Every now and then, my wife and I inadvertently catch ourselves reminiscing about the time when we first met and started dating, our decision to get married, and the choice to have a daughter “right away.” These and many other decisions from our past have shaped our destiny and influenced our growth as partners, parents, professionals, and decent human beings. We often find ourselves grappling with the quintessential question: given the chance to go back in time, would either one of us change any of those decisions?

“A Confederacy of Dunces” is a brilliantly crafted novel that stands out for its humor, memorable characters, and satirical portrayal of society. Ignatius J. Reilly is one of the most unforgettable protagonists in literature, with his outrageous behavior, comically inflated ego, and skewed worldview providing endless amusement. His interactions with the diverse cast of characters, from his beleaguered mother to the various denizens of New Orleans, are both hilarious and insightful.

"Dandelion Wine" is a masterful exploration of the beauty and complexity of life through the eyes of a young boy. Bradbury's prose is both lyrical and precise, capturing the fleeting moments of joy, wonder, and melancholy that define childhood. The novel's structure, composed of interconnected vignettes, allows readers to experience the richness of Green Town and its inhabitants in a deeply personal way. The sensory details in "Dandelion Wine" are particularly striking.

When I was 12 years old, my parents bought me a TK90X, a Brazilian ZX Spectrum 8-bit home computer clone that came with a thick manual teaching the syntax for the BASIC language with sample programs. I remember that when they gave me the computer as a gift, we were in the process of traveling for a competition, my dad at the time being a professional supercross competitor. The day I got the computer, once I overcame the magical thrill of knowing that I had my own personal computer that I could just plug into the back of a TV and start playing with, I immediately proceeded to turn it on and was welcomed by a very anticlimactic black …

It was with a bit of trepidation that I started this book, being that there was a lot of hype about it and the assumptions I had made from this hype and what the 'Zen' part of its title implied. My concern being that I didn't want to set myself for disappointment if the book didn't live up to the (very) high expectations I had. I must say, this book is very dense and it was not an easy read.

As a younger boy in Brazil, I absolutely loved comic books! I vividly remember waiting for my turn to read a freshly bought, pages-still-crisp, fresh-off-the-magazine-stand edition of “Turma da Mônica”1 by the Brazilian cartoonist Mauricio de Sousa2. Often, I would wait for one of my parents to come home with it so that I could be the first to enjoy it while lightly teasing my sisters as they waited their turn.

"Cockfight" by the Equatorian writer, Maria Fernanda Ampuero, is not for the faint of heart. For an author to write good horror, they have to dare to be transgressive and name those things society is too afraid to look in the eye. Ampuero opens her short story collection with the story of a woman who is kidnapped by a taxi to be auctioned like cattle. In order to escape she defecates in front of a crowd to remind them she is not merchandise, but a human being.

Anyone who knows me knows I love historical fiction. So, when I had the opportunity to speak with author and former actress Diana Stevan about her series of books I could not wait to read them. This is one of those beautifully rendered stories that holds both the readers attention and their heart.

"Lilacs in the Dust Bowl" by Diana Stevan is a poignant tale of resilience amidst adversity, weaving together the struggles of immigrant life in Canada during the Great Depression with the complexities of family dynamics. Through the eyes of Lukia Mazurets, a Ukrainian peasant farmer, readers are transported to a world where …

I laughed so much while reading “Snow Crash” and couldn’t believe it took me so long to get to it. The book is packed with outrageous scenarios, clever dialogue, and biting satire that had me laughing out loud frequently. It is probably not for the easily offended or faint of heart, as it tackles some edgy themes and language, but I promise that this book is laugh-out-loud funny and well worth the time to read. Stephenson’s irreverent take on a dystopian future and his knack for blending humor with high-stakes action kept me thoroughly engaged from start to finish.

"I just saved your fucking life, Mom. . . . You could at least …

“The Obstacle is the Way” was the book that introduced me to Stoicism and perhaps is responsible for bringing this ancient philosophy to a new generation. I have recommended it multiple times and referred to it whenever I am giving friends and family advice about their personal or work-related challenges, as well as for my own day-to-day challenges. Holiday’s ability to distill Stoic principles into practical advice has been invaluable in helping me and those around me navigate obstacles with a more positive and resilient outlook.

"We forget: In life, it doesn’t matter what happens to you or where you came from. It matters …