Pocket-Worthy Reads

Stories to fuel your mind

Mental Floss

Why Is Row 13 Missing on So Many Airplanes?

United is one of several airlines that avoids including a row 13 on their flights, but not just for the reason you probably think.

Narratively

She Was Once the Biggest Star in Jazz. Here’s Why You’ve Never Heard of Her.

Hazel Scott was a piano prodigy who wowed the worlds of music, TV, and film. But when she stood up for her rights, the establishment took her down.

The War Zone

The One Time North Vietnam’s MiGs Attacked U.S. Navy Warships

In 1972, the Vietnamese People’s Air Force launched a one-of-its-kind air raid against U.S. Navy warships in the Gulf of Tonkin.

The Atlantic

The Mystery of Urban Psychosis

Why are paranoia and schizophrenia more common in cities?

Architectural Digest

12 Boutique Hotels Outside Major U.S. Cities That Make the Case for a Road Trip

There’s something restorative about spending a weekend at a historical mansion in a small town.

Scientific American

The Neuroscience of Taking Turns in a Conversation

Research in birds suggests that when one partner speaks, the other partner’s brain is inhibited from talking over them.

Fast Company

Could Time-Blocking Replace Your To-Do List?

This is how to schedule your workday to get the most done.

Harvard Business Review

What the Best Mentors Do

Mentorship comes in many flavors. It doesn’t always work unless leaders bear in mind a few common principles.

The Washington Post

Are You My Sponge?

There are as many types of sponges as there are household tasks. Find the one that’s right for the job.

The Washington Post

How to Use All Those Takeout Chopsticks in Your Miscellany Drawer

Try the disposable utensils when cooking, twisting orange peels or cleaning those hard-to-reach places.

Nautilus

The Girl Who Smelled Pink

A mother wonders if we are all born with synesthesia.

The Drive

How to Change a Car Battery

The basic steps to swap out a dead battery for a new one.

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

Friday, August 15

NPR

Why the Origin of the Word ‘Dog’ Remains a Mystery

They’re known as man’s best friends, fur babies, pooches. But the most widely used word for these beloved animals — “dog” — is also a great linguistic mystery.

The Guardian

Why Do I Feel So Much Worse After a Nap – and How Can I Avoid It?

Waking up from a nap feeling groggy, tired or ill? Experts say it’s common. Here’s what could be going wrong.

BBC

Why ‘Best Time to Visit’ No Longer Applies

Climate change is rewriting the rulebook for trip planning – and travellers need to adapt.

ESPN

How Happy Are You As a Fan? Find Out Where You Score in Our Sports Misery Index.

Whether there's confetti falling from your team's last title or you're still waiting to see your first, you probably have an idea of how satisfied - or miserable - you are as a fan. But could you put a number on it?

ESPN

The Predatory Web of Sextortion Increasingly Ensnares Young Athletes

A Michigan teen was goaded into sharing an intimate photo that scammers threatened to expose unless he paid up.

BBC

How Kentucky Bourbon Went From Boom to Bust

Tariffs, oversupply and teetotaling Gen-Zs have all contributed to the downfall of one of America’s most iconic liquors.

BBC

A Dating App, a Niqab and a 9mm Gun: How a US Woman Was Hired to End a UK Family Feud

The investigation into the Wisconsin native revealed her to be “fairly unexceptional” with virtually no “criminal footprint”. And it remains unclear why she became a would-be contract killer.

NPR

Recommendation: New Books Published This Week

A portrait of the lucrative drug-treatment industry; a memoir of a female firefighter; debut fiction from an Emmy-winning TV writer; and a brand new Karin Slaughter thriller.

Recommended Reads

Curated by Pocket

Vox

How ‘The Fellowship of the Ring’ Explains Post-9/11 America

The blockbuster came out just three months after 9/11. The coincidence reshaped everything.

Smithsonian Magazine

Third Places Are Being Reimagined—and Welcoming Travelers in the Process

Outside of home and work, spaces like parks, food halls and libraries are stepping up with social offerings.

HuffPost

We’re Recruiters. This Is the Biggest Tell You Used ChatGPT on Your Job App.

“A good recruiter can spot an AI-written application from a mile away.”

Vox

The 25 Pieces of Culture That Explain the Last 25 Years

From Lord of the Rings to the ramen craze to Ozempic, the cultural touchstones that help us understand the 21st century.

PBS News

Dozens Detained As Opponents and Supporters of Serbian Government Clash During Protests

Serbian police say nearly 50 protesters have been detained and dozens of people injured during clashes at anti-government protests in Serbia against the populist rule of President Aleksandar Vucic.

Mental Floss

12 Facts About the End of World War II

Savage battles, atomic bombs, and shark attacks were just some of the events leading up to the end of World War II 80 years ago.

Vogue

Ghost Stories, Medieval Books, and Flower Gardens Are All Inspiration for Artist Lily Stockman

Stockman’s latest series of paintings, titled “Book of Hours,” will go on view in September at Charles Moffett gallery in Tribeca.

Kiplinger

Social Security Planning Strategies and Challenges As It Hits Its 90th Year: A Financial Adviser’s Guide

Longer life expectancies and changing demographics put extra pressure on the program, making it crucial for future retirees to understand its evolution, common myths and how to strategically plan for their benefits.

USA TODAY

This Homesick Football Player Cried on Air. It Sparked a Conversation About Masculinity.

When asked about being away from home during the Aug. 12 press conference, 19-year-old Archie Wilson shared a candid response about how being far from his family has impacted him.

The Hollywood Reporter

The 44 Most Powerful Players in Podcasting in 2025

Whether they’re behind the mic or behind the scenes, these trailblazers are steering the maturing medium through an increasingly crowded landscape and critical transitions to video and AI.

NBC News

Why Arab Rulers Aren’t More Vocal About Gaza As Global Outcry Grows

“The tragedy of Gaza, the destruction of Gaza, could really serve as a time bomb that implodes the Arab political order from within,” said Fawaz Gerges, professor of international relations at the London School of Economics.

Literary Hub

A Tour of the Private: Traversing the Physical and Memory Landscape of North America

Traveling on a Greyhound bus, you can disappear. The day hadn’t yet begun as we pulled out of Detroit. We were heading to St. Louis through lashing rain under a black sky. The only sounds were the regular swish of windshield wipers and the rhythmic sucking of rubber tires on wet tarmac.

Life Hacks

Tips for better living

The Walrus

How to Trick Your Brain into Making Life Feel Longer and Richer

Forget anti-aging creams. The secret is living like you’re not in a hurry.

The Guardian

Ozempic Didn’t Work for Me. I Was Furious – and Ashamed

Everyone taking the ‘skinny shot’ was losing weight, but my scales didn’t change. My inner dialogue became toxic.

The Marginalian

Wonder, Play, and How to Be More Alive

We build our lives around structures of certainty — houses to live in, marriages to love in, ideologies to think in — and yet some primal part of us knows that none abides, knows that we pay for these comforting illusions with our very aliveness.

Yahoo Finance

4 Ways to Increase Cash Flow and Pay Off Debt Faster

Improving cash flow is key to aggressively paying down debt.

NPR

Counting Steps for Health? Here’s How Many You Really Need

Counting steps is easy using a phone, a wearable or fitness tracker. And scientists have lots of data to figure out how many daily steps you need to improve health. Here’s what they’ve found.

CNN

Mortgage Rates Fall to Lowest Level in 10 Months

Would-be home buyers and homeowners looking to refinance their mortgages got a rare break this week after months of stubbornly high borrowing costs.

GQ

Buying Stuff Online Is About to Get a Lot More Expensive. Here’s Why.

The answer has to do with tariffs, synthetic opioids, and something called the de minimis exemption.

The Hustle

How Private Equity May Affect Your 401(k)

A new executive order allows employer retirement funds to be invested in private equity. Here’s what that could mean for your investments.

CBS News

AT&T Customers Could Get up to $7,500 in a $177 Million Settlement. Here’s How to File a Claim.

AT&T customers whose data was compromised in either of two data breaches, or both, are eligible to file a claim that could provide up to $7,500.

USA TODAY

‘The Tooth Fairy Sticks to a Budget:’ Kids Are Finding Less Under Their Pillows for Lost Teeth

Times are tough, even for kids.

KFF Health News

AUDIO: A Wild Health Insurance Hustle

A couple in New York thought they bought insurance. Instead, they got fake “jobs.”

The Cut

Are You Rude With Money?

Our readers share annoying financial scenarios to avoid when splitting the bill.