Pocket-Worthy Reads

Stories to fuel your mind

The Hustle

The Worst Sales Promotion in History

In 1992, an electronics company offered free international flights with a £100 purchase. Today, it’s cited as the worst promotion in history.

The Guardian

The Heart Rate Secret: What It Reveals About Our Health—From Sleep and Alcohol to Fight or Flight

There are more and more ways to monitor our heart rates, but what do the numbers really mean? Here is everything you need to know.

The Atlantic

How a Stroke Turned a 63-Year-Old Into a Rap Legend

The story of Dr. Rapp.

SELF

5 Questions to Ask Yourself If You Think It’s Time to Dump a Friend

Does your friendship have to end or can it change instead?

Stylist

What’s Better for You: A Long, Slow Walk or a Fast, Short One?

Boost the benefits of your daily walk by keeping an eye on your pace and distance.

The Marginalian (formerly Brain Pickings)

A Brave and Startling Truth: Maya Angelou’s Stunning Humanist Poem That Flew to Space

“Out of such chaos, of such contradiction / We learn that we are neither devils nor divines…”

BBC Future

Why Our Pursuit of Happiness May Be Flawed

It is an emotion linked to improved health and well-being, but is our obsession with being happy a recipe for disappointment, asks Nat Rutherford.

Quanta Magazine

The End of Theoretical Physics as We Know It

Computer simulations and custom-built quantum analogues are changing what it means to search for the laws of nature.

The Conversation

A Hot Bath Has Benefits Similar to Exercise

A hot bath burns calories, helps control blood sugar and keeps your blood vessels healthy. What’s not to like?

Bon Appétit

Everything You Need to Know About Nutritional Yeast, Nature’s Cheeto Dust

Here’s why this cheesy, savory seasoning deserves a spot in your pantry.

Smithsonian Magazine

The Enduring Myths of ‘Raiders of the Lost Ark’

Archaeologists look back at what the first Indiana Jones movie got wrong about their profession.

Mental Floss

24 Fascinating Facts About the Solar System

Here are 24 out-of-this-world facts about the corner of space that’s home to Earth.

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

Thursday, July 31

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 San Francisco Standard

‘Jerry Is Rolling in His Grave’: The Deadheads Boycotting Anniversary Shows 

Some Deadheads are sidestepping San Francisco entirely ahead of the anniversary shows. “There’s no more Grateful Dead family — this is a business, through and through,” one said.

The American Scholar

Hundreds and Thousands

I didn’t know how you could inventory memories. I might search for a particular one, bring it up, dust it off. But how to count five days’ worth?

ProPublica

Now That They’re Free

Venezuelan men deported by the Trump administration say they endured months of physical and mental abuse inside a Salvadoran prison. Though happy to be home, they say the fact that they were released is proof of how senseless their detentions were.

Rolling Stone

How a ‘King of the Hill’ Revival Brings Hank, Bobby, and Dale Into an America Gone Mad

‘King of the Hill’ showrunner talks about the Hulu revival and updating the characters and stories for today’s culture of political extremes.

The Independent

Meet the Childfree Communities Planning for a Future Without Kids

As increasing numbers of us can’t or won’t have children, Helen Coffey talks to those who are planning their lives without a nuclear family, and investigates why government policy has yet to catch up with this rapidly growing demographic.

The Walrus

Millennials Are Becoming Caregivers Whether They’re Ready or Not

Still under 40, many are responsible for aging parents while raising kids and managing debt.

Punch

Are Kava and Kratom Drinks Addictive?

In detox centers and online support communities, it’s called “the little blue devil.” But its real name is less insidious: “Feel Free” is a drink sold in tiny blue bottles in gas stations, liquor stores and smoke shops to people 21 years or older.

Recommended Reads

Curated by Pocket

404 Media

This Company Wants to Bring End-to-End Encrypted Messages to Bluesky’s at Protocol

Germ says it is the “first secure messaging service on the ATProtocol!”

Axios

Trump’s Billion-Dollar Settlement Spree

A potential $500 million settlement with Harvard would be the largest scalp to date.

The Hollywood Reporter

What’s Behind Universal Music Group’s U.S. Stock Listing Plan?

How soccer violence and the meaning of “intrinsic value” plays into the plan to list UMG in both Amsterdam and New York.

Homes & Gardens

These Will ‘Create an Immediate Sense of Calm’ – 5 Low-Lift Tasks to Help You Relax When Your House Is a Mess

We have all been there – we sink into the sofa at the end of a long day, desperate to turn off, only for piles of clutter and dusty surfaces to pull at the edges of our mind. So, how do you relax when your house is a mess?

Education Week

Sandy Hook Survivor: Teachers Need a Louder Voice in School Safety Debates

Aspiring teachers also need the opportunity to talk about gun violence during their time in college, Abbey Clements said.

Boston

The Great Massachusetts Nicotine Prohibition

Smart public health policy or government overreach? Bay State will soon decide.

Martha Stewart

8 Smart Ways to Avoid Getting Stung by a Wasp

Don’t let stinging pests ruin your time outdoors. Learn expert-approved tips for avoiding getting stung by wasps and keeping wasps away.

Nautilus

These “Junk” Proteins May Fuel Adaptation

And they could help some creatures adjust to changing climates

Romper

How to Help Teachers Most If You Don’t Have Time to Volunteer

You love your kid’s teacher and know they’re underpaid. So, how can you best support your child’s teacher if you don’t have time to volunteer during the day?

Condé Nast Traveler

To Eat Like a Local in Tokyo, Look for B-Kyū Gurume Restaurants

Tokyo’s Michelin-starred restaurants may dominate the conversation, but the city’s quickfire comfort food is tasty and affordable.

Axios

Trump’s “Devil in the Details” Trade Deals Sow Confusion

These are not traditional, word-heavy trade deals with text agreed to by all negotiators.

Smithsonian Magazine

Seventy Years Ago, Johnny Cash Recorded ‘Folsom Prison Blues’ and Became a Folk Hero for the Ignored and Downtrodden

A man of the people, the artist put his money where his mouth was by visiting prisons around the country and performing the song

Life Hacks

Tips for better living

CNN

‘Ozempic Face’ May Be Driving a Cosmetic Surgery Boom

“You can only refill a deflated balloon so much, and often surgical intervention is necessary.”

CNBC

Back-to-School Shopping Is More Expensive This Year — Here’s the Breakdown

This year, parents will pay more for back-to-school essentials such as pens, pencils and backpacks.

Maclean’s

Confessions of the Working Poor

I work hard, buy quality clothes and know how to fake my way through dinner-party conversations. But behind the scenes, I’m part of a fast-growing Canadian underclass.

CNBC

While the Fed Kept Its Benchmark Unchanged, Here’s What Happened to Consumer Borrowing Rates

When it meets this week, the Federal Reserve is widely expected to keep its key short-term interest rate at its current target range — where it has stayed for all of 2025.

The New York Times

Study May Undercut Idea That Cash Payments to Poor Families Help Child Development

Rigorous new research appears to show that monthly checks intended to help disadvantaged children did little for their well-being, adding a new element to a dispute over expanded government aid.

CNBC

Animal Shelters Are Crowded as High Costs Squeeze Pet Owners

Millions of animals are stuck in increasingly cramped shelters because their owners are struggling to pay rising vet bills and other expenses.

CNBC

Even Many High-Earning Americans Don’t Feel Wealthy. Here’s Why

Many high earners in the U.S. still feel broke. Between lifestyle creep, debt and social pressure, even $200,000 per year doesn’t always buy peace of mind.

The Cut

What If a Child Was Terrified of Food?

The rise of ARFID, a new eating disorder driven not by body image but by fear.

NPR

In a First, the Senate Confirms a New CDC Director

Susan Monarez is the first director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to require Senate confirmation. She’s also the first director without a medical degree in more than 70 years.

NPR

The Manhattan Gunman Believed He Had CTE. What Does That Mean?

The gunman accused of killing four people in New York City suspected he had chronic traumatic encephalopathy, or CTE — a degenerative brain disease often associated with football players.

The Guardian

‘It Would Destroy Me’: Fear of Student Loan Default Haunts US Borrowers

The Trump administration has ended the pandemic-era pause on repayments, leaving many facing colossal debts.

The Guardian

Trust Your Gut and Fail Bravely: Seven Influential Women on the Advice They Would Give Their 30-Year-Old Selves

It’s tempting to imagine what we might have done differently. But, as Diana Nyad says: ‘We earn our wisdom.’