Pocket-Worthy Reads

Stories to fuel your mind

PC Gamer

This Cozy Painting Game Has Me Feeling Like the Next Van Gogh

Cozy up and paint the town.

Popular Science

Proving Precognition, Programming a Screenwriter, and Other Tales From the Field

Scientists share their favorite stories.

Knowable Magazine

How to Overcome Political Polarization on Climate Change

Conversations — in real life — can help bridge the partisan divide, but the trick is to have some structure to the discussion, says a human ecologist.

Greater Good Magazine

Calm a Distressed Mind by Changing Your Environment

Psychologist Ethan Kross offers tools to help you avoid being overwhelmed by negative thoughts and feelings.

Literary Hub

The Real Dracula Is a Detective Story

Forget what you think you know about the ur-vampire story. Bram Stoker’s masterpiece was a sprawling, radical detective novel.

Aeon

The Hypersane Are Among Us, If Only We Are Prepared to Look

Sometimes those who seem a little crazy are the ones who really get it.

Allure

How Disorganized Attachment Became the Most Misunderstood Attachment Style

Sorry, TikTok, but you’ve got this part of dating culture all wrong.

The Conversation

The Body’s Secret Weapon for Staying Healthy and Active

Flexibility is crucial for keeping your body in top shape.

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’.

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 Washington Post

What Dreams Are Made Of: Scientists Mine Sleep’s Mysteries

Research has evolved from the mechanics of dreaming to what dreams signify — and back again.

Stylist

Strength Training: 8 Exercises You Can Do in Your Living Room

Struggling to put together a workout that keeps you motivated? We’ve rounded up the best strength training exercises you can do at home to re-inspire your routine.

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

Saturday, August 9

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.

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.

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.

Atavist

The Talented Mr. Bruseaux

He made his name in Chicago investigating race riots, solving crimes, and exposing corruption. But America’s first Black private detective was hiding secrets of his own.

Food52

Our 10 Best Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipes of All Time

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

The Hollywood Reporter

Last Call for Late Night

After 70 years of tucking America into bed, it looks like the curtain is about to come down on the late night genre. What’s being lost is more than a TV tradition but a backdrop for some of America’s most memorable moments.

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.

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.

Recommended Reads

Curated by Pocket

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.

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.

Architectural Digest

The White Temple Is the Must-Visit Architectural Marvel in Thailand

Full of symbolism, the site is an arresting, privately owned spiritual art installation.

Real Simple

Professional Organizers Use These 17 Clever Items Every Day to Keep Their Own Homes Neat and Tidy

For an organized home, we look to the pros. We asked four professional organizers for the genius storage solutions they use in their own homes to stay tidy. Their recommendations include label makers, lazy Susans, drawer organizers, rolling carts, plastic

Variety

LISTEN: A Deep Look at Paramount Pictures — What’s Next for the House Adolph Zukor Built and David Ellison Just Bought

A special ‘Daily Variety’ podcast takes a deep look at the history of Paramount Pictures as David Ellison’s Skydance Media formally takes control.

Los Angeles Times

The ‘Hamilton’ Musical Movie Is Coming to Theaters This September

Ten years after its Broadway debut, Lin-Manuel Miranda’s hit musical ‘Hamilton’ will appear in movie theaters across the country on Sept. 5.

Sportico

WNBA CBA Meetings Resume Amid Investor Clamor for Sun Sale

The WNBA and the players union have resumed discussions over a new collective bargaining agreement while investors clamor over a potential Sun sale.

Parents

75 Underrated Celebrity Baby Names

If you’re looking for a baby name for your little one, why not turn to the stars with this list of underrated celebrity baby names!

NBC News

Deaths From Flesh-Eating Bacteria Are on the Rise. Who Is at Risk?

Infections with Vibrio vulnificus are still rare but “this is certainly not normal,” an expert in water diseases at the University of Florida said.

Business Insider

She Pitched a New Department at Google. Here’s Her Advice on Selling Big Ideas to Leadership.

Google executive Mira Lane breaks down how she successfully pitched and launched the tech giant’s Envisioning Studio.

Fast Company

Why Space (Yes, Outer Space) Is a Much Bigger Business Opportunity Than You Think

How to take advantage of the next transformative business frontier: space.

Popular Science

Oldest Black Hole Ever Seen Is 300 Million Times Bigger Than Our Sun

Don’t let the ‘Little Red Dot’ fool you.

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.

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.

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.

SELF

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

Strengthen and stretch your way to happier joints.

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.

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.

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.

Allure

Inside the World of Professional Back-Scratching

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

Slate

I Responded to One of the Spam Texts From a “Recruiter”—Then Took the Job. It Got Weirder Than I Could Have Imagined.

I responded to one of those spam texts from a “recruiter”—then took the job. It got weirder than I could have imagined.

Cup of Jo

What’s It Like to Date While Disabled?

I always call my childhood best friend after a date. Here’s why.

The Cut

What It’s Really Like to Work in Corporate HR

“I was essentially the assistant principal for grownups.”