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Please don't ask me (however indirectly) to do your homework for you! If you need to find information on Mr. Snicket or his books, this site is full of it. But you need to click through the articles, interviews, reviews and news items for yourself. I will not send you information that is readily available on this site, in Mr. Snicket's works, or in a dictionary.
(And don't ask people on the discussionboard to do your homework for you, either. Sometimes they'll give you incorrect answers on purpose. That wouldn't get you a very good grade.)
A general FAQ can be found at The Official Lemony Snicket Site.
The Unofficial Lemony Snicket FAQ is a wonderful resource regarding all of the weird questions that pop up in ASoUE.
You can also check out my Conclusions after reading The Unauthorized Autobiography.
If you happen to have any further questions that are not already answered elsewhere, please send them to me at whoswhohp @ lycos.com.
I'm overloaded with spam. When e-mailing me, please put "lemon" at the start of the subject line, so I'll know your message is worth reading.
Well, The Unauthorized Autobiography was released between books 8 & 9, so that's a decent point at which to read it. I think that the UA will always be confusing, no matter how much you've read before or afterwards. My advice is to read it through once, from cover to cover (including the copyright notice, index, etc.), and try not to have a mental breakdown over it. Then, go back and read it in reverse: read chapter 13, then chapter 12, 11, etc. By the second reading, it should begin to make a little bit of sense. After all of that, you can always go over my notes to the UA.
Good luck!
If Violet, Klaus and Sunny have seen [insert random character name here] and not done something along the lines of shouting "Father/Mother! I thought you were dead!", then [insert random character name here] probably isn't Mr. or Mrs. Baudelaire.
I found 'em in Borders. I've also seen the 8 Ball on eBay.
Um, have you read The Vile Village? In it, Olaf murders Jacques. This isn't Donald Kaufman's "The Three," you know.
idunno. I guess we'll just have to wait and see.
You say in your article about The Unauthorized Autobiography you no longer believed Beatrice was the mother of the Baudelaires. I am here to change that thinking into what you first believed. Two clues are hidden in the books pointing towards the fact that Beatrice was the Baudelaire's mother:
On page 158 of The Hostile Hospital, There are anagrams listed at the top of the page. The letters in the anagram Carrie E. Abelabudite can be re-arranged to spell Beatrice Baudelaire. If this is the information you think might be a red herring, it could be, but hold on for a moment. There is another undeniable fact in the books.
For the first half of the clue, turn to page 79 of The Unauthorized Autobiography.
The first column on page 79 is talking about the change from the play "The World Is Quiet Here" to the worse one "One last warning to those who stand in my way". As we all know, at one point Lemony was engaged to marry Beatrice, and on this page we can assume that the lead actress in "The World Is Quiet Here" was Beatrice (read the column if you don't understand my meaning) But the important part is when it mentions that Beatrice could whistle Mozart's 14th Symphony for the original play. Hold that thought for a moment.
Turn to page 27 of The Wide Window. I will quote the important part below: "Aunt Josephene smiled, but she didn't look at Violet, as if she were talking to herself than the Baudelaires. "Yes," she said, in a far-away voice "he was my husband, but he was much more than that. He was my best friend, my partner is grammar, and the only person I knew who could whistle with crackers in his mouth." "Our mother could do that," Klaus said, smiling. "Her specialty was Mozart's Fourteenth Symphony."
I hope this information is helpful to you and changes your outlook a bit. E-mail me back with any thoughts. "The World Is Quiet Here"
-J
Yes, I am aware of all of the whistling info. But as far as I can tell, being able to whistle Mozart's 14th Symphony has to do with being a member of VFD. This is not necessary for being the Baudelaires' mother. Plus, that play is also a red herring. I think that Beatrice and Mrs. Baudelaire knew each other, but are not the same person. I do have a random suspicion that Beatrice is the mother of the Quagmire triplets, though.
nick
You'd have to contact someone working on the production. Films that need extras generally place ads in the local papers, so keep an eye out for that. Good luck!
The open casting calls are over and done with as far as I can tell. You might want to try contacting the casting director, Avy Kaufman, if you're truly desperate.
thanks,
Julie
That all depends on your perspective. I sometimes find that Snicket's books make me both laugh and sob simultaeneously. I have a twisted sense of humor, though, as do many adults these days. So maybe you'll find them funnier when you get older, or maybe you won't become cynical as you age. Good luck!
I'm Jonathan, and I'm ten years old.
I'm a big fan of Lemony Snicket.
I like your website.
I have some very good information for you.
I have a theory that Beatrice is Violet, Klaus, and Sunny's mother!
Here's proof:
Lemony Snicket is always saying that Beatrice lived a short life.
In book the fifth, The Austere Academy, Lemony says that a friend of his, Professor Reed, painted a triptych called What Happened To Beatrice? With three panels, one with a picture of a type writer, the second a picture of a huge flame, and the third, Beatrice.
Lemony said that Beatrice married another man.
In book the eighth, the name Carrie E. Albelabudite on the list of names Klaus was studying was an anagram for Beatrice Baudelaire.
I think that Beatrice married Violet, Klaus, and Sunny's father, and died in the fire that destroyed the Baudelaire mansion.
I'm not 100 % sure about my theory, but it's a guess!
Jonathan Hollingsworth
P.S. My sister Emily, who is 8, also helped me with The Beatrice Theory.
I agree with you about Beatrice. I just hope that Mr. Snicket will confirm our suspicions before his Series of Unfortunate Events is over.
In book 5 the punishment for going to the administrative office is no silverware, for the day. But after the kids run around forl ike the ninth day and klaus gets all krabby, they still share their silverware with the quagmires. Why is that?Also the quagmires said they lived in the orpahn shack for 3 years but then didnt have to anymore, why is that?
sorry , i sent it by accident, well i think those are all my questions for now. Great site. o yeah one more question, r there anymore sites besides u and lemonysnicket.net, cuz there are tons for harry potter and i could only find those two for a series of unfortunate events.
Thanx again, Dominic
I just don't have any good answers for your questions about The Austere Academy. Have you re-read the book yet? That sometimes helps. Anyways, Mr. Snicket might be leaving things (such as why did the Quagmires' three years in the orphans shack end?) unanswered so that he can fill us in later.
And if you're able to read any of Daniel Handler's novels, I've noticed similar incongruities in "The Basic Eight."
As for other Snicket fans sites, the only ones I know of are mine & lemonysnicket.net. Actually, that's one of the reasons why I made my site, because I couldn't find anything like it online already.
I'm not sure if this letter will make it to you. I love your books. I think you should research and write more about the Baudelaries. I live in a very small town, that is not even a most maps, and everyone reads them. Tou have made your books known all through the United States. Please, if you get this letter write back. i have one question, Where are the Baudelaires now. I would like to find them. I am a world traveler.
With all due respect,
Annie Ruehlin
Unfortunately, I am not Lemony Snicket. I am just a fan like yourself. If you have have not already done so, I suggest you visit Mr. Snicket's official site, where you can find e-mail & snail mail addresses for him. http://www.lemonysnicket.com
As far as the current location of the Beaudelaires is concerned, I recall Mr. Snicket writing in Book 8 that he does not know where they are, or if they are even alive.
I am writing with a friend to say your books are fantastic! We love the way you twist the story - you are our favourite author!
Please be honest with us - WHO IS BEATRICE???????????????????
ARE YOUR STORIES REAL??????????????????
E-MAIL US BACK COS' WE ARE DESPERATE to KNOW!!!!!!!!
Your biggest most fantastical amazingly loyal fans,
Karen Watson and Jane Macfarlane
P.S. We live in Scotland and your 6th book isn't out yet. Do you know when it will be?
Unfortunately, I am not Mr. Snicket, just a fan like the two of you. Therefore, the only one of your questions that I can answer is the last. According to amazon.co.uk, Book the 6th will be available in your area this July.
I do have to agree with you on the first two conclusions you've drawn. But I do not think that Violet, Klaus & Sunny are Mr. Snicket's children. I think they are Mr. Baudelaire's (Beatrice's husband). Beatrice seems to have distanced herself quite a bit from Mr. Snicket, not gone out of her way to spend time with him.
Further, I assume that Mr. Snicket might not be so very lonely if he had children. He could have adopted them at Beatrice's death were he the father. That probably wouldn't lead to the most interesting plot for his first book, though.
I think that Mr. Snicket is just insanely obsessed with Beatrice. Now that Beatrice herself is dead, he's obsessing on the next best thing: her children. Also, he does seem to have some stake in getting Count Olaf captured.
Well, as far as I can tell from Mr. Snicket's books, Beatrice is dead. Not doing too well, I suppose.
In the fifth book, who is the children's guardian? or did they just go to boarding school.
Annie
No guardian. That's why they have to live in the orphans shack.
I just finished reading book seven which was the last one i needed to read, and i still havent figured out thew secret of v.f.d, i think somewhere on your website you say, if you havent figured it out yet. Well i know v is volunteer and f is probably fire, but i dont know d, if you know would you please tell me?
Thanks ,
Dominic
I believe that VFD is the Volunteer Fire Department. Check the first illustration at the beginning of Book One.
Are the series of unfortunate events true stories? How many books are there in the seres? Who is Beatris in the books that you are always talking about? ( You don't have to tell me if you feel uncomfortable.)
I looooovvvveeee your books! Can you please e-mail me back when you get a minute or two?!!!
Love always,
Ashley Witterholt ( Whi- ter- holt)
Previously, Mr. Snicket has said that the stories he tells are as real as he is. Not counting Mr. Snicket's new autobiography, there will be 13 books in The Series of Unfortunate Events. Finally, Mr. Snicket has always declined to discuss Beatrice, but says that knowing her last name would be an important clue to her identity.
With all due respect,
As far as I know, the Unauthorized Autobiography will be released this May in the US, and book #9 will be released here in June. However, I do not know whether this coincides with the Canadian release of these books. I suggest you contact someone in the promotions department of Mr. Snicket's publisher. They will probably be delighted to give you information about when you can purchase their products.
Also, when can we expect a CD compelation of all the songs from the audiobooks, like Gone, Gone, Gone and Scream and Run Away? Speaking of Scream and Run Away, have you heard it a few times, if at all? If so, what are the lyrics between "urchins and orphans" and "Count Olaf is no laughing matter"? Try as I might, I can't make them out.
Thank you and have a nice day...
P.S. I'm really not an obsessed loser, I just... well, you understand, its YOUR website! Hee hee, we must stick together...
I had never considered the color of eye tattoos before. That is a very interesting idea! [note: it has since been noticed that the tattoos are green.] I assumed that Beatrice did not have one such tattoo. For one thing, I'm guessing that Mr. Snicket may have mentioned such by now. For another, Beatrice never seemed like the type of person to participate in the organization whose members have these eye tattoos. (I would be more specific, but if you haven't solved VFD yet, I don't want to spoil it for you.)
From what I can tell, a compilation CD of all of the Snicket songs will not be released until after all thirteen books are available in audiobook form. We have a little while to wait...
As far as the lyrics are concerned, the fellow at lemonysnicket.net has transcribed the song lyrics onto a section of his site.
Donald Williamson
What you noticed does sound rather confusing! I always figured that the photo of the Snickets and Baudelaires does not include anybody who survived the fire in question. This is due to the fact that it was taken so long before the Baudelaire mansion burned down. The Snicket fire is discussed in the file in which that photo appears, and therefore probably refers to the previous work of VFD. Mr. Snicket has alluded to the fact that both Mr. & Mrs. Baudelaire, as well as Jacques and Lemony Snicket, were involved in VFD prior to the deaths of the Baudelaires.
Yet I'm pretty sure that, for dramatic purposes, Mr. Snicket included so little information with the photo so as to give false hopes that the Baudelaire parents are still alive. I am reminded of Harry Potter seeing his time travelling self in book 3 of that series, and incorrectly guessing that he is his own father.
With all do respect
Devin Romano
I think my site may have confused you just a little. I am just a fan, like yourself; not Mr. Snicket.
As to "Lemony Snicket," Mr. Handler has never specifically said how he came up with this pen name. He has said that while researching his novel "The Basic Eight," he wanted to receive mailers from various organizations without giving them his real name. "Lemony Snicket" just popped into his head, and went on to become something of an inside joke between Mr. Handler and his friends. Upon deciding to write children's literature, Mr. Handler wanted to distance the Series of Unfortunate Events from his more adult novels, and chose to write under the name "Lemony Snicket" to do so.
Please tell me more about Beatrice..
who was she?
how is she related to the Baudelaire children???
Is Lemony Snicket a relative to?
Please please please answer!!
I am anxious, no, I am NERVOUS!!!
Dolly
Please respond at wildolly@hotmail.com
PLLEEEEEEEASE!!!!!!!
As I am only a fan myself, like you, I do not have access to any special inside info on Mr. Snicket's books. Sorry.
I've got a really important question- who is Jaques Snicket. I'm a big fan of ASOUE but haven't read all the avaliable books.
Thank you.
PS- Could you email me if you get any more info on Lemony Snicket? His name is actually Daniel Handler.
In book 7, we meet Jacques and then learn that he is Lemony's brother. As far as anything else about Lemony is concerned, all of the information that I have on him is already available throughout my website.
Walt Kuiland
Um, I found out about the Baudelaires by reading Lemony Snicket's books.
Thanks for ur time, Dominic Saavedra
Yeah, I did notice that. Too bad the clues are usually too cryptic to make any sense until after you've read the next book. Oh well.
I don't even know if the movie will be live action. If I find out anything about that, though, I will be sure to post it on my site.