Pocket-Worthy Reads

Stories to fuel your mind

Vogue

The Best Places in the World to Travel Solo

Relish the opportunity to adventure alone.

Greater Good Magazine

How to Become a Scientist of Your Own Emotions

A Q&A with researcher Marc Brackett about how to cultivate emotional intelligence in ourselves and our kids.

Fatherly

How To Give Constructive Criticism That’s Actually Constructive

Go easy on the compliment sandwich, and other tips to help you become a go-to advice giver.

The Atlantic

26 Brilliant Movies That Critics Were Wrong About

A group of films, ranging from art-house gems to big blockbusters, that deserve a fresh look.

Narratively

The Wondrous Lives of Julius Shapiro

He was a Lower East Side gangster, wartime chemical researcher and secretive color television pioneer. An inquisitive daughter wants the full story, but he would rather drink his coffee and read his book in peace.

Quanta Magazine

Machine Learning Confronts the Elephant in the Room

A visual prank exposes an Achilles’ heel of computer vision systems: Unlike humans, they can’t do a double take.

The Hustle

The Economics of Costco Rotisserie Chicken

Costco’s popular chickens have stayed fixed at $4.99 for more than a decade — even in the face of raging inflation. But it’s come at a cost.

Fast Company

Want to Cut Your Work Hours in Half? Create an A/B Schedule

"You can get more done with more power to spare."

The Guardian

How to Spot a Liar: 10 Essential Tells – From Random Laughter to Copycat Gestures

An ex-FBI agent, a psychologist and a fraud investigator share their best tips for detecting dishonesty.

Country Living

Pro Tips For Your Car Camping Adventure

Explore America like you haven’t before.

Scientific American

Extreme Birding Competition Is a Cutthroat Test of Skill, Strategy and Endurance

A team of birders races to find as many bird species as possible in 24 hours.

Scott Young

The Art of Unlearning

We must let go of something we thought we understood to make way for a new understanding.

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 Guardian

Why Are Thailand and Cambodia Engaged in a Border Conflict?

Territory mapped during France’s colonial rule is behind clash that has exposed tensions between the countries.

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.

SELF

3 Simple Steps to Keep Your Bananas From Rotting Way Too Soon

Expert-approved strategies for extending the life of this potassium-packed—but short-lived—fruit.

Esquire

What I Didn’t Understand About My Autistic Son, and What I’m Learning Now That He’s an Adult

I have opened my heart and my mind to Sam, and he’s brought both of us to the place we so desperately need to be.

Slate

The Rise of the One-Day Overseas Vacation

In the age of remote work, Instagram reels, and shrinking PTO, the one-day international trip is becoming both absurd and strangely relatable.

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.

Recommended Reads

Curated by Pocket

NPR

Dear Life Kit: My Friend Says Ugly Things About Her Body and It Makes Me Anxious

Body-acceptance advocate Katie Sturino and Ronald Young Jr., host of the podcast Weight for It, answer listener questions about body image, weight loss drugs and bullying.

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.

The Cut

All I Wanted Was to Be the Popular Girl. My Teen Doesn’t Care About That.

How my 14-year-old daughter taught me to butt out and let her be.

SELF

5 High-Protein Vegan and Vegetarian Breakfasts to Power Your Morning

Eating plant-based may be good for the environment (not to mention you!), but it can make it tougher to get enough of certain nutrients from food alone, including one key macro: protein.

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.

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.

BBC

Tracee Ellis Ross’ Top Tips for Travelling Solo

The Black-ish actor is her own favourite travel companion. Here are her top tips for taking on the world one destination at a time, all on your own. When Tracee Ellis Ross needs to unwind, she books a trip with her favourite travel companion: herself.

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.

Parents

Why Some Parents Say Yes to Smartphones—Even When They Know It’s Too Soon

If your kid keeps asking you for a smartphone and you’re concerned about getting them one, you’re not alone. Here’s what experts suggest before giving in.

Vanity Fair

How Sofia Carson Became Netflix’s First Bona Fide Movie Star

A decade ago, she had never stepped onto a feature-film set. Today, the Disney Channel alum sits atop a streaming empire, headlining some of Netflix’s most popular titles—and setting expectations high for her new project, ‘My Oxford Year.’

MIT Technology Review

The Deadly Saga of the Controversial Gene Therapy Elevidys

The drug, which was designed to treat Duchenne muscular dystrophy, has been linked to the deaths of two teenage boys.

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.

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.

USA TODAY

Estate Sales Are Booming. Thank Gen Z

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

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.

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.

Time

What to Say to Someone With Cancer 

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

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.

NPR

What Borrowers Should Know About Student Loan Changes in the One Big Beautiful Bill

If you’re a federal student loan borrower or about to become one, your head may be spinning.

The Cut

‘Are My Student Loans About to Become Unaffordable?’

You could do nothing—or you could sign up for a new repayment plan. Here are your options.

Harvard Business Review

Make the Most of Your Vacation When You Can’t Fully Unplug

While advice abounds on the importance of fully unplugging during your hard-earned time off — and for good reason! — what should you do if you’re in a situation where you can’t be fully offline?