Pocket-Worthy Reads

Stories to fuel your mind

Epicurious

This Is the Best Cheesecake Recipe Ever

It was published in Gourmet Magazine in 1999. People have been losing their minds over it ever since.

The Atlantic

When Evidence Says No, but Doctors Say Yes

Long after research contradicts common medical practices, patients continue to demand them and physicians continue to deliver. The result is an epidemic of unnecessary and unhelpful treatments.

Fatherly

In 1964, One Beloved Kids Book Almost Had A Totally Different Hero

We’ll never stop wondering what snozzberries taste like.

Greater Good Magazine

Surviving Betrayal

Romantic betrayal is traumatizing, says psychologist Joshua Coleman. But couples can learn to trust again.

Bloomberg Businessweek

How to Keep Uber and Lyft Rides Affordable and Make Drivers Happy

In the absence of federal legislation for app-based drivers, US cities and states have turned into gig-economy battlegrounds. Is there a better way?

Fast Company

You’re a Bad Listener: Here’s How to Remember What People Say

We come into conversations with our own agendas and low attention spans, but if you want to build better relationships you need to master active listening.

MIT Press Reader

Powers of Hearing: The Military Science of Sound Location

During WWI the act of hearing was recast as a tactical activity — one that could determine human and even national survival.

Runner’s World

How to Stay Pain-Free During Marathon Training

These expert tips will keep your body running like a well-oiled machine.

Literary Hub

The 10 Books That Defined the 1970s

Books that paint a fair picture of the landscape of literary culture for the decade.

Delish

39 High-Protein Recipes That Are Easy, Filling, and Guaranteed to Keep Hanger at Bay

Including plant-based, omnivore, and vegan options.

Mental Floss

Why Lining Your Flower Pots With Coffee Filters Makes Houseplants Harder to Kill

There’s a tool that prevents both root rot and dehydration—and you likely already have it at home.

The Guardian

Can’t Sleep? Tell Yourself It’s Not a Big Deal

There’s growing evidence that thinking of yourself as an insomniac is a major part of the problem.

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

Tuesday, July 22

WIRED

A Head-to-Toe Breakdown of Social Media’s Billion-Dollar Remedies

Bad mood? Puffy face? Immune issues? Across TikTok and Instagram there are scores of influencers ready to sell you some products—without ever sending you to a doctor.

The New Yorker

In an Age of Climate Change, How Do We Cope with Floods?

The deaths in the Texas Hill Country are a tragic testament to the force of a raging river. Flood-stricken Vermont has a radical plan to counter the threat it faces.

The Guardian

Where the Wild Things Are: How to Immerse Your Kids in the Great Outdoors This Summer

Some of the most priceless holiday memories cost next to nothing – as my four-year-old son and I have found on our forays into nature.

Olive

I’m a Gut Health Dietitian – These Are the Questions People Are Too Embarrassed to Ask Me

From sudden attacks of diarrhoea to problematic wind, our expert answers all the questions you were too embarrassed to ask.

NBC News

A Cross Between a Nicotine Pouch and an Energy Drink: What to Know About Caffeine Pouches

Teen-friendly promotion of the product is spreading on social media. Adding to the concerns is a caffeine pouch startup from a former Juul marketing executive.

The Walrus

Can Office Tools Help Couples Optimize for Domestic Bliss?

First comes love, then comes marriage, then comes the colour-coded Google Calendar.

Maclean’s

My Classroom Will Be AI-Free This Fall

A humanities education is vital in this polarized world. But students need to read the books.

Virginia Quarterly Review

The Game Is Played With Great Feeling

How Pokémon can save the world, one Pikachu at a time.

Recommended Reads

Curated by Pocket

Texas Monthly

First Hit by a Tornado, Then by the Flood: “I Feel Like Our Family Is Cursed”

For a Central Texas family, two natural disasters nearly three decades apart have destroyed homes, taken loved ones, and turned life into a bad dream.

Discover

This Neanderthal Gene Might Be Holding Back Your Athletic Performance

Genetic legacy of our ancient cousins could be making it harder for some people to reach their athletic potential.

Time

The Difference Between Gerrymandering and Redistricting, Explained

Texas Republicans are poised to consider new districts in a special session after President Donald Trump called for the state to redraw its congressional map to allow for the GOP to pick up seats in the midterm elections in 2026.

NBC News

He Survived a Mass Execution at 17. Now He’s Fighting Disinformation and Denialism.

Online conspiracy theories increasingly dismiss the Holocaust and atrocities in Rwanda, Bosnia, Ukraine, Israel and Gaza. One survivor is devoting his life to fighting them.

Martha Stewart

The Surprising Design Changes That Keep Pests Away From Your Home

Don’t let pests take over your home. These smart home design tweaks repel insects while making your house look and feel better.

Rolling Stone

When Your Crime Becomes a Dick Wolf Show

Incarcerated writer John J. Lennon knows Andre Shariff Smith as a friend from the joint. Thanks to a Netflix show, the world knows him as his crime.

Kiplinger

The Surprising Truth About Loneliness and Longevity

We’ve all heard about the epidemic of loneliness that can shorten lives and make retirement miserable. But there’s more to the story.

ESPN

Revisiting 2024 NBA Offseason’s Biggest Deals

NBA expert Kevin Pelton looks back at 10 of the biggest trade and free agency moves and regrades them.

NBC News

Why the Viral Sylvanian Drama Soap Operas Have Gone Quiet Online

A Japanese company has sued the creator of the Sylvanian Drama social media accounts alleging copyright infringement after its children’s toys were used without permission in a long-running series of viral skits.

The Guardian

‘I Went Vegan on the Second Day of Filming’: James Cromwell on Making Babe, the Talking Pig Classic

‘I broke for lunch before everybody else and all the animals I had been working with were on the table – cut up, fricasseed, roasted and seared.’

Atlas Obscura

How to Turn Your Road Trip Into a Nature Scavenger Hunt

Teach your kids to identify astonishing flora along your journey.

NPR

A Creek With Atomic Waste From WWII Is Linked to Increased Cancer Risk

A new study in JAMA shows how proximity to Coldwater Creek, where nuclear waste from the Manhattan Project was improperly stored, affected cancer rates over the decades.

Life Hacks

Tips for better living

BBC

Mineral v. Chemical Sunscreen: Which One Should You Be Using?

Some people are trading chemical sunscreens in favour of mineral versions because of fears over toxicity, pollution and effectiveness. Is there actually any difference?

Time

10 Questions to Help You Plan for the End of Life

Talking about death is often life-affirming.

CBS News

COVID-19 Cases Are Rising in These States Amid Summer Wave, CDC Data Shows

The data, from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, also showed a significant increase in COVID-related emergency room visits for young children.

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.