Pocket-Worthy Reads

Stories to fuel your mind

Bloomberg

Can Toothpaste Tubes Be Recycled Across the US? It’s Getting Closer

Three out of four plastic squeeze tubes on the US market are now made in a way that allows them to be recycled alongside shampoo bottles.

MEL Magazine

A Gentleman’s Guide to Getting Out of a Conversation

Because telling someone to shut the heck up isn’t ‘gentlemanly’ or ‘civilized’ or ‘appropriate for a 5-year-old’s birthday party, Brian, Jesus.

Fast Company

4 Simple Steps for Negotiating a Higher Salary

Even after a tough economic year, you still have a right to negotiate, and be compensated fairly for your work.

CityLab

The Case for Japan’s Amazing Clothes-Drying Bathrooms

Why don’t we all have bathrooms that can dry laundry, too?

Glamour

Cozy Cardio Could Actually Change Your Perspective on Exercise

A TikTok trend that actually makes sense? Groundbreaking!

Vogue

The Case for Statement Glasses

Committing to a pair of large, (literally) in-your-face glasses is a shortcut to leveling up your personal style.

Darius Foroux

Give Everything You Do, Everything You’ve Got

Want to make the most of every opportunity? Go all in.

The Atlantic

The Tyranny of Stuff

The letters of Seamus Heaney reveal that he was bedeviled by the same problem that overwhelms all of us.

The Conversation

How Small Acts of Kindness and Connection Really Can Change the World

A psychologist explains how individual acts of kindness and connection can have a real impact on global change.

Aeon

What Are Natural Foods?

The glass of orange juice at the breakfast table tells a tale about what’s natural, what’s whole and what’s healthy for us.

Literary Hub

“The Greatest Menace to the Writer is the Reader” and Other Advice from Shirley Jackson

(But don’t worry, you can beat them at their own game.)

Women’s Health

Eldest Daughter Syndrome: What It Is And 12 Signs To Look For, According To Experts

For starters, you might have people-pleasing tendencies.

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 20

Vanity Fair

What I Witnessed Inside an ICE Women’s Prison

Tufts University doctoral student Rümeysa Öztürk opens up about her 45 days in a South Louisiana processing facility—and the generous and compassionate women she met.

The 19th

She Helped Get Rid of Measles in Her County. This Is Her Advice on Stopping Its Spread.

Lubbock County in Texas has been free of measles cases for more than 50 days. But Katherine Wells, director of the Lubbock Health Department, is staying vigilant.

Los Angeles Times

AI Can Write a Scene. It Can Pitch a Movie. So What Happens to the Screenwriters?

As generative AI reshapes Hollywood, screenwriters like Billy Ray, Paul Schrader, Bong Joon Ho and Todd Haynes, along with a new class of tech disruptors, are navigating the uncertain future of storytelling.

The Week

Why Your Body Ages Rapidly in Two ‘Bursts’

Scientists have found that ageing increases in our mid-40s and 60s.

Boston

Blood Feuds: The Fight Over Who Gets to Be Native American

A Rhode Island tribe’s quest for state recognition has sparked a controversy.

NPR

4 Confidence-Boosting Ways to Overcome the Fear of Flirting in Real Life

Does talking to a cute stranger make your palms sweat? Confidence coach Regina Bonds offers advice on to how to put yourself out there, including how to show interest without coming off as creepy.

Grub Street

Is All This Salt Killing Us?

Doctors have long warned about the risks of too much sodium. But in an era of Maximum Flavor, we crave it more than ever.

The New Atlantis

Does Marriage Have a Future?

From the Industrial Revolution to the pill to AI girlfriends, technology is unbundling what used to be marriage’s package deal.

Recommended Reads

Curated by Pocket

Inverse

How CM Punk Found a New Fight in Revival

CM Punk chats with Inverse about his role in ‘Revival’ and his next moves outside of the WWE.

Serious Eats

The Sweet, Creamy Coffee Drink That Actually Gets Me Going in the Morning

Start your day with bittersweet iced Vietnamese coffee, which gets its rich flavor from dark roast beans and satisfying creaminess from sweetened condensed milk.

Inc. Magazine

3 Ways to Lower Your Company’s Health Insurance Costs in 2026

As health care prices rise at higher rates each year, some employers are considering whether to place the increases on their workers.

The Hollywood Reporter

Behind the Incendiary New Play Confronting David Mamet

Abbi Jacobson, Billy Eichner, Heléne Yorke and Kara Young will star in a reading of Mathilde Dratwa’s play, directed by Leslye Headland. “If Mamet gets to write about Weinstein, then I get to write about Mamet,” Dratwa says.

Outside

You Don’t Need to Summit to Call It a Hike

Most hikers are summit-obsessed, but how much is too much? Here’s why I’d rather enjoy the experience than celebrate the checklist.

Martha Stewart

How to Get Rid of Fleas in Your Yard—and Keep Them From Coming Indoors

Learn how to effectively get rid of fleas in your yard with these safe, expert-recommended methods—and stop them from invading your home.

Gizmodo

Scientists Will Melt Some of Earth’s Oldest Ice to Solve Climate Mystery

These ancient cores may contain clues about an unexplained change in Earth’s glacial-interglacial cycles, and could shed light on how human-generated emissions will shape our planet’s future.

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.

Time

Extreme Heat Is Testing FIFA’s Ability to Protect 2026 World Cup Athletes

Teams endured extreme heat during the Club World Cup—seen as a test for how FIFA will protect players next year.

Time

Clueless Proved Amy Heckerling Was Brilliant. but It’s Not Her Only Stroke of Genius

As Clueless turns 30, its filmmaker’s Hollywood success can’t be measured by the usual metrics of box-office returns of awards on a shelf.

The New Republic

This Might Be the Climate Wake-up Call We’ve Been Waiting For

It can be challenging to connect climate change to people’s everyday lives. But there’s nothing abstract about heat waves and vanishing beaches.

Life Hacks

Tips for better living

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Kiplinger

I Want to Buy an Annuity, but I’m Scared I’ll Get Ripped Off. Should I Get One Anyway?

An annuity is a way to achieve lifetime income in retirement, but you need to understand how this product works before making a purchase.

Business Insider

The Hot New MBA Hustle

Millennials’ hottest new career pivot: ditching the corporate grind to run unsexy small businesses.

NPR

‘Panicking’: Why Recent College Grads Are Struggling to Find Jobs

Recent college graduates are facing one of the most challenging job markets in years — with the exception of the pandemic period — even as the overall unemployment rate remains low.

CNBC

These College Majors Have the Best Job Prospects — and They Aren’t What Students Expect

Which college major students choose often has significant implications for job prospects and future career potential.

The Walrus

Why Everyone You Know Is Suddenly a Birder

A pandemic pastime has grown into something deeper.