Pocket-Worthy Reads

Stories to fuel your mind

The Marginalian (formerly Brain Pickings)

I Like You: An Almost Unbearably Lovely Vintage Illustrated Ode to Friendship

A touching serenade to the little things that add up to the bigness of a true platonic love.

Afar

6 U.S. Islands Where You Can’t Help but Slow Down

Whether you’re strolling the coast of an Atlantic island or savoring the sunset on Hawaii’s low-key paradise, you’ll be surprised at how quickly time becomes irrelevant.

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.

Outside

How Farming Saved My Body Image

After giving up competitive running, cycling, and triathlon, I bought a farm in Tennessee. I didn’t know at the time how challenging—and life-affirming—growing my own food would be.

Stylist

The Scorpion Stretch Will Loosen Your Tight Hips and Lower Back

One of the best ways to release the tissue and decompress the bones and joints.

The Conversation

If Sugar Is So Bad for Us, Why Is the Sugar in Fruit Ok?

Whole fruits are a great source of nutrients like fiber and hardly have enough fructose to do any harm.

Atlas Obscura

What Is It Like to Be a Bee?

A philosophical and neurobiological look into the apian mind.

Lifehacker

Stop Answering Your Kid’s Questions

It’ll help them gain a critical skill—and get you out of the hot seat.

MEL Magazine

What Happens to Spelling Bee Champions When They Grow Old?

Spelling contests have remained a feature in American life since the Puritans landed on Plymouth Rock — but is peaking at 12 years old all it’s cracked up to be?

Delish

Best Bruschetta Recipe

So simple, yet so good.

The Kitchn

How to Make Baked Potatoes Fluffy and Crispy

The secret to better baked potatoes? Cook them like the British do.

Knowable Magazine

Why Scientists Are Making Transparent Wood

Stronger than plastic and tougher than glass, the resin-filled material is being exploited for smartphone screens, insulated windows and more.

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, June 11

The New Yorker

How I Learned to Become an Intimacy Coördinator

At a sex-choreography workshop, a writer discovered a world of Instant Chemistry exercises and nudity riders to train for Hollywood’s most controversial job.

SELF

7 Ways to Heal Your Relationship With Exercise and Movement

Moving your body shouldn’t be a punishment.

Men’s Health

The New Science of Hip Mobility

Own the weight room, crush backyard football, and beat back pain by strengthening and stretching your hips.

Men’s Health

5 Questions Your Doctor Wishes You’d Ask

This list will help you make the most of your next appointment.

Asterisk Magazine

Where the Wild Things Aren’t

We tell our children that weirdness is a blessing in disguise. That’s our fantasy, not theirs.

BBC

How Being Alone Can Make You Happier

From spending time by yourself to making the most of being single, flying solo can be fulfilling – a philosophy championed by a new wave of books.

NPR

Why Knowing Your Neighbors Can Be an Important Climate Solution

Earthaven Ecovillage fared remarkably well after Hurricane Helene. The community had backup power and water systems, as well as food supplies, but members also knew how to work together in a crisis.

The New York Times

The Quiet Unraveling of the Man Who Almost Killed Trump

Thomas Crooks was a nerdy engineering student on the dean’s list. He stockpiled explosive materials for months before his attack on Donald Trump, as his mental health eroded.

Recommended Reads

Curated by Pocket

SELF

Poached Chicken With Lemongrass Veggies and Sticky Rice

Keep this recipe in your back pocket for those nights when you need a dinner that’s simple yet satisfying.

Parents

TikTok Bans #SkinnyTok, but Experts Say More Is Needed

TikTok has banned the hashtag #SkinnyTok due to its connection with unhealthy weight loss content. But experts in treating disordered eating are concerned that step is not enough to impact the negative messages kids are getting online.

Gizmodo

What Ending the U.S. Ban on Supersonic Flight Means for the Future of Travel

Passenger aircraft could fly from New York to Los Angeles in around two hours, but there are still challenges that stand in the way.

Vox

The Big, Beautiful Bill Is Bad News for Student Loans

If passed, President Donald Trump’s signature legislation would make college more expensive.

The New Yorker

How Addison Rae Went From TikTok to the Pop Charts

The artist presents herself as a gently debauched girl next door on her new album, “Addison.” It’s positioned to be one of the summer’s marquee offerings.

Romper

The Question That Haunted My First Year of Single Motherhood

What people really meant when they asked me: “What’s your support system like?’

CNET

Mortgage Predictions: Rates Could Still Drop This Year, but It All Depends on the Economy

Despite concerns over a potential recession and pressure from the White House, the Fed won’t lower interest rates this summer.

NBC News

As Ivermectin Goes Over the Counter, Some Pharmacists Worry About a Lack of Guidance

The drug, used to treat parasitic worms, has not been formulated or labeled specifically for over-the-counter use, like aspirin or an antacid.

Esquire

‘Mario Kart World Made Me Feel Like a Kid Again’

Sure, the Nintendo Switch 2 only has one true launch title—but it’s pure gaming nirvana.

Inc. Magazine

Half of Your Employees May Be Pretending to Work, According to a New Survey

It’s called ‘ghostworking,’ and a recent poll of workers shows that it’s more prevalent than you think.

The New Yorker

The Forgotten Inventor of the Sitcom

Gertrude Berg’s “The Goldbergs” was a bold, beloved portrait of a Jewish family. Then the blacklist obliterated her legacy.

Fast Company

China Is Arming Its Space Station With ‘Guard Dogs.’ They Have Good Reason for It

The military space race is heating up. China is developing a robotic design that can intercept and shove away suspicious objects in space.

Life Hacks

Tips for better living

Vox

We’re Secretly Winning the War on Cancer

The quiet revolutions that have prevented millions of cancer deaths.

Men's Health

Inside the Brave New World of Streetlifting

The love child of calisthenics and weightlifting is about to make all of us rethink what it means to be strong.

Men's Health

I Thought I Knew What Strength Looked Like. Then I Experienced Streetlifting.

It totally changed the way I approach my training.

The Week

Average Retirement Savings by Age: How Do You Stack up?

Determine whether you're being appropriately frugal or going overboard.

The Week

Orthorexia Nervosa: When Clean Eating Goes Too Far

Disordered eating focused on extreme healthy eating has been on the rise in recent years, researchers have found.

HuffPost

‘Dry Begging’ Is a Form of Emotional Manipulation That Sounds All Too Familiar

Read this if you regularly hear statements like “I wish I had a partner who cooks” or “some people would be thrilled to have someone who loves them so much.”

IEEE

Getting Past Procastination

Create systems that allow you to be consistently productive.

HuffPost

This Sweet TikTok Trend Is Actually Helping People Deepen Their Friendships

You might be really shocked to see what your friends’ reactions are.

The Conversation

Your Brain Learns From Rejection − Here’s How It Becomes Your Compass for Connection

Rejection can feel physically painful. It also provides a lesson for your brain on whom to connect with and how.

Kiplinger

What Boomers and Gen Xers Can Learn From Younger Colleagues

Whether you’re a baby boomer or Gen Xer, your younger colleagues’ approach to work may help you find a new job or be happier in the one you’ve got.

Newsweek

Millions of Americans See Credit Scores Plunge

The credit scores of millions of Americans have plummeted in the first quarter of the year as a result of rising student loan delinquency rates, following the end of a years-long pause on federal payments.

CNBC

When It Comes to Saving, Gen Z Asks: ‘What’s the Point?’ That’s Dangerous, Expert Says

Young adults are feeling disillusioned about their economic prospects. That malaise can be dangerous, experts said.