Dear Reader, I'm sorry to say that the book vou are holding inyour hands is extremely unpleasant. It tells an unhappy tale aboutthree very unlucky children. Even though they are charming andclever, the Baudelaire siblings lead lives filled with misery andwoe. From the very first page of this book when the children are atthe beach and receive terrible news, continuing on through theentire story, disaster lurks at their heels. One might say they aremagnets for misfortune. In this short book alone, the three youngstersencounter a greedy and repulsive villain, itchy clothing, adisastrous fire, a plot to steal their fortune, and cold porridgefor breakfast. It is my sad duty to write down these unpleasanttales, but there is nothing stopping you from putting this bookdown at once and reading something happy, if you prefer that sortof thing. With all due respect, Lemony Snicket