Pocket-Worthy Reads

Stories to fuel your mind

Vogue

The Best Places in the World to Travel Solo

Relish the opportunity to adventure alone.

Greater Good Magazine

How to Become a Scientist of Your Own Emotions

A Q&A with researcher Marc Brackett about how to cultivate emotional intelligence in ourselves and our kids.

Fatherly

How To Give Constructive Criticism That’s Actually Constructive

Go easy on the compliment sandwich, and other tips to help you become a go-to advice giver.

The Atlantic

26 Brilliant Movies That Critics Were Wrong About

A group of films, ranging from art-house gems to big blockbusters, that deserve a fresh look.

Narratively

The Wondrous Lives of Julius Shapiro

He was a Lower East Side gangster, wartime chemical researcher and secretive color television pioneer. An inquisitive daughter wants the full story, but he would rather drink his coffee and read his book in peace.

Quanta Magazine

Machine Learning Confronts the Elephant in the Room

A visual prank exposes an Achilles’ heel of computer vision systems: Unlike humans, they can’t do a double take.

The Hustle

The Economics of Costco Rotisserie Chicken

Costco’s popular chickens have stayed fixed at $4.99 for more than a decade — even in the face of raging inflation. But it’s come at a cost.

Fast Company

Want to Cut Your Work Hours in Half? Create an A/B Schedule

"You can get more done with more power to spare."

The Guardian

How to Spot a Liar: 10 Essential Tells – From Random Laughter to Copycat Gestures

An ex-FBI agent, a psychologist and a fraud investigator share their best tips for detecting dishonesty.

Country Living

Pro Tips For Your Car Camping Adventure

Explore America like you haven’t before.

Scientific American

Extreme Birding Competition Is a Cutthroat Test of Skill, Strategy and Endurance

A team of birders races to find as many bird species as possible in 24 hours.

Scott Young

The Art of Unlearning

We must let go of something we thought we understood to make way for a new understanding.

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, July 28

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 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.

Vanity Fair

How Goop Culture Helped Create MAHA

The California-based gynecologist and Gwyneth biography source, Dr. Jen Gunter, on everything from how she views Gwyneth Paltrow’s legacy to the most difficult aspects of fighting pseudoscience claims.

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.

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.

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.

Vox

Why Your Energy Bill Is Suddenly So Much More Expensive

And why it’s not getting cheaper any time soon.

The Guardian

Why Are Thailand and Cambodia Engaged in a Border Conflict?

Territory mapped during France’s colonial rule is behind clash that has exposed tensions between the countries.

Recommended Reads

Curated by Pocket

SELF

5 High-Protein Vegan and Vegetarian Breakfasts to Power Your Morning

Eating plant-based may be good for the environment (not to mention you!), but it can make it tougher to get enough of certain nutrients from food alone, including one key macro: protein.

BBC

Tracee Ellis Ross’ Top Tips for Travelling Solo

The Black-ish actor is her own favourite travel companion. Here are her top tips for taking on the world one destination at a time, all on your own. When Tracee Ellis Ross needs to unwind, she books a trip with her favourite travel companion: herself.

The Hustle

The Only State Without a Walgreens Pharmacy

Many independent pharmacies are in turmoil throughout the US. But a unique law has made North Dakota a haven for mom-and-pop operators.

The Cut

All I Wanted Was to Be the Popular Girl. My Teen Doesn’t Care About That.

How my 14-year-old daughter taught me to butt out and let her be.

HuffPost

These 8 Common Habits Could Increase Your Risk of Dementia

These common daily behaviors can impact your cognitive health – and take a toll on your overall health, too.

POLITICO Europe

Inside the Wild World of Britain’s Private Spies

Lucrative, freewheeling — and largely unregulated — private intelligence and security firms are booming in the land of James Bond and John le Carré.

NPR

Dear Life Kit: My Friend Says Ugly Things About Her Body and It Makes Me Anxious

Body-acceptance advocate Katie Sturino and Ronald Young Jr., host of the podcast Weight for It, answer listener questions about body image, weight loss drugs and bullying.

Homes & Gardens

‘If You’re Keeping It Just in Case, It’s Wasting Space’ – 5 Things People Over 30 Should Not Have in Their Kitchens, According to Pro Organizers

You'll thank yourself later for freeing up the extra space.

Backpacker

What’s It Like to Visit a Trail Town After Natural Disaster?

Jasper, Alberta, turned wildfire recovery into a tourist opportunity for hikers. Here’s what happened when our writer took a trip up north.

NBC News

‘Nothing Beats a Jet2 Holiday.’ Except Maybe Viral Fame.

Zoë Lister, the actor who narrated the popular British ad turned viral TikTok sound, said she never expected the audio to resonate worldwide.

Inc. Magazine

How HR Uses AI to Stay Human

A postcard from tomorrow’s workplace: how leaders balance technology and human connection.

Gizmodo

Earth’s Unusual Rapid Spin Could Prompt First-Ever ‘Negative Leap Second’

Since 2020, Earth has been rotating unusually fast on its axis, leading scientists to consider whether we should correct for the shorter days.

Life Hacks

Tips for better living

Kiplinger

Are You an Auto Theft Target? Discover the Clues

Thieves seized over 850,000 cars last year. See which models, states and behaviors draw the eyes of opportunists.

NPR

Home Sales Are Down. So Why Are Prices at an All-Time High?

Those with equity in a home can trade up more easily, while many first-time homebuyers are still stuck on the sidelines.

Fast Company

How to Go From Quiet to Commanding

An executive coach offers introverts five tips for sounding more confident. You’re smart, capable, and consistently deliver results. But in meetings, your voice disappears.

USA TODAY

Estate Sales Are Booming. Thank Gen Z

Environmentally-conscious young people are heading to estate sales for low cost, well-made products.

Time

What to Say to Someone With Cancer 

Some well-meaning phrases don’t always go over well.

NPR

Doctors Urge FDA to Remove Black Box Warning on Hormone Therapy for Menopause

The FDA may remove the warning labels on hormone replacement therapies used to treat the symptoms of menopause. Doctors say the warning is scaring people who could benefit from these treatments.

The Guardian

‘Old People Are Capable of More’: Meet the Female Weightlifters in Their 70s and 80s

Forget the stereotype of the frail old woman who needs help carrying groceries – fitness mavens like Joan MacDonald show you can strength train at any age.

USA TODAY

Young People Always Worry About Social Security. Older People Are Joining Them.

Americans are worrying more about Social Security, and the Trump administration may be partly to blame.  In an AARP survey released July 22, only 36% of Americans voiced confidence in the future of the retirement trust fund, down from 43% in 2020.

The Week

How Will the New Tax Deductions on Auto Loans Work?

Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act introduced a tax deduction on auto loan interest — but eligibility for the tax break is limited.

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.

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.

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.