Pocket-Worthy Reads

Stories to fuel your mind

Nautilus

How Jocks and Mathletes Are Alike

Seven sports that come down to how well your neurons play.

Outdoor Life

7 Sneaky Ways Landowners Block Access to Public Lands

And what to do when you run into it.

The Marginalian (formerly Brain Pickings)

When Your Parents Are Dying: The Simplest, Most Difficult and Redemptive Life-Advice You’ll Ever Receive

“Death makes human beings seem like very small containers that are packed so densely we can only be aware of a fraction of what’s inside us from moment to moment.”

Aeon

To Be Happier, Focus on What’s Within Your Control

If you truly understand the difference between what is and what is not under your control, and act accordingly, you will become psychologically invincible, impervious to the ups and downs of fortune.

Knowable Magazine

Do Birds Have Language? It Depends on How You Define It.

In the cheeps, trills and tweets of birdsong, scientists find some parallels with human speech.

The Atlantic

The Real Roots of Midlife Crisis

What a growing body of research reveals about the biology of human happiness—and how to navigate the (temporary) slump in middle age.

Fast Company

How to Stop Sabotaging Yourself at Work

If you’ve ever been on the cusp of achieving something big, then done something dumb to screw it up, you might be engaging in workplace self-sabotage.

Quanta Magazine

The Math Behind Gerrymandering and Wasted Votes

Simple math can help scheming politicians manipulate district maps and cruise to victory. But it can also help identify and fix the problem.

Smithsonian Magazine

What Makes Cheddar Cheese Taste So Good?

After a year-long cheddar-making experiment, scientist unraveled the microbial underpinnings of the cheese’s buttery flavor.

The Hustle

How Two Sisters Monopolized the Identical-Twins Business

The Ganz sisters built a thriving business around everything twins, triplets, and multiples.

The Washington Post

Getting an Airport Uber Has Become an Absolute Obstacle Course

How ride-hailing went from easy to one of the most challenging parts of air travel.

CityLab

A History of the American Public Library

A visual exploration of how a critical piece of social infrastructure came to be.

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 6

The New York Times

He’s Ringo. And Nobody Else Is.

As he turns 85, one of the last surviving Beatles is still musically curious, dispensing his signature wisdom, and preaching the gospel of peace and love.

Reuters

They Tried Made in the USA. It Was Too Expensive for Their Customers.

Tens of thousands of American small and midsize manufacturers are facing the choice between paying steep tariffs on Chinese imports or taking on significantly higher domestic production costs.

CNN

Here’s Who Stands to Gain From the ‘Big, Beautiful Bill.’ And Who May Struggle

President Donald Trump has promised that the “big, beautiful bill” passed by Congress will be one of the most successful pieces of legislation in American history.

Bon Appétit

An Inside Look at the Best Snack Trends at the Summer Fancy Food Show

At the Comic Con of snacks, we track down the latest in sweet treats, sauces, and drinks.

Boston

Did We Ruin Summer Camp by Making It Safe?

The kids are all right—but are they missing out?

New York Magazine

'People Want That African Euphoria'

Black Americans are moving to Ghana — and driving up the cost of living for everyone around them.

The Atlantic

The Feminine Pursuit of Swoleness

A new book considers how weight lifting can help you unlearn diet culture.

KCRW

Want Better Bakes? Here’s What Your Ingredients Actually Do

Pastry chef Nicola Lamb sifts through the essential ingredients of baking — flour, sugar, eggs, and butter.

Recommended Reads

Curated by Pocket

Vox

Everything You Need to Know About Trump’s “Big, Beautiful Bill”

The high political and economic stakes of Trump’s wide-ranging legislative agenda touching on everything from taxes to immigration to fossil fuels.

The A.V. Club

Spinal Tap Defined a Real Genre With a Fake Band

The Spinal Tap rockers led by Christopher Guest played real music, shot direct cinema, and changed mock-docs forever.

Gizmodo

How Gareth Edwards Made ‘Jurassic World Rebirth’ His Ultimate Spielberg Love Letter

Multiple scenes in the film are inspired by the films of the original ‘Jurassic Park’ director.

The 19th

Black Women’s Unemployment Is Rising. Economists Say It’s a Warning Sign.

Unemployment rates over the past year have remained largely steady for every group of workers but one: Black women, whose unemployment rates have been rising.

BBC

‘It’s Groundhog Day’: Ukraine’s Sky Defenders Stuck in Relentless Battle

Under fire of 100 drones a night, there’s little talk of a ceasefire in the front-line city of Sumy.

Polygon

Mario Kart World’s Hated Change Shows Nintendo Still Doesn’t Get Online Games

Nintendo’s reputation as a stubborn company that doesn’t understand modern expectations could persist for Switch 2.

Vox

Can Abortion Bans Be Made a Little Less Bad?

What the debate over “clarification” laws reveals about America three years out from Roe.

Popular Mechanics

Tackle Tricky Spots Your Lawn Mower Can’t Get to With a String Trimmer. We’ll Help You Get Started.

Trim flower beds, tidy up around trees, and slash weeds with this versatile tool.

Time

The Budget Bill’s Big Consequences

Unless the deficit is lowered, “big, painful disruptions will likely occur,” writes Ray Dalio.

Vogue

Yes, Tinned Fish Have Gotten Chic. but How Healthy Are They?

Tinned fish has never been more popular, but how healthy is this new food trend? Here, registered dietitian-nutritionist Lauren Manaker breaks it all down for us.

Den Of Geek

Where Does the Jurassic Park Franchise Go From Here?

If Jurassic Park sequels are going to keep coming, they need to evolve in these important ways.

CBS News

Trump Signs Executive Order Calling for Foreign Tourists to Pay Higher National Park Fees

In its 2026 fiscal year budget proposal released in May, the Interior Department estimated that such a surcharge would generate more than $90 million annually.

Life Hacks

Tips for better living

Inc. Magazine

Half of Remote Employees Nap During the Workday, a Survey Says 

Employers might want to keep an eye open for any visible facial creases, suspiciously mussed hairdos, or groggy comments during video meetings with remote staff. It turns out nearly half of people working from home admit to taking naps on company time.

DW

Paris Reopens Seine River for Public Swimming

Parisians have begun bathing in the Seine for the first time in over 100 years after a ban was lifted. The French capital has created three swimming zones along the river as part of its Olympic legacy.

Men's Health

How Long It Should Take to Walk a Mile—and How That Can Help to Improve Your Fitness

Whether you're looking to move more or you want to upgrade your daily stroll, these tips will help you pick up the pace.

Lifehacker

Five Psychological Tricks You Can Use to Make Yourself Feel Happier

It’s easy to see why being happy is such a challenge these days. People are working jobs they hate, struggling to pay bills, and living in an increasingly isolated, digitally driven world.

Fast Company

Why Office Gossip Can Be Good for the Workplace (If It’s the Right Kind of Gossip)

Gossip at work is inevitable. But what exactly workers gossip about can be key in dictating company culture. Rumor has it that gossip can be a positive force in workplace cultures, under the right circumstances.

The Conversation

Self Determination Theory: How to Use It to Boost Wellbeing

A foundational idea in self-determination theory is that we have three basic psychological needs: for autonomy, competence and relatedness.

The New York Times

Illness Took My Mother’s Independence, but It Gave Us Something Precious

An immune condition changed my mom’s life — and taught us to see art differently.

The Guardian

How Sorry Are You? Why Learning to Apologize Well Could Save Your Relationships

Got something to say sorry for? Here are words that have no place in your apologies, according to those who have spent years analysing them.

Fast Company

How to Make the Most of Your Summer Vacation

Plan to connect with loved ones and plan to disconnect from work.

The New York Times

Better Half

The midpoint of the year is an opportune moment to look back at where we’ve been, and set our sights for where we want to go.

The New York Times

Gen Z, It Turns Out, Is Great at Saving for Retirement

Brynnley Beckman is only 23, but she is already thinking about retirement. She teaches ninth grade biology at the Shelton School in Dallas and contributes 3 percent of her salary to an employer-sponsored retirement fund. She hopes to increase her contribution by 1 percent each year.

CNBC

Here’s the Average 401(K) Balance by Age

When it comes to our retirement nest egg, we can't help but wonder where we stand compared to our cohorts.