Pocket Future

Pocket-Worthy Reads

Stories to fuel your mind

Bon Appétit

Pretzel Focaccia

One of the easiest breads to make at home gets pretzel-ified with a highly burnished, salt-coated crust and a delightfully bitter twang.

MIT Press Reader

10 Tips for Cultivating Creativity, From the Director of the Lifelong Kindergarten Group at MIT

The challenge is not how to “teach creativity” to children, but rather how to create a fertile environment in which their creativity will take root, grow, and flourish.

Fast Company

Every Interview Question is Really This Question

Behind every interview question, there are three things that the interviewer is trying to figure out.

Greater Good Magazine

How to Stay Open and Curious in Hard Conversations

Here are eight tips for having better conversations across our differences.

Literary Hub

Classic Reviews of Beloved Children's Books

Eudora Welty on ‘Charlotte's Web’, Dorothy Parker on ‘Winnie the Pooh’, and more.

Aeon

The Play Deficit

Children today are cossetted and pressured in equal measure. Without the freedom to play, they will never grow up.

The Hustle

The Secretary Who Helped Uncover One of America’s Strangest Ponzi Schemes

The whole thing started because Robin H. Swanson wanted to send flowers.

Narratively

A Super Strange True Love Story: My Disappearing Fiancé

After years of avoiding love, I found a match that seemed almost too perfect. We were practically walking down the aisle before I realized it really was too good to be true.

The Marginalian

Physicist Alan Lightman on Beginnings, Endings, and What Makes Life Worth Living

How our cosmic improbability confers dignity and meaning upon our shared existence.

Knowable Magazine

Spots, Stripes and More: Working Out the Logic of Animal Patterns

More than 70 years ago, mathematician Alan Turing proposed a mechanism that explained how patterns could emerge from bland uniformity.

The Atlantic

How Friends Become Closer

It’s hard to organize a busy life so that it has enough room for deep friendships, but there are a few strategies that may help.

Scientific American

Dazzled by Creativity: Why We Excuse Dishonest Acts

Con artists rarely inspire admiration. Frank Abagnale Jr., however, was hardly a typical con artist.

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

Monday, August 4

POLITICO Magazine

Meet the Fraudster Who Wants to Make California Its Own Country

The man behind the Calexit movement claims to be a baller. But he’s broke.

PBS

In the Gray World of GLP-1 Supplements Online, Health Experts Urge Caution

TikTok beauty influencer Kaycee Ogle is regularly contacted by brands who want her to promote their products. But one email she received in June was different, and made her curious.

Glamour

Would You Let Your Friend Pitch You to a Room Full of Single Strangers?

In 2025 we’re turning back to one of the oldest forms of dating: meeting a romantic partner through friends.

Scientific American

The Hidden Way Allergens Attack Nose, Throat and Lung Cells

The immune system senses damage to cell membranes caused by pore-forming proteins and mounts a response.

The Conversation

Are You Really Allergic to Penicillin? A Pharmacist Explains Why You Might Not Be

As many as 1 in 5 Americans believe they have a penicillin allergy, but just a tiny fraction actually do. In recent years, it’s gotten a lot easier to find out.

Rolling Stone

Inside the Battle Over ‘Napalm Girl’

A new documentary, ‘The Stringer,’ investigates the story of the famous Vietnam War photo “Napalm Girl,” raising questions about who actually took it.

Slate

Who Killed the Spoof Movie?

’The Naked Gun’ aims to resurrect what was once one of our most beloved sure-hit genres. Why did it ever go away?

The Guardian

Sweat, Stingers and Scratching: 14 Expert, Easy Ways to Treat and Prevent Insect Bites

Some of us seem to be bitten much more than others – and in unlucky cases this can lead to an allergic reaction or chronic illness. Pharmacists explain how to avoid the worst insects have to offer.

Senate Bill Aims to Increase Affordable Housing Supply. Here’s What Renters, Home Buyers Need to Know

A Senate committee advanced a bipartisan bill that would spur the construction of affordable housing. Here’s what to know about it.

Literary Hub

The Most Anticipated Audiobooks of August

Each month, our friends at AudioFile Magazine share a curated list of the best audiobooks for your literary listening pleasure.

The New York Times

How the New Texas Map Changes the Outlook for Control of the House

Democrats’ chances would be hurt if the map were approved, but they would still be favored.

Food & Wine

7 Spices You Should Be Buying at Costco to Save Money

When compared with prices at other major supermarkets, spices at Costco are often significantly cheaper per unit of weight. Here is how much money you can save on seven popular spices by purchasing them at Costco instead of another large grocery store.

Essence

Rides N’ School Supplies: A Movement at the Intersection of Car Culture and Community Impact in St. Louis

How a family-driven passion for cars became a catalyst for mentorship, scholarships, and real-world opportunities for St. Louis youth.

Axios

The Tariffs That Stole Christmas

“Eventually we’ll get to a point where we may not have any trees.”

People

This Theme Park Is Ranked No. 1 Above Disney and Universal by Travelers — and It’s Not in California or Florida

A beloved Tennessee theme park is ranked No. 1 in Tripadvisor’s 2025 Travelers’ Choice Best of the Best Awards’ category for amusement parks.

Business Insider

Would You Pay $2,500 a Year to Scan Your Entire Body for Hidden Diseases?

Full-body MRIs are becoming a status symbol among longevity enthusiasts. Do they help or are they just flashy procedures that lead to extra tests?

The New York Times

For Some, Return of Presidential Fitness Test Revives Painful Memories

Generations of Americans who struggled to complete a pull-up in front of their classmates winced as President Trump announced that he was reinstating the annual assessment.

AFAR

Fall Is the Ideal Time to Visit These 8 Charming Small Towns in the U.S.

Cute B&Bs and mom-and-pop shops galore.

NBC News

China’s Swimming Prodigy Draws Global Praise and a Note of Caution

Yu Zidi, 12, became the youngest-ever medalist during her debut at the World Aquatics Championships. But she may face a toxic sports fandom at home after her rise to fame.