Favourite Books - A Series of Unfortunate Events by Lemony Snicket
Of course, it is quite possible to be in the dark in the dark, but there are so many secrets in the world that it is likely that you are always in the dark about one thing or another, whether you are in the dark in the dark or in the dark not in the dark, although the sun can go down so quickly that you may be in the in the dark about being in the dark, only to look around and find yourself no longer in the dark about being in the dark, but in the dark in the dark nontheless, not only because of the dark, but because of the ballerinas in the dark, who are not in the dark about the dark, but also not in the dark about the locked cabinet, and you may be in the dark about the ballerinas digging up the locked cabinet in the dark, even though you are no longer in the dark about being in the dark, and so you are in fact in the dark about being in the dark, even though you are not in the dark about being in the dark, and so you may fall into the hole that the ballerinas have dug, which is dark, in the dark, and in the park.
(inspired by mmorrow’s magazine-type photosets)
- “Miracles are like meatballs, because nobody can exactly agree on what they are made of, where they come from, or how often they should appear.”
- “Fate is like a strange, unpopular restaurant filled with odd little waiters who bring you things you never asked for and don’t always like.”
- “I will love you as the iceberg loves the ship, and the passengers love the lifeboat and the lifeboat loves the teeth of the sperm whale, and the sperm whale loves the flavor of naval uniforms.”
- “A library is like an island in the middle of a vast sea of ignorance, particularly if the library is very tall and the surrounding area has been flooded.”
- “Miracles are like pimples, because once you start looking for them, you’ll find more than you ever imagined possible.”
Daniel Handler on the the common denominator among Lemony Snicket books:
[There is a] proud Snicket tradition of a reassurance that dark things are, in fact, there. … That a terrible thing can happen at any moment, and it is up to you to persevere through it.
A Series of Unfortunate Events (Adult Covers) by Lemony Snicket
I remember reading an article a while back about the reason Bloomsbury released “adult” covers for Harry Potter over in England. It was due to customer demand that adult readers were a bit embarrassed to be seen reading “children’s books” around town. Thus, Bloomsbury released non-illustrated versions of the covers that had simple photographs and a more subdued color-palette.
So it got me thinking. What other popular children’s series would an adult be a bit embarrassed to be seen reading in public? And I immediately thought of Lemony Snicket’s Series of Unfortunate Events. Not only are they covered in (amazing) illustrations on the outside, but have the extra bonus of being a teeny tiny postcard-sized book, telling those on the subway that yes, you read children’s books, and yes, 200 regular-sized pages is where you max out.
With that in mind, I sought to redesign the series for the self-conscious adult. Using the brilliant photography of Rodney Smith, I ditched the orphans on the cover and instead brought the focus of each to that of the illusive Mr. Snicket, observing the events as they happen, later to be retold in his unique prose. His identity in the stories is always in question, as his relationship with the events is shrouded in mystery. Because of this, he remains hidden from view from the reader, even on the cover.
Lemony Snicket is writing a prequel series to A Series of Unfortunate Events. This is the first book and it comes out in October. CAN’T PUT IN WORDS HOW EXCITED I AM.
But I wish he kept Helquist as the illustrator. These drawings just don’t feel right. (Then again, the illustrator probably wasn’t his decision, since he switched publishers for this book.)
“Reading is one form of escape. Running for your life is another.” by Islay Rose on Flickr.
