The Bad Beginning

by Lemony Snicket

This is the first in the fantastically popular series about the exceptionally intelligent and exceedingly unlucky Baudelaire siblings--Violet, Klaus, and Sunny. Their story begins when their parents perish in a fire, throwing the hapless trio into a series of hilariously nightmarish scenarios comprised of well-meaning, ignorant adults, questionable motives, and serious danger. Miserably settled with Mr. Poe, the constantly coughing executor whose wife forces them into garish, itchy clothes, the children eventually find themselves at the mercy of the decidedly creepy Count Olaf. A money-grubbing distant relative with an ominous tattoo, the Count doesn't always seem to have the children's best interest in mind. In this darkly comic story, the Baudelaire children must rely on their wits, and each other, in order to survive. Illustrated with occasional Gothic-style B&W drawings.

Editions of The Bad Beginning

ISBN

9780064407663

Binding/Format

Hardcover

Publisher

Harpercollins Childrens Books

Date

1999

Price

$1.00

Good

Publisher Notes

Dear Reader,

I'm sorry to say that the book you are holding in your hands is extremely unpleasant. It tells an unhappy tale about three very unlucky children. Even though they are charming and clever, the Baudelaire siblings lead lives filled with misery and woe. From the very first page of this book when the children are at the beach and receive terrible news, continuing on through the entire story, disaster lurks at their heels. One might say they are magnets for misfortune.

In this short book alone, the three youngsters encounter a greedy and repulsive villain, itchy clothing, a disastrous fire, a plot to steal their fortune, and cold porridge for breakfast.

It is my sad duty to write down these unpleasant tales, but there is nothing stopping you from putting this book down at once and reading something happy, if you prefer that sort of thing.

With all due respect,
Lemony Snicket

Synopses

After the sudden death of their parents, the three Baudelaire children must depend on each other and their wits when it turns out that the distant relative who is appointed their guardian is determined to use any means necessary to get their fortune.

First Line

If you are interested in stories with happy endings, you would be better off reading some other book. In this book, not only is there no happy ending, there is no happy beginning and very few happy things in the middle. This is because not very many happy things happened in the lives of the three Baudelaire youngsters.

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