Pocket-Worthy Reads

Stories to fuel your mind

Bloomberg

These Seven Food Entrepreneurs Are Changing Eco-Conscious Dining

Whether it’s zero-waste cooking or closed-loop cocktails, each is pursuing a single aspect of the food and beverage chain—and showing what’s possible across the industry.

The Atlantic

Fish Oil Is Good! No, Bad! No, Good! No, Wait.

Americans love it. But the science is getting even weirder.

BBC Worklife

The ‘Batman Effect’: How Having an Alter Ego Empowers You

Thinking of yourself as a separate entity can reduce anxiety, while also kicking up some major benefits for your confidence and determination.

Bon Appétit

The Key to Tender Meat? Baking Soda

A little goes a long way with especially tough cuts—like this juicy London broil.

The Marginalian (formerly Brain Pickings)

“Little Prince” Author Antoine de Saint-Exupéry on Losing a Friend

“Old friends cannot be created out of hand. Nothing can match the treasure of common memories, of trials endured together, of quarrels and reconciliations and generous emotions.”

Apartment Therapy

70% vs. 91% Isopropyl Alcohol: Which Disinfects Better?

A microbiologist chimes in on which rubbing alcohol is most effective.

PC Gamer

I Was Shocked to Find This Out About the Windows 10 Desktop Background

My appreciation for a desktop background I immediately switched out has grown exponentially.

Bloomberg Businessweek

India’s Destination Weddings Fuel a New Tourist Economy

With growing affluence, more couples are choosing celebrations abroad.

The Washington Post

How We Misunderstand Anxiety and Miss Out on Its Benefits

Tracy Dennis-Tiwary explains how feeling anxious can give us motivation and insights about ourselves, if we respond to it the right way.

MIT Press Reader

The Breakthrough Problem, or Why the Drugs Don’t Work Like They Used To

Thinking may have become easier, but thinking big is as challenging as ever.

Atlas Obscura

How to Put a Fake Island on the Map

Frisland never existed, but for centuries, people wanted to believe that it did.

Inc.

This Is the Most Bizarre Grammar Rule You Probably Never Heard Of

But I’ve been following it all my life, and so have you.

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 20

Virginia Quarterly Review

Dark Ride to the Source

Holding on to Joy at Disneyland.

The Week

Why Your Body Ages Rapidly in Two ‘Bursts’

Scientists have found that ageing increases in our mid-40s and 60s.

Vanity Fair

What I Witnessed Inside an ICE Women’s Prison

Tufts University doctoral student Rümeysa Öztürk opens up about her 45 days in a South Louisiana processing facility—and the generous and compassionate women she met.

Outside

Here’s Exactly What It Takes to Run—and Then Recover From—100 Miles

Physiologists track the calories burned and fluids consumed during a mountain ultra.

NPR

4 Confidence-Boosting Ways to Overcome the Fear of Flirting in Real Life

Does talking to a cute stranger make your palms sweat? Confidence coach Regina Bonds offers advice on to how to put yourself out there, including how to show interest without coming off as creepy.

The Independent

30 Best New Books to Read

Discover debut novelists and immersive page-turners from acclaimed authors.

New York Magazine

Inside the Media’s Traffic Apocalypse

The whole premise of internet publishing is starting to crumble.

Los Angeles Times

AI Can Write a Scene. It Can Pitch a Movie. So What Happens to the Screenwriters?

As generative AI reshapes Hollywood, screenwriters like Billy Ray, Paul Schrader, Bong Joon Ho and Todd Haynes, along with a new class of tech disruptors, are navigating the uncertain future of storytelling.

Recommended Reads

Curated by Pocket

Inc. Magazine

3 Ways to Lower Your Company’s Health Insurance Costs in 2026

As health care prices rise at higher rates each year, some employers are considering whether to place the increases on their workers.

Serious Eats

The Sweet, Creamy Coffee Drink That Actually Gets Me Going in the Morning

Start your day with bittersweet iced Vietnamese coffee, which gets its rich flavor from dark roast beans and satisfying creaminess from sweetened condensed milk.

Business Insider

He Quietly Made Billions for Two Sigma. Now, the ‘Godfather’ of a Star Research Unit Is Starting His Own Fund.

Machine learning pioneer Hao Zhang, who made billions for Two Sigma, plans to launch Hippocampus Capital Management in early 2026, sources say.

Martha Stewart

How to Get Rid of Fleas in Your Yard—and Keep Them From Coming Indoors

Learn how to effectively get rid of fleas in your yard with these safe, expert-recommended methods—and stop them from invading your home.

Smithsonian Magazine

Cut Marks on Animal Bones Suggest Neanderthal Groups Had Their Own Unique Culinary Traditions

Neanderthals in two nearby caves used different techniques when butchering animal carcasses in what is now Israel, according to a new paper.

Undark

Why Do Headaches Feel So Different From Other Kinds of Pain?

Excruciating migraines and cluster attacks seem to collapse the sense of separation between body and self.

Men's Health

Is the Secret to Ultrarunning Success Downing Crazy High Carbs?

Carbs are rising. Records are falling. David Roche is putting himself in the path of either victory or disaster to find out how related those facts are.

Time

Erdogan’s War and Peace With the Kurds

Making peace with the PKK is bound to strengthen Erdogan’s powerful grip on Turkey.

Fast Company

AI and Drones Still Need Help From Humans to Find Missing Flood Victims

With humans and artificial intelligence working together, flood search-and-rescue teams can successfully use existing systems.

Polygon

Superman Commits the Sin That Set Off Endless Fights Over Zack Snyder’s Man of Steel

Guardians of the Galaxy director James Gunn has strong opinions about whether it’s okay for Superman to kill

Parents

CDC Says 1 in 3 Kids Have Prediabetes—Here’s What Parents Need to Know

While scientists have concerns about how this data was collected, health care providers say it’s good to know about the condition.

Inverse

How CM Punk Found a New Fight in Revival

CM Punk chats with Inverse about his role in ‘Revival’ and his next moves outside of the WWE.

Life Hacks

Tips for better living

CNBC

What a Trump, Powell Faceoff Means for Your Money

Tensions are escalating between the White House and the Federal Reserve, with consumers caught in the middle.

Stylist

Managers, Here’s How to Have an Effective 1-to-1, According to Career Experts

How to help your team members get the most from your meetings.

CNBC

Student Loan Bills Could Double for Some Borrowers As Biden-Era Relief Expires

Many student loan borrowers could see their monthly bills more than double now that the Biden-era SAVE plan is defunct.

The Walrus

Before You Share That Health Tip, Read This

Misinformation is everywhere. And yes, some of it has probably gotten to you.

Fast Company

I’m a Two-Time Tech Founder. but Restaurants Are Where I Learned to Lead

The surprising lessons the conveyor belt sushi business taught me. Sudden equipment failures. Supply chain surprises. Retaining staff as the goalposts move in real time. These aren’t challenges I’ve faced as a tech founder—but I have faced them running restaurants.

The Week

How Can You Get the Maximum Social Security Retirement Benefit?

For many, Social Security benefits are a key part of their retirement plan. So it makes sense that you would want to get the most possible from this monthly source of income.

Yahoo

What Is ‘Revenge Saving,’ and Should You Hop on the Trend?

“Revenge saving” emphasizes making up for poor financial habits by being aggressively frugal or restrictive with your current spending.

Money.com

Why You Probably Need Flood Insurance — Even if You Don't Live Near Water

Over the Fourth of July weekend, parts of central Texas were devastated by flash floods after the region was hit with the equivalent of four months' worth of rain in just a few hours. At least 134 people were killed, and more than 100 are still missing as of press time.

GQ

What to Wear to a Job Interview, According to Hiring Experts

Make sure your suit fits, don’t dress too sexy, and other essential advice from professionals in law, tech, finance, and marketing.

Kiplinger

I Want to Buy an Annuity, but I’m Scared I’ll Get Ripped Off. Should I Get One Anyway?

An annuity is a way to achieve lifetime income in retirement, but you need to understand how this product works before making a purchase.

Business Insider

The Hot New MBA Hustle

Millennials’ hottest new career pivot: ditching the corporate grind to run unsexy small businesses.

NPR

‘Panicking’: Why Recent College Grads Are Struggling to Find Jobs

Recent college graduates are facing one of the most challenging job markets in years — with the exception of the pandemic period — even as the overall unemployment rate remains low.