At the age of 94, the creative-nonfiction pioneer John McPhee is still writing. Good news indeed. Here is more good news: in Looking for a Story, Noel Rubinton has tracked down pretty much everything written by McPhee—college papers, teleplays, short fiction, and hundreds of unsigned stories he did at Time before he joined The New Yorker, in 1963. The excerpts illustrate how he turned Time magazine’s pithiness into prose that shines—and occasionally stings. He wrote in the show business section. So here is Woody Allen described as “a flatheaded, redheaded lemur with closely bitten fingernails and a sports jacket,” and Steve McQueen as looking “something like a young Dwight Eisenhower after sophomore year at San Quentin.” For those who know McPhee only from his three dozen books, Rubinton has panned gold from streams long forgotten. And let’s give a scribbled “ah!” to the foreword by Peter Hessler, The New Yorker contributor who took McPhee’s writing course at Princeton. ($29.95, princeton.edu) —Jim Kelly

Any jewelry lover worth his or her salt will tell you that if you’re going to start collecting Pomellato, the Nudo collection is a fine place to begin. Now, as if to tempt us, the Italian house has added new pieces to its high-jewelry offerings: the Nudo Minis and Toi et Moi ranges. As graduation-gift season is imminent, we are paying close attention to the Mini rings, necklaces, and, especially, bracelets—with this bangle in particular. Made of 18-karat white gold with two sky-blue topazes—approximately 7.4 carats each—and a small constellation of white diamonds, it’s fine jewelry for every day. ($5,800; pomellato.com) —Ashley Baker

“I’ve always liked collecting and displaying data in different ways,” says Richard Hawthorn, founder of Traintrackr. Having studied electronics and telecommunications in college, over the years he designed more than 100 experimental printed circuit boards (P.C.B.’s) visualizing inputted data with L.E.D. lights. One particular P.C.B. he constructed tracked live MBTA trains in Boston. “People asked to buy them from me, and I realized I had a business on my hands,” he says. After much prototyping, in 2020 he started selling train-tracking circuit boards properly. In a time when apps and modern technology cause such dread, Hawthorn’s wonderfully inventive pieces of more primitive tech inspire joy. I find it incredibly cozy watching our London Underground map light up when we’re having a night in. Hawthorn also offers P.C.B.’s of New York’s subway, Chicago’s L, Washington’s Metro, Stockholm’s Tunnelbana, and San Francisco’s BART. (from $199, traintrackr.io) —Spike Carter

Does “perfect” mean something different to everyone? Not always, according to artist Courtney Broadwater, editor and writer Alexa Brazilian, and fashion designer Aaron Millhiser. They are doubling down on the notion with their Web site, The Perfect, an edit of the ultimate lifeguard hats, tennis skirts, barn jackets, and even vintage Bogner skiwear. The newsletter that accompanies their e-commerce site provides a thorough analysis of each far-flung find. (When making such claims, it helps to be specific.) The Perfect’s obsessive editors grew up together, spending summers on Nantucket. And while their preppy sensibility is frayed in all the right places, their expansive worldview is what makes the Perfect so irresistible. The editors scour the globe to source acrylic-and-wire necklaces from Copenhagen and quirky glassware from Paris—and we hope they never stop. (thisistheperfect.com) —Ashley Baker

For those splitting their time between New York City and going out East this summer, the Blade Hamptons Limitless pass offers a rare luxury: ditching the Long Island Expressway and the Jitney. From Memorial Day through Labor Day, pass holders get unlimited flights between Manhattan and six destinations on the eastern tip of Long Island, plus complimentary runs to J.F.K. and Newark—should your summer plans take you to the Amalfi Coast or the French Riviera. With the Blade Hamptons Limitless pass, it’s entirely possible to handle a morning appointment in Midtown and be back in Southampton before lunch hits the table—a practical indulgence, if there ever was one. ($18,000; blade.com) —Merritt Johnson

As detailed at length in AIR MAIL Editor Graydon Carter’s memoir, When the Going Was Good, pencils are important. Actually, sharp pencils are important. A rounded-nub one won’t get you very far. But for the uninitiated, the question of which pencil to stake your claim on can be either daunting or dull. Look no further than the Blackwing 602, which is a revival of the famed Eberhard Faber model that was discontinued in 1998, leading devoted fans to pay outrageous sums on eBay for it. Before its untimely death, the 602 was a favorite of John Steinbeck and Looney Tunes creator Chuck Jones. Disney animator Shamus Culhane asked to be buried with his. Now a California-based company has produced a perfect replica of the pencil, complete with a square ferrule and pink eraser, gunmetal finish, and a firm graphite core that’s smooth as butter but not slippery. Just remember to buy a sharpener too, or you’ll never write anything worth a damn. ($34, blackwing602.com) —Nathan King