Pocket-Worthy Reads

Stories to fuel your mind

PC Gamer

Mail Trucks and Millions of Dollars: How Shareware Transformed PC Gaming Forever

We can thank floppy disks in Ziploc bags for the FPS genre as we know it.

Elle

Why Won’t People Just Let Me Not Be a Mom?

No, I’m not a “fur mama,” a “plant mommy,” and I did not “birth” my book.

MEL Magazine

The Buzzing Nostalgia and Furious Competition of Electric Football Tournaments

Scenes from the California Electric Football League’s Super Bowl-adjacent ‘Fault Line Rumble’.

The Hustle

The Economics of Broadway Shows

Even though megahits happen every few years, the formula for success remains elusive.

Scott Young

You Fail to Reach Your Goals Because You Designed Them Badly

No one is preconditioned to fail. If you’re struggling with a project, perhaps it’s time for a different approach.

The Guardian

How Woodworking Is Helping People Carve Out Inner Peace

The craft is gaining popularity among those in search of a way to slow down, switch off and improve mental health.

Nautilus

The Unintended Beauty of Starlings

Those wondrous, undulating flocks are stirred by predators.

BBC Future

Cosmic Megastructures: The Largest Objects in the Universe

The discovery of giant superclusters of galaxies are challenging our very understanding of the Universe.

The Guardian

The Lost Girls: ‘Chaotic and Curious, Women With ADHD All Have Missed Red Flags That Haunt Us’

After multiple burnouts, in my early 30s I finally knew why life sometimes felt harder for me. It made perfect sense, so why had no one noticed before?

BBC Culture

Why Being Messy Is Good for You

From “non-aesthetic” homes to Frazzled English Woman and Marie Kondo, there’s a new wave of realism about what our lives are like. Holly Williams explores the life-changing magic of mess.

Fast Company

What to Do When You Feel Like You Don’t Fit In at Work

Culture fit isn’t just a fluffy goal. Having friends at work is important for your productivity and happiness.

PC Gamer

Meet One of the Last Positive Communities Left in Gaming

Deep Rock Galactic’s fans are disarmingly nice—what is it that makes them so friendly?

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, August 10

The New Yorker

The Internet Wants to Check Your I.D.

New safety rules require users to verify their identities before gaining access to sites. This spells the end of the relative anonymity that we’ve come to expect online.

BBC

How ’Keep Calm and Carry On’ Became a Divisive 21st-Century Phenomenon

After a forgotten WW2 propaganda poster was discovered in 2000, it found an astounding new resonance in 21st-Century Britain – becoming an endlessly memeable template that is both cherished and mocked.

Lifehacker

Are ‘Ultra-Processed’ Foods Really That Bad for You?

They’ve been linked to heart disease and other health conditions.

The Guardian

Knife Throwing and Cheeseburger Spinning: The Agony and Ecstasy of Being a Viral Trickshot Video Star

Think you could throw a basketball off a 540ft dam, into a hoop – while blindfolded? Meet the talented and ludicrously patient people putting hours into the internet’s most joyful (and pointless) clips.

Saveur

That Chewy, Bouncy Texture You Love Has a Name

Whether in boba tea, cuttlefish, rice noodles, or cassava dough, the texture of QQ connects people across cultures and generations.

Condé Nast Traveler

16 Golden Rules That Business Travelers Swear By

People who constantly hit the road for work share what they wish they’d known from the jump.

Food52

Our 10 Best Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipes of All Time

From crispy to chewy, we’ve collected the best of the best.

The Associated Press

The World Nearly Beat Polio. But Fake Records, an Imperfect Vaccine and Missteps Aided Its Comeback.

The World Health Organization has closed in on its bold goal of eradicating polio several times, but the paralytic virus is entrenched in parts of Afghanistan and Pakistan.

Recommended Reads

Curated by Pocket

Martha Stewart

4 Flooring Trends on Their Way Out in 2025, According to Designers

Flooring can have a big impact on a room—especially when it feels outdated. Here are a few materials and finishes to avoid, according to designers.

ESPN

Jaguars’ Little Nails Would-Be-Record 70-Yard FG

Jaguars kicker Cam Little made a 70-yard field goal Saturday in what would have been the longest FG in NFL history had it occurred during the regular season.

Vox

How “The Grim Reaper Effect” Stops Our Government From Saving Lives

When curing disease is bad for the federal budget.

NBC News

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott Moves to Amp up the Pressure on Democrats Who Fled in Redistricting Standoff

More than 50 Texas Democratic legislators left the state to block a GOP effort to redraw congressional lines. Abbott said they won’t be able to wait out the redistricting push.

Discover

Hominins Moved Into the Neighborhood of the Hobbit Humans Around 1.04 Million Years Ago

Learn more about the arrival of ancient humans on the island of Sulawesi, a nearby neighbor to the island of Flores, where the tiny hominins Homo floresiensis emerged.

Axios

House Democrats Prepare to Go Scorched Earth on Redistricting

“Hakeem is clearly upset and angry and frustrated by this,” one House Democrat told Axios.

Axios

Tesla Autopilot Verdict Sends a Chill Across the Industry

With partially automated features becoming common in more cars, the opportunities for risk are multiplying.

MIT Technology Review

Five Ways That AI Is Learning to Improve Itself

From coding to hardware, LLMs are speeding up research progress in artificial intelligence. It could be the most important trend in AI today.

Big Think

7 Literary Classics You Can Read in a Weekend

From books written by Tolstoy and Calvino, these classics offer insights and meditations on timeless themes, without the time commitment.

The Verge

Tesla’s Dojo Supercomputer Is DOA — Now What?

The disbanding of Tesla’s supercomputer is less about the AI race and more about Elon Musk’s inability to retain talent.

Kiplinger

Five Ways to Adapt Your Charitable Giving Strategy in a Changing World: An Expert Guide

Economic uncertainty, global events and increasing wealth are shaping the charitable landscape this year. Here are the philanthropic trends and some tips that could help affluent donors optimize their impact.

Inverse

After 6 Years, Star Wars Could Finally Fix the Sequel Trilogy

After six years, the franchise is going all in on the sequels, or at least the aftermath of them.

Life Hacks

Tips for better living

SELF

5 Subtle Signs You Might Actually Be in a Codependent Relationship

And how to regain your independence without having to drift apart.

Men's Health

How Much Fiber You Need Is a Loaded Question With a Simple Answer

OH GOD, FIBER? You want to talk about fiber? The most booooooring nutrient apart from maybe potassium (maybe)? Well, all due credit to you, because most people want nothing to do with fiber.

Kiplinger

Do Baby Boomers Spend More on Travel? What You Can Learn From Each Generation

Baby Boomers lead in travel spending, but younger travelers may be getting better value. See how older travelers compare with younger ones — and what each generation can learn about smarter travel.

Psyche

Does Progress Seem Slower When You Constantly Check on It?

Research on how we perceive the rate of change shows how you can be strategic about goal tracking and boost your motivation.

NPR

Why Short Breaks to Move Around Are Crucial for Your Creative Process

When bestselling author Kelly Corrigan’s creativity runs low or her mood turns, she doesn’t power through. Here are her tips for connecting your body to your creative process and getting unstuck.

CNBC

What Private Assets in 401(K) Plans Mean for Investors: ‘You’re Only Asking for Trouble,’ One Advisor Says

Millions of investors may soon have access to private assets in their 401(k) or other workplace retirement plans. What to know about the risks and rewards.

SELF

5 Things Every ‘Conflict Avoidant’ Person Should Do Before Any Difficult Conversation

The word “conflict” usually brings to mind raised voices or awkward tension—outcomes most people would rather avoid.

Kiplinger

Are You Leaving Money on the Table? Four Strategies to Free up Stuck Investments

From forgotten 401(k)s to outdated asset allocations, stuck money can hurt your retirement. Here’s what to do about it.

The Cut

Unpacking the TikToker Who Fell in Love With Her Psychiatrist

In the latest really long story to hit TikTok, Kendra Hilty believes she was manipulated into developing feelings for her psychiatrist.

SELF

5 Injuries ER Doctors See All the Time—and How to Avoid Them

You might be surprised by the seemingly innocuous behaviors that cause them.

SELF

9 Exercises for Knee Pain to Help You Move (and Feel) Better

Strengthen and stretch your way to happier joints.

Allure

Inside the World of Professional Back-Scratching

“I just want to pay someone to tickle my back.”