Pocket-Worthy Reads

Stories to fuel your mind

Mental Floss

When George Washington Kept a Smallpox Epidemic From Costing Him the American Revolution

Smallpox vaccination was banned in America during the Revolutionary War, but George Washington was determined to protect his army no matter what.

WIRED

How to Organize Your Tech and Purge That Random Box of Cables

You will never need that weird charger from 2012.

Vogue

The Best Time to Eat Dinner, According to the Experts

Is it better to stick to a strict meal schedule or eat when you’re hungry? Health experts share advice.

Esquire

What Is American Style?

From old-school preppy staples to forward-thinking fashion, getting dressed in the U.S.A. has always been about celebrating the everyday person.

Delish

Welcome To The United States Of Hydration

We’re drinking more water than ever, but how much do we really need?

CityLab

The Timeless Bliss of Eating Hometown Food

For many travelers, a trip back to where they grew up is a chance to revisit the local haunts they spend the rest of the year craving.

BBC Future

What We Get Wrong About Time

Most of us tend to think of time as linear, absolute and constantly “running out” – but is that really true? And how can we change our perceptions to feel better about its passing?

Epicurious

How to Fix Mushy Rice, Undercooked Rice, Crunchy Rice, and More Rice-Cooking Fails

It’s time for you to master steaming rice once and for all.

SELF

How to Feel Like You Have More Free Time Even If You Don’t

Making space for doing nothing is part of it.

Quanta Magazine

A New Approach to Understanding How Machines Think

Neural networks are famously incomprehensible—a computer can come up with a good answer, but not explain what led to the conclusion. Been Kim is developing a “translator for humans” so we can understand when AI breaks down.

The Conversation

Tendons Play an Important Role in Our Health and Fitness – Here’s How to Keep Them Strong

When it comes to fitness, most workouts place the focus on building strength and definition in your muscles. But our muscles aren’t the only structures in our body that help us lift, run and do most of our daily tasks.

Literary Hub

6 Famous Writers Injured While Writing

When making stuff is hazardous to your health.

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, July 19

Grub Street

Is All This Salt Killing Us?

Doctors have long warned about the risks of too much sodium. But in an era of Maximum Flavor, we crave it more than ever.

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.

Boston

Blood Feuds: The Fight Over Who Gets to Be Native American

A Rhode Island tribe’s quest for state recognition has sparked a controversy.

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.

The Independent

30 Best New Books to Read

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

Virginia Quarterly Review

Dark Ride to the Source

Holding on to Joy at Disneyland.

The 19th

She Helped Get Rid of Measles in Her County. This Is Her Advice on Stopping Its Spread.

Lubbock County in Texas has been free of measles cases for more than 50 days. But Katherine Wells, director of the Lubbock Health Department, is staying vigilant.

The New Atlantis

Does Marriage Have a Future?

From the Industrial Revolution to the pill to AI girlfriends, technology is unbundling what used to be marriage’s package deal.

Recommended Reads

Curated by Pocket

Smithsonian Magazine

Edvard Munch Was Haunted by Physical and Mental Illnesses—but He Was Also Fascinated by Them

Known as the painter of “The Scream,” the Norwegian artist and his loved ones spent many years suffering from health conditions. A new exhibition explores how the world of medicine influenced his art.

Popular Science

Dark Age Detoxes Sometimes Resembled TikTok Health Trends

A few remedies hold up. Most don’t—and that’s why good research matters.

Business Insider

Inside the AI Boom That’s Changing How Big Law Attorneys Work

Big Law tells BI exactly how AI is changing its work.

Axios

Trump’s Fiscal Dominance Risk: High Tariffs and Interest Rates Long Term

The president’s arguments for interest rate cuts suggest he seeks “fiscal capture.”

Condé Nast Traveler

How I Travel: Taylor Jenkins Reid Uses Road Trips to Combat Writer’s Block

We peek into the airport routines and bizarre quirks of the world’s most well-traveled people.

Architectural Digest

How to Style a Nursery That Feels Soothing and Serene

AD PRO Directory designers share ideas to outfit a room for the littlest member of the family.

Inverse

Donkey Kong’s Big Comeback Could Pave the Way for Another Nintendo Icon

‘Donkey Kong Bananza’ is a bold statement of what the Switch 2 can do. Now, it’s time for Nintendo to dig into its library more, and bring back another icon.

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.

Harper's Bazaar

First Ladies Determine Their Role in a Polarizing World—Together

At the Global First Partners Academy, the wives of world leaders get a rare chance to connect and compare notes.

Backpacker

If You Hike With Your Dog, You Need to Be Able to Rescue Them Yourself

We all went to spend time with our furry best friends outdoors, but if you take your dog hiking, you need to be prepared to respond to their emergencies.

Time

Clueless Proved Amy Heckerling Was Brilliant. but It’s Not Her Only Stroke of Genius

As Clueless turns 30, its filmmaker’s Hollywood success can’t be measured by the usual metrics of box-office returns of awards on a shelf.

Variety

‘Fantastic Four,’ Assemble: Director Matt Shakman on Casting Marvel’s First Family Without Auditions and ‘Corporate Pressures’ Not Being ‘My Burden to Shoulder’

“The Fantastic Four: First Steps” director Matt Shakman discusses casting Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, Joseph Quinn and Ebon Moss-Bachrach without having them audition.

Life Hacks

Tips for better living

The Walrus

Before You Share That Health Tip, Read This

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

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.

CNBC

These College Majors Have the Best Job Prospects — and They Aren’t What Students Expect

Which college major students choose often has significant implications for job prospects and future career potential.

The Walrus

Why Everyone You Know Is Suddenly a Birder

A pandemic pastime has grown into something deeper.

The New York Times

You Saved and Saved for Retirement. Now You Need a Plan to Cash Out.

Nearly two-thirds of Americans say they are more worried about running out of money in retirement than dying, and many retirees could be on track to turn that fear into a stark reality.

Fast Company

Why Do We Trust Certain People (Even When We Shouldn’t)?

The science of who is (and isn’t) trustworthy. Why are some people perceived as more trustworthy than others?

Harvard Business Review

Leading Is Emotionally Draining. Here’s How to Recover.

Emotional depletion is a real and significant tax of modern leadership. Recovery is no longer a luxury.