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.

Romper

The Way To Solve Family Dinner Is To Embrace Kid Food

Instead of training our kids to eat more like adults, let’s train ourselves to eat more like kids.

Narratively

She Caught Bullets with Her Bare Hands — and Made Magic’s Glass Ceiling Disappear

When her husband died and left her penniless, audacious Adelaide Hermann transformed from lowly assistant to “the Queen of Magic.”

Delish

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

Including plant-based, omnivore, and vegan options.

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.

Greater Good Magazine

Surviving Betrayal

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

Nautilus

Top 10 Design Flaws in the Human Body

From our knees to our eyeballs, our bodies are full of hack solutions.

The Kitchn

Recipe: Creamy French Mustard Chicken

Believe it or not, this elegant dish comes together in about 30 minutes using only one skillet.

Fatherly

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

We’ll never stop wondering what snozzberries taste like.

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.

Scientific American

Going Barefoot Is Good for the Sole

Walking without shoes builds calluses, but that does not limit sensation.

The War Zone

How A British Submarine Spent Hours Under A Russian Aircraft Carrier

A Cold War British nuclear sub sneaked into a Soviet naval exercise and took closeup underwater pictures of Russia’s new aircraft carrier.

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

Wednesday, July 23

Grist

The Surprising Reasons Floods and Other Disasters Are More Deadly at Night

It’s not just that it’s dark and people are asleep. Urban sprawl, confirmation bias, and other factors can play a role in why nocturnal disasters claim more lives.

The New York Times

The Trouble With Wanting Men

Women are so fed up with men that the phenomenon even has a name: heterofatalism. So what do we do with our desire?

BBC

How a Fatal Accident Ended Ted Kennedy’s Presidential Hopes

In July 1969, Senator Edward Kennedy pleaded guilty to fleeing the scene of an accident where a young aide died. But many questions about the ‘Chappaquiddick incident’ went unanswered.

The Walrus

Can Office Tools Help Couples Optimize for Domestic Bliss?

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

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.

NPR

Are High-Protein Snacks Worth the Hype? Here’s How to Assess

Protein has taken over the packaged-snack aisles at the grocery store. But do you need extra protein in your chips and muffins?

Virginia Quarterly Review

The Game Is Played With Great Feeling

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

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.

Recommended Reads

Curated by Pocket

Polygon

How One G.I. Joe Writer Turned Marvel Rivals Into a Comics Run for the Ages

From one-shot to permanent fixture in just 12 months.

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.

Nature

Meet the Biotech-Company Founders Driven by Their Child’s Rare Disease

For some parents, finding a cure for their child’s illness is the ultimate motivation to start a company.

National Geographic

For Icelandic Vibes Without the Crowds, Head to This Canadian Destination

The Yukon Territory glows—but not with city lights. “Everywhere you look is like a painting” here, with auroras that last for hours, hot springs, and volcanic canyons.

The Hustle

Why Does a Fire Truck Cost $2 Million?

These firefighters just wanted to save lives. Private equity had other ideas.

The Guardian

Deadly Collisions: How Airports Try (and Fail) to Keep Birds Out of Plane Engines

Bird strikes cause fatal crashes and cost airlines money. Experts have tactics for chasing away these errant fowl.

Esquire

The 11 Best New Hotels in Paris Right Now

Live in the lap of luxury this summer.

Axios

How Trump’s Game-Planning for the 2026 Midterms

Trump’s ability to accomplish more big things in Congress — and avoid impeachment — hinges on keeping the GOP’s razor-thin majorities in the House and Senate in his last two years in office.

Vox

Inside the Federal Government’s Purge of Climate Data

Climate facts are inconvenient — so Trump is making them disappear.

HuffPost

The 2026 Senate Map Is Tough for Democrats, But Republicans Have Their Own Headaches

Republicans are encountering some early headaches in Senate races viewed as pivotal to maintaining the party’s majority next year.

Martha Stewart

5 Ways to Use Apple Cores in Your Garden to Boost Plant Growth

Apple cores can provide an abundance of nutrients to your garden. Explore these methods for using apple cores and peels in your garden to help plants grow and thrive.

ESPN

Ranking 2025 NFL Rosters: Best Projected Starting Lineups

We ranked every NFL roster ahead of the season, then picked strengths, weaknesses, X factors and underrated players to know.

Life Hacks

Tips for better living

Time

10 Questions to Help You Plan for the End of Life

Talking about death is often life-affirming.

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?

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.