Book Review - Lemony Snicket: The Unauthorized Autobiography

The Truth Behind Lemony Snicket

Inside the jacket of Lemony Snicket: The Unauthorized Autobiography, there is a warning that, "The book you are holding in your hands is extremely dangerous. If the wrong people see you with this objectionable autobiography, the results could be disasterous." The warning then instructs readers to disguise this bizarre, and apparently hazardous, publication by turning over the reversible book jacket which is a cover for the nauseatingly colorful and happy story of The Pony Party! by Loney M. Setnick. The warning, and book cover, are the first signs that the story of Lemony Snicket is not your conventional autobiography - a phrase here which means, not the kind of autobiography that would be written by a former president or a famous janitor.

For those of you who haven't heard of the mysterious Lemony Snicket, he is the author of A Series of Unfortunate Events. His books tell the story of the three Baudelaire orphans who spend their time living with wacky relatives and eluding the evil Count Olaf, after their parents are killed in a house fire. Lemony Snicket: The Unauthorized Autobiography is a hilarious collection of maps, newspaper clippings, old photographs and letters which allegedly provide details on the life of Lemony Snicket and why he is so fascinated with the Baudelaire children.

The book is filled with hidden clues and word plays which those of you who have read A Series of Unfortunate Events, will no doubt find clever and amusing. However, unlike the books in the series, Lemony Snicket: The Unauthorized Autobiography cannot really be enjoyed as a stand-alone book. If you've never read any of Lemony Snicket's books, you'll likely find his autobiography to be very confusing and nonsensical - a word here which means, you won't get any of the jokes and will wonder how this book came to be published in the first place.

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The ninth installment in A Series of Unfortunate Events arrives in book stores on October 29, 2002. You could win a complete set of A Series of Unfortunate Events by entering Kidzworld's Lemony Snicket Book Giveaway.

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