Pocket-Worthy Reads

Stories to fuel your mind

The Hustle

Why Americans Stopped Buying Convertibles

We’ve traded the open-air dream for climate-controlled isolation.

Men’s Health

Signs You’re Stuck in a Scarcity Mindset—And How to Break Free

Learning to shift your thinking can improve your mental health.

MEL Magazine

Slayer, Striker, Shooter and the Rise of the Extreme Baby Boy Name

Parents tend to be more conservative about naming baby boys. But when they do get creative, they turn them into throat-ripping action heroes.

GQ

Cardiologists On What You Need to Know About Intermittent Fasting and Heart Health

Experts want you to take scary headlines with a grain of salt.

Fast Company

Want a Promotion? These 4 Habits Are More Powerful Than Talent

Talent can only take you so far. The reason some people are high performers is because they’ve formed good habits.

Scientific American

The Asteroid That Killed the Dinosaurs Created the Amazon Rain Forest

Fossilized pollen and leaves reveal that the meteorite that caused the extinction of nonavian dinosaurs also reshaped South America’s plant communities to yield the planet’s largest rain forest.

CityLab

What Happened to Hanging Out on the Street?

Urban pedestrians are walking faster and doing less socializing, according to a study of NYC, Boston and Philadelphia.

The Atlantic

How “One Hundred Years of Solitude” Became a Classic

When Gabriel García Márquez’s most famous novel was first published, it faced a difficult publishing climate and baffled reviews.

MIT Press Reader

The Mysterious Deep Time Movements of Snails

How do organisms that are so sedentary end up being so incredibly widely dispersed?

Smithsonian Magazine

This Wooden Sculpture Is Twice as Old as Stonehenge and the Pyramids

New findings about the 12,500-year-old Shigir Idol have major implications for the study of prehistory.

Scott Young

The Complete Guide to Memory

Breaking down how memory works and what you can do to improve it.

Outside

How Blueberries Became a Superfood

Thanks to savvy marketing, science, and luck, blueberries helped usher in a new era of health food obsession.

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 27

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 New Yorker

Mary Had Schizophrenia—Then Suddenly She Didn’t

Some psychiatric patients may actually have treatable autoimmune conditions. But what happens to the newly sane?

The Associated Press

Photos Show a Filipino Couple Walking Down a Flooded Aisle on Their Wedding Day

Jade Rick Verdillo and Jamaica Aguilar were determined to walk down the aisle on their wedding day.

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.

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.

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.

Vox

Why Your Energy Bill Is Suddenly So Much More Expensive

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

NPR

The Best Games of 2025 So Far, Picked by NPR’s Staff

From indies like ’Blue Prince’ to big console exclusives like ’Donkey Kong Bananza’, NPR staff and contributors round up their favorite games of the year so far.

Recommended Reads

Curated by Pocket

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.

Los Angeles Times

Hollywood Is Struggling. So Why Does Anyone Want to Buy a Movie Studio Now?

As rumors swirl around Legendary’s reported interest in acquiring Lionsgate, studios and film libraries are still attracting buyers, even as box office languishes behind pre-pandemic levels.

Condé Nast Traveler

A New TSA Service Simplifies Airport Connections From Europe to the US

The new policy will cut international layover times in half by eliminating re-screening during connecting flights on select routes.

Architectural Digest

16 DIY Headboard Ideas to Creatively Crown Your Bed

Get crafty (and cozy) with our roundup of DIY headboard ideas from designers and homemaking mavens—including tips on how to get the look.

Kiplinger

Even Stars Need Health Care: What Venus Williams’ Story Tells Us About Retirement Planning

Don’t let health insurance costs force you back into the game. Start planning now to ensure your early retirement is forever.

Kiplinger

Google Smart Home Devices Are Glitching and Users Are Frustrated

From missed alarms to unresponsive commands, Google’s smart home tech is leaving users in the lurch.

Fast Company

How Leaders Can Use AI to Improve Performance Management

What businesses need to do when combining AI and performance management, and how it can lead to better outcomes.

Time

The Trippy Experience of Watching the Fantastic Four Birth Scene While Pregnant

I didn’t expect to see a zero-gravity birth in a Marvel movie.

CNET

Trying to Get a Better Night’s Sleep? Try the 10-3-2-1-0 Sleep Hack

Getting enough sleep can sometimes be difficult. This five-step sleep method can help.

MIT Technology Review

America’s AI Watchdog Is Losing Its Bite

 “There will be fewer, if any, enforcement actions about how companies are deploying AI,” says former FTC attorney Leah Frazier.

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.

SELF

Creamy Blueberry Chai Overnight Oats

Overnight oats aren’t only a satisfying breakfast option perfect for busy mornings, they’re also a surprising way to get more protein in! Each serving of this sweetly spiced recipe contains 20 grams.

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.

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

Estate Sales Are Booming. Thank Gen Z

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

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 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.

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.

Time

What to Say to Someone With Cancer 

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

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.

Axios

Venmo the Treasury to Help Pay Uncle Sam’s Debt? You Can, If You Really Want

Of all the things you might use Venmo for — buying drinks, splitting a check with friends, repaying a loan — there’s a good chance you’ve never had “sending the government a gift to help pay the public debt” on your list.

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.