new class of tech disruptors, are navigating the uncertain future of storytelling.

The Week

Why Your Body Ages Rapidly in Two ‘Bursts’

Scientists have found that ageing increases in our mid-40s and 60s.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Recommended Reads

Curated by Pocket

The Verge

Delta Air Lines Is Using AI to Set the Maximum Price You’re Willing to Pay

And seeing “amazingly favorable” results.

Backpacker

If You Hike With Your Dog, You Need to Be Able to Rescue Them Yourself

We all went to spend time with our furry best friends outdoors, but if you take your dog hiking, you need to be prepared to respond to their emergencies.

Time

Erdogan’s War and Peace With the Kurds

Making peace with the PKK is bound to strengthen Erdogan’s powerful grip on Turkey.

Open Culture

The First Photograph Ever Taken (1826)

In histories of early photography, Louis Daguerre faithfully appears as one of the fathers of the medium.

Time

Extreme Heat Is Testing FIFA’s Ability to Protect 2026 World Cup Athletes

Teams endured extreme heat during the Club World Cup—seen as a test for how FIFA will protect players next year.

NPR

The WNBA’s Success Last Year Wasn’t a Fluke. Now, the League and Its Players Want to Cash In

The league is set to rake in hundreds of millions of dollars from expansion fees and a new media rights deal. And the players' union is pushing for a new contract to change a legacy of low pay.

Outside

You Don’t Need to Summit to Call It a Hike

Most hikers are summit-obsessed, but how much is too much? Here’s why I’d rather enjoy the experience than celebrate the checklist.

SELF

Workplace Affairs Are More Common Than You’d Think. Here’s Why, According to Infidelity Experts

It’s not just CEOs at Coldplay concerts.

Smithsonian Magazine

Edvard Munch Was Haunted by Physical and Mental Illnesses—but He Was Also Fascinated by Them

Known as the painter of “The Scream,” the Norwegian artist and his loved ones spent many years suffering from health conditions. A new exhibition explores how the world of medicine influenced his art.

Popular Mechanics

Scientists Just Solved a Solar Mystery That Baffled Humanity for Centuries

We’ve never known why sunspots can last on our star’s surface for as long as they do, but we finally cracked the case.

Kiplinger

Breaking China’s Stranglehold on Rare Earth Elements

Beijing uses its near-monopoly on critical minerals to win trade concessions. Can the U.S. find alternate supplies?

Kiplinger

These Summer 2025 Back-to-School Tax-Free Weekends Are Starting Now

Over a dozen states offer back-to-school shoppers a sales tax holiday this summer.

Life Hacks

Tips for better living

The Walrus

Before You Share That Health Tip, Read This

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.