Author Biography | Interview | Books by this Author | Read-Alikes
Daniel Handler tells us that Lemony Snicket was born before you
were, and is likely to die before you as well. His family has roots in a part
of the country which is now underwater, and his childhood was spent in the
relative splendor of the Snicket Villa which has since become a factory, a
fortress and a pharmacy and is now, alas, someone else's villa. To the
untrained eye, Mr. Snicket's hometown would not appear to be filled with
secrets. Untrained eyes have been wrong before.
The aftermath of the scandal was swift, brutal and inaccurately reported in
the periodicals of the day. It is true, however, that Mr. Snicket was stripped
of several awards by the reigning authorities, including Honorable Mention,
the Grey Ribbon and First Runner Up. The High Council reached a convenient if
questionable verdict and Mr. Snicket found himself in exile.
Though his formal training was chiefly in rhetorical analysis, he has spent
the last several eras researching the travails of the Baudelaire orphans. This
project, being published serially by HarperCollins, takes him to the scenes of
numerous crimes, often during the offseason. Eternally pursued and insatiably
inquisitive, a hermit and a nomad, Mr. Snicket wishes you nothing but the
best.
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 two books for adults, The Basic Eight and Watch Your Mouth,
neither of which are anywhere near as dreadful as Mr. Snicket's. Like Mr.
Snicket, Mr. Handler wishes you nothing but the best.
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Daniel Handler/Lemony Snicket Bibliography:
A Series of Unfortunate Events (with Brett Helquist)
The Unauthorized Autobiography (2002)
The Blank Book (2004)
Behind the Scenes with Count Olaf (2004)
The Notorious Notations (2006)
The Beatrice Letters (2006)
Horseradish: Bitter Truths You Can't Avoid (2007)
The Latke Who Couldn't Stop Screaming (2007)
The Lump of Coal (2008)
13 Words (written with Maira Kalman, 2008)
The Composer Is Dead (2009)
Various calendars.
Lemony Snicket's website
This bio was last updated on 10/17/2016. In a perfect world, we would like to keep all of BookBrowse's biographies up to date, but with many thousands of lives to keep track of it's simply impossible to do. So, if the date of this bio is not recent, you may wish to do an internet search for a more current source, such as the author's website or social media presence. If you are the author or publisher and would like us to update this biography, send the complete text and we will replace the old with the new.
How did you start writing A Series of Unfortunate Events?
For various personal and legal reasons, I began researching the terrible
things that happened to the three Baudelaire children following the death of
their parents. The good people at HarperCollins offered to publish my findings,
both as cautionary tales and for the general good. Did your own childhood
inspire aspects or events in your books? What happened to me in my childhood in
no way resembles what has happened to the Baudelaire orphans. When I was very
young, however, I was taught the power of the written word and the importance of
exposing evil wherever I found it, which are two of my highest guiding
principles.
Did your own childhood inspire aspects or events in your books?
What happened to me in my childhood in no way resembles what has happened to the
Baudelaire orphans. When I was very young, however, I was taught the power of
the written word and the importance of exposing evil wherever I found it, which
are two of my highest guiding principles.
What were some of your hobbies as a child?
Taxidermy and playing the harpsichord.
How do young people respond to your books?
People, young and old, have responded to my books with a mixture of shock...
The secret of freedom lies in educating people, whereas the secret of tyranny is in keeping them ignorant
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