About the Author

Lemony Snicket is often despondent, mostly about his published research, which includes A Series of Unfortunate Events and The Composer Is Dead.

Due to the world-wide web of conspiracy which surrounds him, Mr. Snicket often communicates with the general public through his representative, Daniel Handler. Mr. Handler has had a relatively uneventful life, and is the author of three books for adults, The Basic Eight, Watch Your Mouth, and Adverbs, none of which are anywhere near as dreadful as Mr. Snicket's.

Reviews

Author Lemony Snicket (aka Daniel Handler) reads volumes three and four of his Series of Unfortunate Events saga. A snappy, techno tune by a group called the Gothic Archies serves as toe-tapping introduction to Handler's chipper performance of his humorously melodramatic tales. The first two audiobooks in the series, performed by British actor Tim Curry, were released by Listening Library in March. (May) Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information.

Gr 5-8-The dreary, miserable cloud of disaster continues to follow the Baudelaire children in the third book of this series by Lemony Snicket (HarperCollins, 2000). As in the previous books, the orphaned Baudelaire children are placed in a relative's care by their kind-hearted, albeit bumbling guardian, Mr. Poe. Within minutes of arriving at their new home, they realize that life with paranoid, grammatically correct Aunt Josephine will only cause their current situation to go from bad to worse. The only redeeming factor to a life of slimy cold cucumber soup, living on the shores of a leech-filled lake, or the threat of an approaching hurricane is the absence of the revolting Count Olaf whose sole desire is to steal the Baudelaire fortune. But as luck would have it, Count Olaf is successful in finding the Baudelaires and conniving his way into their lives. Never have the subjects of child endangerment, fraud, and murder been so appealing to young readers. And never has reverse psychology worked its magic as it does when the author reminds youngsters that he is not forcing anyone to read the horrible tale he must tell. Lemony Snicket is the sole narrator and does a fine job, especially as the sneering voice of Count Olaf. His rhythm and voice inflections correctly reflect each character's situation and emotions. Audiobook collections with the first two titles will want to purchase this one; otherwise, purchase all three.-Cheryl Preisendorfer, Portage County District Library, OH Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information.