Books That Are an Excellent Read

An excellent read is a book that teaches us something valuable or helps relieve stress. The best way to find a good read is to choose books that have stood the test of time.

This classic story of a scientist who creates a monster that he cannot control is a must-read for any science fiction fan.

The House On Mango Street

This book is an excellent read for anyone who wants to understand how different people live and what they struggle with. It focuses on the story of Esperanza, a girl who lives in a poor and confining neighborhood in Chicago. The story is told in a series of short vignettes that are both heartbreaking and deeply joyous. The prose is poetic and often bordering on the surreal, capturing the emotional vulnerability of young Esperanza.

The House on Mango Street is a coming-of-age story that follows the experiences of Esperanza, a 12-year-old Chicana, as she navigates the world around her. The book is comprised of a series of vignettes that span a year in the life of Esperanza and her family. The vignettes are rich in imagery and emotion, focusing on themes such as poverty, shame, and hope. The book also addresses the injustices of racism and the powerlessness of many women.

It is the story of how a young girl finds her voice and fights for her own identity. It explores many important issues including the use of language and names, feminism, the relationship between immigrants and society, and the importance of dreams. It is a beautiful and moving story that should be read by everyone.

The House on Mango Street is a wonderful and powerful book that should be required reading for children in middle school. It will help them to see that no matter where you come from or what your circumstances are, you can always find a way to be happy and fulfilled. It is a beautiful and empowering book that will teach children to be themselves and not let others dictate how they should live their lives.

A Girl Walks Into a Bar

Featuring an excellent cast and some great behind-the-scenes anecdotes from Rachel Dratch’s time on SNL, Girl Walks Into a Bar is funny. But it is her courage to openly discuss the Holy Grail of feminine culture – motherhood – that elevates it above your average memoir.

Set in a future not so far away from our own, A Girl Walks Into a Bar interconnects a group of apparent strangers in ten separate stories taking place over one night across bars, lounges, strip clubs and nudist ping pong clubs in Los Angeles. Witty and heartbreaking, it’s a sharp-witted comedy that builds to a revealing end point.

The first movie to be produced and distributed for YouTube, it features a number of high-profile actors with names like Carla Gugino, Rosario Dawson, Danny DeVito and Emmanuelle Chriqui. While it may not be a full-blown romance, it certainly gives you the opportunity to choose your own erotic scenario from an extensive list of characters that includes a sexy photographer, a charming bartender and a mysterious bodyguard.

The sexy photography, the bartender and the sexy bodyguard all work together to create some pretty erotic scenes. The variety is definitely the biggest strength of this movie and it will surely appeal to a broad range of viewers. Although it does take a while to get going, I really enjoyed this movie and I would recommend it. It’s a must see for those who enjoy a good erotic story with some twists. It’s the type of movie that will definitely stand the test of time and I look forward to seeing more from this director in the future.

Peter Pan

The swashbuckling boy who refuses to grow up is one of the most recognizable fairy tale characters, thanks to Disney and countless adaptions. But like most fairy tales, there’s a dark side to Peter Pan that many people don’t realize.

The boy who wouldn’t grow up started out as a character in Barrie’s The Little White Bird (1902), with chapters 13-18 published as Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens in 1904. Barrie then adapted the play into a novel, Peter and Wendy, which was published in 1914.

His origins suggest that Peter is not just a mythical figure but also a symbol for eternal childhood. His name references the Greek god Pan, who is often depicted with a flute and other musical instruments. He also has a wild and untamed nature, which reflects the way children can be when they’re free of adult constraints.

Despite his unending youth, Peter is not without regrets or fears. He often finds himself in dangerous situations, and his devil-may-care attitude can lead to his downfall. He even remarked, on the edge of his death on Marooners’ Rock, that “to die would be an awfully big adventure.”

Barrie may have been reflecting on his own feelings as a child after losing his older brother David to a tragic ice-skating accident. He may have wanted to cling to the idea of never growing up and avoid taking on the responsibilities of adulthood. Regardless of his intentions, the character has since become an iconic figure that symbolizes both youthful innocence and escapism. His popularity has spawned many adaptations, both on film and in books. Some are more faithful to the original story than others, and some of these adaptations may surprise you.

The Secret Life of Bees

A New York Times bestseller and Oprah’s Book Club selection, The Secret Life of Bees is a lyrical novel that examines the power of love and forgiveness. Sue Monk Kidd, who began her writing career as a memoirist, draws on Christian contemplative tradition and the worship of the divine feminine to create a powerful tale about healing wounds, learning to mother ourselves, and creating a place of true family and home.

As the story opens, fourteen-year-old Lily Owens lives in a peach orchard in Sylvan, South Carolina. She is an orphan who has a blurred memory of her late mother and blames herself for her death. Lily’s life is dominated by her abusive father, T-Ray and Rosaleen, her black caregiver and housekeeper. When Rosaleen is beaten by T-Ray for speaking out against racism, Lily decides to run away from home.

After escaping her home, she seeks refuge with the Boatwright sisters, three black beekeepers who strive to make their mark on the world despite the prejudice of 1950s America. The oldest sister, August, takes Lily in and teaches her the art of beekeeping. August also tells Lily stories about the goddess Diana, whom she sees as a symbol of femininity and strength.

The Secret Life of Bees is a coming-of-age novel in which Lily discovers her own strength and power. She must learn to forgive herself for her mother’s death and find a way to heal the wounds of betrayal, loss, and loneliness. She must also come to terms with her own sexual awakening. This is a deeply moving and beautifully written book that will stay with you long after you finish reading. Sue Monk Kidd is a masterful writer and this is one of her finest works.

Empire of Pain

Last month, Purdue Pharma, the company that invented, manufactured, and marketed Oxycontin, reached a massive healthcare fraud settlement with the government. In Empire of Pain, Patrick Radden Keefe, a staff writer at The New Yorker, investigates the family behind that company and the role they played in the opioid crisis.

Keefe’s cool, prosecutorial prose—based on years of research and interviews with family members and employees, as well as court documents, company emails, and more—is a tour de force. He explains how the Sacklers, starting with Arthur, built their fortune by exploiting Americans’ addiction to painkillers. He follows the next generation of Sacklers, including Richard, as they aggressively marketed opioids like OxyContin even when there was clear evidence that they were dangerous and addictive.

This book exposes the Sacklers’ corrupt tactics, which were often supported by government officials. The FDA, courts, and DEA let them use misleading claims to drive up sales and profits—at the expense of countless ruined lives. It also highlights how the Sacklers’ wealth enabled them to hire high-priced lawyers and consultants to make problems go away, or to shrink them to irrelevancy.

Keefe’s account of the Sacklers’ downfall is a dynastic saga, but it’s also a riveting portrait of corporate greed and its moral perils. He shows how the Sacklers went from esteemed philanthropy—they funded many cultural, educational, and scientific institutions, including the spectacular Sackler wing at the Metropolitan Museum of Art—to public disgrace and repudiation. He also sheds light on why the family seems to be unable or unwilling to take responsibility for the scourge that they helped to unleash. It’s a harrowing read, but one that’s essential to understanding the origins of America’s opioid epidemic.