Pocket-Worthy Reads

Stories to fuel your mind

The Washington Post

How Do We Get Our 4-Year-Old To Stop Negotiating and Respect Our Rules?

She’s only 4, but she’s already trying to negotiate the rules and her punishments with her parents.

Stylist

We Tried Walking With Ankle Weights – Here’s Why It Was Such a Good Workout

Stylist staff strapped on a pair of ankle weights to see if channelling your ‘80s fitness icon is the key to stronger striding.

The Kitchn

10 of Our Easiest Slow Cooker Drop Dinners Ever

Don’t feel like cooking dinner? Let the slow cooker do it for you.

Smithsonian Magazine

A 16-Million-Year-Old Tree Tells a Deep Story of the Passage of Time

The sequoia tree slab is an invitation to begin thinking about a vast timescale that includes everything from fossils of armored amoebas to the great Tyrannosaurus rex.

Inc.

How to Train Your Brain to Get What You Want in 60 Days

You are the designer of your destiny.

Nir Eyal

When Distraction is a Good Thing

Sometimes letting our minds wander is the best course of action.

Harvard Business Review

3 Timeless Rules for Making Tough Decisions

We spend an inordinate amount of time, and a tremendous amount of energy, making choices. Here's how to make the process easier.

Outside

It’s Okay to Be Good and Not Great

What if striving to be great is what’s holding you back?

BBC Future

Do We Need a Better Understanding of ‘Progress’?

A growing and influential intellectual movement aims to understand why human progress happens – and how to speed it up.

The Atlantic

Parents Are Sacrificing Their Social Lives on the Altar of Intensive Parenting

Inequality has seemingly caused many American parents to jettison friendships and activities in order to invest more resources in their kids.

Narratively

I Escaped the Cult. But I Couldn’t Escape the Cult Mentality.

After leaving the Children of God, I was so proud to join the Army. But then I had to ask myself: Was I trading one culture of blind obedience for another? It was the first time I’d ever been allowed to watch television. I was 14 years old.

The Guardian

How Did Childcare in the US Become so Absurdly Expensive?

Families are taking out lines of credit, working second jobs, commuting for hours and forgoing careers. It doesn’t need to be this way, experts say.

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, August 18

CNN

12 of America’s Most Iconic Sandwiches and Where to Eat Them

The deep, diverse array of US sandwich options owes much of its greatness to the creativity and resourcefulness of immigrant communities.

House and Garden

The Remarkable 17th-Century Dutch Dolls’ Houses That Were Anything But Toys

In the Dutch Golden Age, wealthy women commissioned extraordinary miniature houses, lavishly furnished with art, porcelain, and fine furniture — and often as costly as a real home.

NPR

Why the Origin of the Word ‘Dog’ Remains a Mystery

They’re known as man’s best friends, fur babies, pooches. But the most widely used word for these beloved animals — “dog” — is also a great linguistic mystery.

The Local

On the Front Lines of the War Against ‘Super Lice’

With the emergence of drug-resistant nits, lice removal has become a booming business, catering to harried, itchy parents willing to pay for relief.

POLITICO Europe

Inside the Wild World of Politicians’ Private Zoos

As Viktor Orbán’s exotic wildlife sparks a furor in Hungary, we looked at Bidzina Ivanishvili’s shark and Viktor Yanukovych’s ostriches. 

ESPN

The Predatory Web of Sextortion Increasingly Ensnares Young Athletes

A Michigan teen was goaded into sharing an intimate photo that scammers threatened to expose unless he paid up.

CBS News

This Car Ranks as America’s Most-Stolen Vehicle

Here’s why one Chevrolet model is the most-stolen type of car, according to a new report.

BBC

How Kentucky Bourbon Went From Boom to Bust

Tariffs, oversupply and teetotaling Gen-Zs have all contributed to the downfall of one of America’s most iconic liquors.

Recommended Reads

Curated by Pocket

Smithsonian Magazine

Italy Plans World’s Longest Suspension Bridge to Connect Mainland With Sicily

The bridge, expected to cost more than $15 billion, would stretch more than two miles across the Messina Strait.

Entertainment Weekly

Blasts From the Past: Alicia Silverstone Shares Her Favorite Memories From Clueless, Batman & Robin, and More

Entertainment Weekly's '90s Issue cover star Alicia Silverstone shares her favorite memories from 'Clueless,' 'Batman & Robin,' 'The Wonder Years,' 'The Crush,' those Aerosmith music videos, and more.

NBC News

Vampires, Romance and Billionaires: The Bite-Size Chinese Shows Gaining U.S. Fans

Minidramas made to watch on phones in a minute or two are split into dozens of episodes with all the soapy elements: cheesy romance, over-the-top drama and abundant cliff-hangers.

Slate

America’s New No. 1 Song Is by a Group That Doesn’t Exist

We finally have the first chart-topping hit by a girl group since Destiny’s Child. It’s not what you might expect.

Time

Oppenheimer’s Grandson: We Need a Peaceful Nuclear Renaissance

Charles Oppenheimer argues we must use the atom to truly power peace and shares a letter from his grandfather.

CBS News

School Lunch Costs Are Rising Alongside Food Inflation, a New Report Shows

A new report from Deloitte shows the average cost for a packed lunch is now $6.15, up nearly 3% from 2024. But that all depends on what you buy.

Martha Stewart

9 Clever Ways to Use the Space Above Your Kitchen Cabinets

Not sure how to use the space above your kitchen cabinets? Interior designers share their best ideas to make the most of this awkward area.

NBC News

Blue-Collar Jobs Are Gaining Popularity As AI Threatens Office Work

There is no shortage of hype around AI coming for jobs, and while the U.S. labor market has begun to sputter, hard evidence of AI-related job losses is scarce.

Time

Taylor Swift’s New Album Release Is Quintessential Swiftynomics

Taylor Swift’s album announcement is “a masterclass in modern advertising,” writes Misty L. Heggeness.

Discover

Spiders Do Sleep — Some Even Dream While Dangling From Webs

Do spiders sleep? Yes, they do. Learn how studies show that spiders have sleep phases very like those in mammals, and one of the phases is REM sleep.

PS

Legend Breanna Stewart and Newcomer Paige Bueckers Share High Hopes for the WNBA

The WNBA is evolving. How do the athletes feel about it?

Outside

Why Sweat Stinks, According to Dermatologists

Not all perspiration is created equal.

Life Hacks

Tips for better living

CNBC

27 Is the ‘Ideal’ Age to Start Saving for Retirement, Survey-Takers Say — but CFPs Suggest Even Earlier

While some Americans think starting to save for retirement in your late 20s is ideal, financial advisors say it can pay to start even sooner — especially if you plan to retire early.

NPR

Private Equity and Crypto Could Be Heading for Your 401(K). Here’s What to Know

A recent executive order paves the way for retirement accounts to include a lot more than stock and bond funds.

The Week

What Is an Upside-Down Car Loan and How Do You Get Out of It?

This happens when the outstanding balance on a car loan exceeds the vehicle's worth.

NPR

Electricity Prices Are Climbing More Than Twice As Fast As Inflation

Electricity prices are rising more than twice as fast as overall inflation. That's especially costly during the dog days of summer when air conditioners are working hardest. In addition to hot weather, a variety of factors are causing power bills to climb, including the high cost of natural gas used to generate electricity and soaring demand from data centers.

Allure

Why Is the FDA Suddenly Calling Out Foam Sunscreens?

The agency issued warnings to two beloved brands regarding alleged regulatory violations. What gives?

NBC News

Why Investors Shouldn’t Try to Be a ‘Hero’ in This Economy, Analyst Says

In other words: Stick to your long-term investment plan, including an appropriate asset allocation and time frame to reach your goals.

NPR

8 Essential Conversations to Have With Your Aging Parents

There comes a time when it’s the kid’s turn to take care of mom and dad. Here’s how to broach this sensitive subject with your parents, and what to talk about.

The Associated Press

FACT FOCUS: No, Taxpayers Will Not Receive New Stimulus Checks This Summer

This is false. Taxpayers will not receive new stimulus checks of any amount this summer, an IRS official said.

The Hustle

How Private Equity May Affect Your 401(k)

A new executive order allows employer retirement funds to be invested in private equity. Here’s what that could mean for your investments.

The Walrus

How to Trick Your Brain into Making Life Feel Longer and Richer

Forget anti-aging creams. The secret is living like you’re not in a hurry.

The Cut

Are You Rude With Money?

Our readers share annoying financial scenarios to avoid when splitting the bill.

The Guardian

Ozempic Didn’t Work for Me. I Was Furious – and Ashamed

Everyone taking the ‘skinny shot’ was losing weight, but my scales didn’t change. My inner dialogue became toxic.