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My friend Nic is so Halloween-obsessed that she has two entire rooms in her basement dedicated to storing her Halloween decor. While most people have guest rooms for human guests, hers host six (yes, six ) of those 12-foot-tall giant Skellys. They’re also stuffed with more than 50 human-sized skeletons, a handful of dog and cat skeletons, flashing lights, noise machines and even a Christmas-sleigh tableau recreated with—you guessed it—skeleton reindeer. So when she starts planning Oct. 31’s festivities in June, I just nod and hand her some candy corn. As for me, I’m on the opposite side of the spectrum: I’m a Halloween grinch. I really don’t decorate unless you count the orange flickering light bulbs I installed near my garage seven years ago and was too lazy to swap back out for real ones. But it goes beyond laziness. To be honest, I just don’t like Halloween. Little kids in costumes ? Perfect, let’s do that every day. It’s ev...

Years ago, I worked for a state water quality agency. I’d drive around the back roads of Oklahoma hauling a big boat or dangle off a highway bridge collecting water samples—all while massive logging trucks (and plenty of speeding cars ) zipped by in a cloud of dust. It was nerve-racking, but I never got in an accident. One of my co-workers wasn’t so lucky. He was alone, like I often was. He hit a deer, then a tree. Luckily, he wasn’t injured, but he had no way to call for help. So he walked. For hours. Today, he’d whip out his phone and call someone—but what if he was injured and couldn’t? What if you got in a car wreck and couldn’t reach your phone? Well, it turns out your iPhone has a way to help even without your input. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), there were more than 6 million nonfatal accidents in 2024, the most recent data available, and more than 1.6 million wrecks that resulted in injur...

After six years in the States, Harry and Meghan are hitting the road and moving back to England. And they’re doing it soon. So what happens to that big pile of bricks they’ve been living in out in Montecito? The couple bought the place in 2020 after stints in Vancouver and Los Angeles, and from the pictures and clips we’ve seen, it’s something. It’s also expensive. Montecito, California, is an unincorporated paradise tucked between the Santa Ynez Mountains and the Pacific Ocean along California’s Central Coast. Oprah Winfrey lives there. So does Rob Lowe. The views are stunning. And now that Harry and Meghan are leaving, their home will reportedly sit empty. How much is that going to set them back? Will they need to sell? Take on renters? Ahead, I’ll break down the insane amount of money Harry and Meghan will have to spend just to keep the lights on in their Montecito mansion. Read on for the details. Get  Reader’s Digest ’s...

The Correspondent by Virginia Evans Recommended by: Tayari Jones , author of Kin Genre: Epistolary fiction Books that let you peek into someone else’s correspondence are irresistible, aren’t they? If you agree, The Correspondent is for you. It follows 73-year-old Sybil Van Antwerp, who writes letters to friends, family and even famous writers as she reflects on the loves and secrets that have shaped her life. As her eyesight begins to fail, those letters become even more important. This is a warm, intimate read for anyone who loves getting deeply attached to a character and slowly discovering what made her who she is. Shop Now Transcription by Ben Lerner Recommended by: Mary H.K. Choi , author of Pool House Genre: Literary fiction A missing recording is at the center of this clever, slightly strange novel . When an interview disappears, the people involved have to reconstruct what was said from memory, and naturally, their versions don’t quite match. From there, L...

Remember Megxit? Yep, we do too! When Harry and Meghan quit the royal family in January 2020, they made a BIG deal of leaving the U.K. and starting their new life in California. And all the drama that followed afterward made just as many headlines. Sometimes, it seemed like there really was nothing they could do that would still surprise us. But Harry and Meghan have proven us wrong. After more than six years in the U.S., the pair is ready for a new chapter. And they’re doing that by moving. Again. Their new home base? It’s one that wasn’t on our bingo card—and we’re pretty sure it wasn’t on yours either. But the move is happening, and it’s apparently imminent. Like, before-the-kids-go-back-to-school imminent. So where are they going, and why? Read on for the royal scoop. Get  Reader’s Digest ’s  Read Up newsletter for more royals, humor, cleaning, travel, tech and fun facts all week long. Where are Harry and Meghan movin...