28 books
—
46 voters
Goodreads helps you keep track of books you want to read.
Start by marking “Lemony Snicket: The Unauthorized Autobiography (A Series of Unfortunate Events companion)” as Want to Read:
Lemony Snicket: The Unauthorized Autobiography
(A Series of Unfortunate Events)
by
A Warning from the Publisher:
Many readers have questions about Lemony Snicket, author of the distressing serial concerning the trials of the charming but unlucky Baudelaire orphans, published under the collective title A Series of Unfortunate Events. Before purchasing, borrowing, or stealing this book, you should be aware that it contains the answers to some of those quest ...more
Many readers have questions about Lemony Snicket, author of the distressing serial concerning the trials of the charming but unlucky Baudelaire orphans, published under the collective title A Series of Unfortunate Events. Before purchasing, borrowing, or stealing this book, you should be aware that it contains the answers to some of those quest ...more
Get A Copy
Paperback, 218 pages
Published
May 6th 2003
by HarperCollins
(first published January 1st 2002)
Friend Reviews
To see what your friends thought of this book,
please sign up.
Reader Q&A
To ask other readers questions about
Lemony Snicket,
please sign up.
Popular Answered Questions
Arnav
sAgreed! That goes for many series and novels.
Community Reviews
Showing 1-30
Start your review of Lemony Snicket: The Unauthorized Autobiography (A Series of Unfortunate Events companion)
Jan 31, 2008
Alena
rated it
really liked it
Recommends it for:
anyone who has read any part of A Series of Unfortunate Events
Shelves:
young-adult
This book is the zenith of the entire Lemony Snicket collection. It is the piece of the puzzle that makes you sit up and say, "Good heavens, there IS a plot!"
When I read the first few Series of Unfortunate Events books, it was only to familiarize myself with what I was told from all sides was sure to be the next Harry Potter phenomenon. I wasn't terribly impressed with the first two or three volumes -- cute idea, I thought, but nothing that really grabbed me. A couple of years later, I needed so ...more
When I read the first few Series of Unfortunate Events books, it was only to familiarize myself with what I was told from all sides was sure to be the next Harry Potter phenomenon. I wasn't terribly impressed with the first two or three volumes -- cute idea, I thought, but nothing that really grabbed me. A couple of years later, I needed so ...more
I first read this when it came out, in the midst of ASOUE - a series which is very, very dear to my heart. But at the time, I didn't really get this book. I thought it was a combination of:
a) Tips of the hat to characters and plotpoints, aka fun easter eggs for fans
b) Hints at answers, that in reality did not provide any answers at all, merely highlighted the mysteries
c) Random unrelated nonsense
I put it aside and was glad to own it in my collection, but never really thought much more of it.
How ...more
a) Tips of the hat to characters and plotpoints, aka fun easter eggs for fans
b) Hints at answers, that in reality did not provide any answers at all, merely highlighted the mysteries
c) Random unrelated nonsense
I put it aside and was glad to own it in my collection, but never really thought much more of it.
How ...more
I'll use this one for a brief summary of my relationship with ASOUE. I fell in love with these books when I was 11 and kept reading them devotedly as they came out. When I was 13, this book was released, along side Book the 10th. The two of them together jumpstarted my love of the series to a new level. For the first time I joined an online forum and introduced myself to the world of the internet. I started a commonplace notebook, created theories, looked for clues, talked with other rabid fans,
...more
I'm quite unsure of my feelings for this book. I did find some parts highly entertaining but I found other parts incredibly far fetched and had to force myself not to skim through them. I love this series to pieces, it was a huge part of my childhood and will always hold a special place in my heart. That being said, I honestly could have done without reading this one. I don't find it added anything particularly special to an otherwise spectacular series.
...more
"This book does not appear to be a forgery, which is not to say that the story is true - only that it is accurate. That this book comes from Mr. Snicket is unquestionable, which is not to say that some do not question it."
A hilarious, confusing, deliberately misleading "autobiography" of author/character Lemony Snicket. Very silly, and has a reversible cover so you can hide what you're reading and disguise it as The Pony Party, a story about the luckiest kids in the world.
This is not a volume of ...more
A hilarious, confusing, deliberately misleading "autobiography" of author/character Lemony Snicket. Very silly, and has a reversible cover so you can hide what you're reading and disguise it as The Pony Party, a story about the luckiest kids in the world.
This is not a volume of ...more
i just love this world. i wish there were (even) more than 13 a series of unfortunate events books. they made me feel so smart and involved (and entertained!) in my childhood. ugh i love everything about them.
"The world is quiet here."
*shivers*
Lemony Snicket, you strange and peculiar man, have you no consideration for my nerves? When I opened the book and read it was going to deal with the most juicy topics from the Series of Unfortunate events I was so thrilled but also... I didn't quite believe it: were we actually going to find out who Beatrice is and what VFD actually stands for? And the sugar bowl... Gaahh that thing has been haunting my dreams ever since I read about it!! But no, "these are sim ...more
*shivers*
Lemony Snicket, you strange and peculiar man, have you no consideration for my nerves? When I opened the book and read it was going to deal with the most juicy topics from the Series of Unfortunate events I was so thrilled but also... I didn't quite believe it: were we actually going to find out who Beatrice is and what VFD actually stands for? And the sugar bowl... Gaahh that thing has been haunting my dreams ever since I read about it!! But no, "these are sim ...more
Completely pointless.
...more
...more
Just a side note, I'm a big obsessed fan of the series. I've read each of the 13 books at least thrice over the past 6 years. I absolutely freaked out yesterday when I saw this book at Fullybooked Katipunan and I immediately bought it. Right now I'm halfway through reading Stardust but I absolutely could not help but pause with Stardust and just start reading this book this already. And since it's quite a light book to read, I finished it in roughly 2 hours or so.
Anywho.
Oh, how I've missed eve ...more
Anywho.
Oh, how I've missed eve ...more
Okay, this book acknowledged most (but not all) of my questions, then systematically didn't answer them. Seriously. It was a bit interesting - a collection of fake articles, journal entries, letters, etc. - but had little relevance to the issues about which I was hoping to learn more. Also, at times, the writing crossed the line from "humorously silly" to "annoying and somewhat difficult to read." The entire book seemed to really lack a point, and certainly didn't even pretend to have a plot. Bu
...more
This is one of the most oddball books ever written. It is primarily designed to confuse and confound...it's like House of Leaves crossed with Pale Fire and Monty Python. I found this book before I had even heard of the 'Unfortunate Events' series, so you can imagine how confused *I* was. It's not much in the way of literature, but it is fascinating as our long-suffering "author" gives scant details about his journeys, some enigmatic information--AND PHOTOS!-- of his history.Along with a fake cov
...more
Summary:
This book is about the unknown life of a very mysterious and well kept man who need to keep secrets.
Passage: P.15 and 16
My aunt, who is either a woman named Julie Blattberg or a woman whose name I am pretending is Julie Blattberg, gave me a small key that unlocked a box that contained a key which in turn unlocked a box that contained a key which in turn unlocked another box that contained the information that makes up this book, and made me swear never to let it reach the public, even ...more
This book is about the unknown life of a very mysterious and well kept man who need to keep secrets.
Passage: P.15 and 16
My aunt, who is either a woman named Julie Blattberg or a woman whose name I am pretending is Julie Blattberg, gave me a small key that unlocked a box that contained a key which in turn unlocked a box that contained a key which in turn unlocked another box that contained the information that makes up this book, and made me swear never to let it reach the public, even ...more
I JUST NEED ANSWERS THAT ARE CLEAR AS DAY WHY IS IT SO HARD 😭😭😭 this series has literally ruined my life since I was 6 (I am almost 20)
One good thing is that this is a series that I have enjoyed no matter my age which shows great writing ability by lemony
One good thing is that this is a series that I have enjoyed no matter my age which shows great writing ability by lemony
I suppose I can't blame him.
Throughout his books, Lemony Snicket tries to persuade his readers to give up on The Series of Unfortunate Events, but I just didn't listen. They were too witty and amusing, so I read through the entire series only to find that when Snicket warned that there would not be a happy ending, what he really meant was that there wouldn't be a satisfying ending that answered the mysteries from the rest of the series.
So. Frustrating.
And then I discovered this book, whose tit ...more
Throughout his books, Lemony Snicket tries to persuade his readers to give up on The Series of Unfortunate Events, but I just didn't listen. They were too witty and amusing, so I read through the entire series only to find that when Snicket warned that there would not be a happy ending, what he really meant was that there wouldn't be a satisfying ending that answered the mysteries from the rest of the series.
So. Frustrating.
And then I discovered this book, whose tit ...more
Update:
I re-read this book after having re-read all 13 ASOUE books, and it makes so much more sense! I understand way more of the references in this book, and it's a heck of a lot less confusing! Even though this book was published before the end of the series, I'd recommend reading this book after you've finished the 13th book, while the series is fresh in your mind. You get a surprising amount of answers in this book, you just have to look very, very carefully.
Original Review:
I think I left th ...more
I re-read this book after having re-read all 13 ASOUE books, and it makes so much more sense! I understand way more of the references in this book, and it's a heck of a lot less confusing! Even though this book was published before the end of the series, I'd recommend reading this book after you've finished the 13th book, while the series is fresh in your mind. You get a surprising amount of answers in this book, you just have to look very, very carefully.
Original Review:
I think I left th ...more
This is a very interesting book. I'm a little amazed that the author (one Daniel Handler) is so able to construct a really odd and mysterious and bizarre world that still somehow works. He'll mention something on one page that seems completely random, and then two chapters later is able to tie it all in somehow! This book has a lot of nicely delivered tidbits regarding the Snickets, and, as far as is relevant, the Baudelaires and V.F.D., as well as many of the other characters that appear in A S
...more
I love this book. As a fan of ASOUE for over ten years now, it was a pleasure to revisit The Unauthorised Autobiography and find it just as maddeningly coded, light on real information and full of inanities as I remembered. I can appreciate why it wouldn't suit readers in search of actual answers, but given the lack-thereof in the series as a whole, TUA is a perfect accompaniment. It delves just far enough into the shrouded world of VFD to tantalise, without destroying the mysterious premise of
...more
need to reread this some other time to fully explore and enjoy it :3
Lemony Snicket: The Unauthorized Autobiography: Or, No Answers Here
As an ASOUE avid reader, if you were expecting answers to some VERY FREQUENTLY DEMANDED questions, you've come to the wrong place. This "unauthorized autobiography" literally teases the tortured reader with 13 chapters, each titled with an important question to the mystery revolving around the Baudelaires and Lemony Snicket. However, each titled question is crossed-out and a new, less important (sometimes useless) question is ...more
As an ASOUE avid reader, if you were expecting answers to some VERY FREQUENTLY DEMANDED questions, you've come to the wrong place. This "unauthorized autobiography" literally teases the tortured reader with 13 chapters, each titled with an important question to the mystery revolving around the Baudelaires and Lemony Snicket. However, each titled question is crossed-out and a new, less important (sometimes useless) question is ...more
This is my favorite of all the lemony snicket pieces. I didn't know this was a sad occasion.
...more
If I could give this book zero out of five, I would.
I thought that all my questions would be answered when I read this book. There was lots of mystery surrounding practically everything - from V.F.D. to the author himself. But when I read the book, instead of getting answers, I left with even more questions.
To me, the book was just a bunch of random papers stuffed together and bonded. For example, pages 140 and 141 had telegrams. When you flipped the page, a photograph appeared, captioned "Will ...more
I thought that all my questions would be answered when I read this book. There was lots of mystery surrounding practically everything - from V.F.D. to the author himself. But when I read the book, instead of getting answers, I left with even more questions.
To me, the book was just a bunch of random papers stuffed together and bonded. For example, pages 140 and 141 had telegrams. When you flipped the page, a photograph appeared, captioned "Will ...more
GUYS LEMONY SNICKET IS NOT REAL!
Okay:) I did an autobiography project in 3rd garde and picked Lemmony Snicket cause I was reading the series at the time. So...I don't really remember this book...shh! Don't tell!
So, funny story, right? Everyone was checking out these autobiographies and I grabbed this one and the mean librarian stopped me (school library) and was like, "He's not real! You have to pick a real person! But it back! Blah blah snarky blah!" So I was angry and picked a stupid ice-skate ...more
Okay:) I did an autobiography project in 3rd garde and picked Lemmony Snicket cause I was reading the series at the time. So...I don't really remember this book...shh! Don't tell!
So, funny story, right? Everyone was checking out these autobiographies and I grabbed this one and the mean librarian stopped me (school library) and was like, "He's not real! You have to pick a real person! But it back! Blah blah snarky blah!" So I was angry and picked a stupid ice-skate ...more
As a break between the 11th and 12th books in The Series of Unfortunate Events series, here's a mostly incoherent and nonsequitor fake autobiography of the fake author of these books. It's full of clues for some of the big reveals later in the series, but mostly is an opportunity for the author to indulge his stylistic whims. It's full of people in period costumes, crossed out passages, codes, and quotes from J.D. Salinger and Roald Dahl. I do love that as the books go on, the life and identity
...more
I had a really hard time rating this book, because I actually enjoyed it, but at the same time I didn't. It managed to name all the questions that remained in my head after finishing ASOUE, but didn't answer most of them. This left me frustrated all over again. The way the book was written was rather interesting, thought. With a lot of different ways to tell you things. There were letters, newspaper articles, notes and other things that made you wonder what the next chapter would bring.
Overall I ...more
Overall I ...more
This was an interesting book. There's quite a few answers concerning the V.F.D. organisation and how they recruit volunteers. There's a lot of mystery on Snicket still, and a few answers on why Tue Daily Pumctilio seems so completely crazy all the time. There's hints here and there on other members and on Olaf and his associates, so all in all quite interesting, but not fulfilling to all the question one ends up with after the books. What was the most fun, I think, was figuring out Snicket's han
...more
While reading this, I realized that some of the questions that were left unanswered, were actually answered in the tv show that it's on Netflix. It might've been more fun to read this before watching it, but I only managed to buy this book some weeks ago, and already two out of three seasons of the show are on Netflix. One of the thing that I like the most about the Netflix show is that it has a lot of "behind the scenes" moments that are omitted in the books, that only focus on the Baudelaire c
...more
This was a fun and interesting book, but it also didn't make a whole lot of sense and it raised more questions than it answered.
...more
None of my questions were answered. In fact, now I have even more. This is quite ridiculous. I give up.
Simply, ridiculous nonsense. This writing style is not for me and this was a waste of my time.
I will admit freely that I don't think I understand anything about the universe of ASOE, and therefore everything I think can be taken with a grain of salt. That said, I enjoyed reading this and I think it works as a great companion based mostly on the fact that it reveals a lot more about VFD than we knew from the original series... inspired me to get at least a little involved in the series again! Bit of a tough read at times for me (though, of course, I've forgotten some details over the year
...more
There are no discussion topics on this book yet.
Be the first to start one »
Readers also enjoyed
Lemony Snicket had an unusual education and a perplexing youth and now endures a despondent adulthood. His previous published works include the thirteen volumes in A Series of Unfortunate Events, The Composer is Dead, and 13 Words. His new series is All The Wrong Questions.
For A Series of Unfortunate Events:
www.lemonysnicket.com
For All The Wrong Questions:
www.lemonysnicketlibrary.com ...more
For A Series of Unfortunate Events:
www.lemonysnicket.com
For All The Wrong Questions:
www.lemonysnicketlibrary.com ...more
Other books in the series
A Series of Unfortunate Events
(1 - 10 of 13 books)
Related Articles
Readers have a lot to look forward to this year! Just feast your eyes upon all of these debut books to check out and emerging authors to...
50 likes · 27 comments
No trivia or quizzes yet. Add some now »
“Desperate times call for desperate measures" is an aphorism which here means "sometimes you need to change your facial expression in order to create a workable disguise." The quoting of an aphorism, such as "It takes a village to raise a child," "No news is good news," and "Love conquers all," rarely indicates that something helpful is about to happen, which is why we provide our volunteers with a disguise kit in addition to helpful phrases of advice.”
—
142 likes
“You may want to keep a commonplace book which is a notebook where you can copy parts of books you think are in code, or take notes on a series of events you may have observed that are suspicious, unfortunate, or very dull. Keep your commonplace book in a safe place, such as underneath your bed, or at a nearby dairy.”
—
129 likes
More quotes…
