use IO::All;
$content = io('file.txt')->slurp;
    # or
io('file.txt') > $content;
    # or
use File::Slurp;
$content = read_file( 'filename' );
    # or any number of include methods in Mason/Template/Embperl...
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The things that IO::All makes absurdly easy include (and aren't limited to):

• Tied files.
• Appending to file.
• Appending to our original string with a new file: $content << io('new.txt');
• Inserting the contents of a web page, even a secure one, into a string.
• Running a flat DB.
• Reading files backwards.
• Doing socket communication; clients and servers.
• File stats and File::Spec support.
• and so on; most can be done in one line.