Pocket-Worthy Reads

Stories to fuel your mind

Smithsonian Magazine

The True Story Behind Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler and Her Mixed-Up Files

Over 50 years ago, author E.L. Konigsburg wrote her children’s literature classic that highlighted the wonder of museums.

Inverse

The Oral History of ‘Encino Man’, Brendan Fraser’s Caveman Cult Classic

“I don’t think anybody thought it would be successful.”

Inc.

Why Laziness Is Not Why You Procrastinate (Your Emotions Are)

Overcoming procrastination isn't so much about completing tasks. In reality, it's about something much more personal.

Country Living

How to Get Rid of Fruit Flies, Once and for All

Fast and easy DIY trap and kill methods to try at home and you probably have the supplies in your pantry.

CityLab

What a Beautiful Bus Stop Can Do

Stations and shelters for bus riders don’t get much design attention from architects. A new study argues that quality aesthetics and amenities pay off for transit operators.

The Marginalian

James Baldwin on Love, the Illusion of Choice, and the Paradox of Freedom

“Nothing is more unbearable, once one has it, than freedom.”

Narratively

Love, Death and Volleyball: The Four-Decade Run of a Trailblazing Gay Sports League

How a dirt-court meetup in Central Park grew to become a vital lifeline during the AIDS crisis and a surrogate family for LGBTQ people to this day.

Popular Mechanics

Humans Could Develop a Sixth Sense, Scientists Say

This skill will help you “see” in the dark.

The Drive

America’s Most Notorious Jewel Thief Breaks Down the Perfect Getaway Car

Speed is not really a factor when choosing the car, as it turns out.

Stylist

We Tried Walking With Ankle Weights – Here’s Why It Was Such a Good Workout

Stylist staff strapped on a pair of ankle weights to see if channelling your ‘80s fitness icon is the key to stronger striding.

Apartment Therapy

10 Clever Ways to Organize Tupperware and Food Storage Containers

Organizing your food storage containers pays off handsomely in the long run.

Knowable Magazine

CRISPR Gene Editing: Moving Closer to Home

With the first medical therapy approved and systems like CRISPR-Cas showing up in complex cells, there’s a lot going on in the genome editing field. Here’s our primer.

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

Friday, June 6

SELF

7 Ways to Heal Your Relationship With Exercise and Movement

Moving your body shouldn’t be a punishment.

Men’s Health

5 Questions Your Doctor Wishes You’d Ask

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

The Atlantic

A Bizarre PTSD Therapy ‘Seemed Too Good to Be True’

What if overcoming trauma can be painless?

Texas Monthly

At 98, the Grandmother of Juneteenth Still Has Work to Do

“If people can be taught to hate, they can be taught to love.”

NPR

A Surprising Trick to Making Hard Choices: Try Thinking Less

The tactic may seem counterintuitive, but it can help you make tough decisions faster and with more confidence, says decision coach Nell Wulfhart.

Phoenix New Times

A Septic Tank in This Tiny Arizona Town Could Crack a 2006 Cold Case

Keith King vanished 19 years ago in Seligman. A private detective thinks he knows where King’s body is — and who killed him.

SELF

How to Stop Completely Spiraling Every Time You Receive a Little Criticism

For anyone who starts tearing up at even the slightest hint of negative feedback.

Thrillist

These Books Are the Perfect Companion to Your Summer Travels

Thrillist editors recommend post-apocalyptic thrillers, romantic beach reads, and palatable nonfiction.

Recommended Reads

Curated by Pocket

Vanity Fair

Hollywood Therapists Meet the Moment: “If You’re Not Dispirited Right Now, You’re Dissociative”

With the entertainment industry in rough shape, everybody in LA is seeking shrinks and life coaches—or becoming shrinks and life coaches.

Popular Science

Milky Way and Andromeda Galaxies May Not Collide After All

The ‘Milkomeda’ merger would be a catastrophic cosmic bumper car situation

Popular Science

Scientists Recreate Lost Recipes for a 5,000-Year-Old Egyptian Blue Dye

The oldest synthetic pigment in human history comes in a variety of hues.

Big Think

5 Scientists on Finding Meaning in Our Universe’s 13.8-Billion-Year Story

“We are an embodiment of the history of the Universe, literally history embodied in an incredibly emergent phenomenon here.”

Rolling Stone

His Song ‘Married in a Year’ Is a Runaway Meme. He’s Just Stoked People Are Singing Along

The Los Angeles based singer-songwriter talks about his viral song ‘Married in a Year’ and how he’s turning an online joke into an opportunity to reach more fans.

The Associated Press

The Dutch Government Has Collapsed. What Happens Next?

Dutch opposition parties are calling for fresh elections as soon as possible, a day after anti-Islam lawmaker Geert Wilders sparked the collapse of the country’s four-party coalition government.

CNET

Death to Gmail? Google DeepMind CEO Wants AI to Solve This One Annoying Problem

Demis Hassabis’ work ranges from finding cures for diseases to making email less bothersome. Which will he achieve first?

NBC News

The One Rule That Decides Virtually Every NBA Champion Won’t Be Broken This Year

These NBA playoffs have defied expectations. Yet both Oklahoma City and Indiana meet the criterion that has produced 78 of the previous 79 champions.

Business Insider

‘My Family Was Spending $2,500 on Food Delivery a Month — That’s $1,000 More Than Our Mortgage. Something Had to Change.’

My family of three teenagers was spending more on food delivery than on our mortgage. I felt ashamed of the price tag, so I’m cooking more at home.

Essence

Do You Believe in the Invisible String Theory? Understanding the Viral TikTok Trend

You don’t have to be a hopeless romantic to believe in soulmates and predestined fate. You may have already met your soulmate.

The Associated Press

US- and Israeli-Backed Group Pauses Food Delivery in Gaza After Deadly Shootings

An Israeli- and U.S.-backed group has temporarily paused food delivery at its three distribution sites in Gaza.

Elle

Why Kyoto Is the Must-Visit Destination of 2025

Soaring interest in Japan has inspired new hotels that honor the city’s history.

Life Hacks

Tips for better living

Harvard Business Review

Why Employees Work While Sick—and How Leaders Can Stop It

New research suggests that presenteeism isn’t simply a matter of personal choice or lack of sick leave—it’s a structural problem rooted in how jobs are designed and workplace expectations are managed.

Business Insider

New Data Confirms It: Companies Are Hiring Less in Roles That AI Can Do

Most people assume it will take years for AI to reshape the job landscape. But tasks that chatbots can do are already vanishing from job postings.

The Atlantic

You Don’t Know Yourself As Well As You Think You Do

The dream of perfect self-knowledge is unattainable, and chasing it too doggedly can leave you more confused and stuck than when you started.

Yahoo

4 Signs It’s Time to See a Financial Therapist

If your finances are causing you mental strife, seeking help from a professional can help you unpack the root cause and work toward a positive money mindset.

Inc. Magazine

6 Side Hustles That Could Take Off as Tariffs Grow

The full effect of the Trump tariffs likely won’t be seen in the U.S. for a few months, but the impact is already being felt on some products and at some retailers. Prices are inching higher despite temporary pauses on the highest duties in products from China and the European Union.

CNBC

As Denmark Raises Its Retirement Age to 70, Experts Weigh in on Whether the U.S. May Follow Its Lead

Raising the retirement age to 70 would help Social Security's trust fund shortfall. But experts say an across-the-board change may hurt some beneficiaries.

CNBC

Social Security Checks May Be Smaller Starting in June for Some, As Student Loan Garnishments Begin

The Trump administration warned that Social Security benefits could be garnished for defaulted student loans as early as June. What to know.

CNBC

Etsy CEO: People Who Make These 2 Early-Career Moves Become More Successful Than Most

Etsy CEO Josh Silverman shared the the two steps he took early in his career that set him up for later success, at Pace University's 2025 commencement ceremony.

The Guardian

I Found Myself Googling: Can Brain Cancer Cause Hiccups? How I Fell Into a Hypochondriac Rabbit Hole

Begging doctors for tests, I worried that I was missing something and heading for an early death. Would understanding the roots of my health anxiety lead me to a cure?

Men's Health

How to Become Mentally Ready for Anything – 3 Techniques Used by the U.S. Army

There are some important transferable skills to use for your everyday life.

The Guardian

From Strength Training in Your 20s to Yoga in Your 80s: How to Reach Peak Fitness at Any Age

Can you hold a 60-second plank? How about tying your shoelace in mid-air? Here’s how to test your fitness in every decade of life.

Inc. Magazine

How to Effectively Return to the Office After Vacation, According to a Productivity Coach

You’ve had the most relaxing vacation over the past several days but are dreading returning to the office. Even if you absolutely love working as an entrepreneur, the sheer thought of getting back to the daily grind is enough to make you sigh.