Wed, 12 Jan 2005

And what riskier endeavor has there been than A Series of Unfortunate Events, a collection that warns the reader right from the beginning (The Bad Beginning¹, to be precise) to be prepared for one unpleasant experience after another. And that teaches valuable lessons about the way the world really works, how adults can't see what's right in front of them, how they never appreciate the valuable insights of children, how children have to find their own strength and develop their own gifts.

Okay, I'm reading way too much into the Series. But trust me that they're fun. The audiobooks are just the right length for a longish drive or flight. And Lemony Snicket (actually author Daniel Handler) takes just the right tone in telling his stories. His pedantic monotone is a nice match for the material.

So I'm not embarrassed to be caught reading or listening to A Series. Or Artemis Fowl. But do you think they could make adult covers for The Princess Diaries?

1. Note that the audiobook for The Bad Beginning on the iTMS is performed by Tim Curry and a cast of other readers. I don't know how it compares to Mr. Snicket's solo efforts.