A Series of Unfortunate Events

] Mackey attributes the series' success to the "topsy-turvy moral universe".cite journal|title=Risk, Safety, and Control in Young People's Reading Experiences|publisher=Edmonton|year=2003|month=January|last=Mackey|first=Margaret|journal=School Libraries Worldwide|volume=9|issue=1|pages=50]

Criticism

The series has come under criticism from some school districts for its dark themes. Citing objections to the suggested incest (referring to Olaf's marriage attempt to marry his distant niece Violet in "The Bad Beginning", although his motivation was not sexual in nature, but rather an attempt to gain her inheritance) and use of the word "damn" in "The Reptile Room", the books were banned in Decatur, Georgia.Fact|date=December 2007 Handler later commented that the word's use was "precipitated by a long discussion of how one should never say this word, since only a villain would do so vile a thing! This is exactly the lily-liveredness of children's books that I can't stand." [cite web|url=http://books.guardian.co.uk/departments/childrenandteens/story/0,6000,611852,00.html|title=Move over Harry Potter|publisher=The Guardian|date=December 4, 2001|accessdate=2007-09-07] Access to the books was similarly restricted at Katy ISD Elementary School, Katy, Fort Bend County, Texas. [cite web|url=http://www.aclutx.org/files/2006%20Banned%20Books%20Report.pdf|title=2006 Banned Books Report|publisher=ACLUTX|accessdate=2007-09-07]

The series has been criticised for formulaic and repetitive storytelling.cite web|url=http://www.booksforkeeps.co.uk/issues/134/386|title=The Snicket Letters|publisher=Books For Keeps|accessdate=2007-09-07] Bruce Butt, a reviewer, hopes that the "literary and wider allusion [s] " of character names within the books will encourage readers to later read more widely, and believes that the "narrative, rather than the content" is the attraction of the series.cite journal|title=‘He's behind you!’: Reflections on Repetition and Predictability in Lemony Snicket's "A Series of Unfortunate Events"|publisher=Springer|year=2003|month=December|last=Butt |first=Bruce|journal=Children‘s Literature in Education|volume=34|issue=4|pages=277–286|doi=10.1023/B:CLID.0000004895.65809.71]

Sales

"A Series of Unfortunate Events" has been printed in 41 different languages, [cite news|url=http://www.usatoday.com/life/books/news/2006-10-10-lemony-snicket-main_x.htm|title=Friday the 13th closes the book on Lemony Snicket|publisher=USAToday|accessdate=2007-09-06] selling at least fifty-five million copies as of May 2007. [cite web|url=http://www.google.com/search?q=cache:J3Gwk2R7FCQJ:news.corporate.findlaw.com/prnewswire/20070503/03may20071319.html+For+the+first+time+since+they+began+ravaging+the+New+York+Times+bestseller+lists+353+weeks+ago,+the+books+in+A+Series+of+Unfortunate+Events+are+being+released+in+paperback+next+Tuesday,+May+8,+2007.&hl=en&client=firefox-a&gl=uk&strip=1|title=More Misery for Less Money - Lemony Snicket|publisher=findlaw.com|accessdate=2007-09-06]

Awards

In addition to its strong reviews, the "The Bad Beginning" won multiple literary awards, including the Colorado Children's Book Award, the Nevada Young Readers Award and the Nene Award. [cite web|url=http://www.harpercollins.com/books/9780064407663/A_Series_of_Unfortunate_Events_1_The_Bad_Beginning/index.aspx|title=A Series of Unfortunate Events #1: The Bad Beginning|publisher=HarperCollins|accessdate=2007-09-05] It was also a finalist for the Book Sense Book of the Year. [cite web|url=http://www.bookweb.org/btw/awards/BSBY.html|title=ABA: The Book Sense Book of the Year|publisher=bookweb.org|accessdate=2007-09-05] Its sequels have continued this trend, garnishing multiple awards and nominations. Among these are three IRA/CBC Children's Choice Awards, which it received for "The Wide Window", [cite web|url=http://www.harpercollins.com/books/9780064407687/A_Series_of_Unfortunate_Events_3_The_Wide_Window/index.aspx|title=A Series of Unfortunate Events #3: The Wide Window|publisher=HarperCollins|accessdate=2007-09-05] "The Vile Village", [cite web|url=http://www.harpercollins.com/books/9780064408653/A_Series_of_Unfortunate_Events_7_The_Vile_Village/index.aspx|title=A Series of Unfortunate Events #7: The Vile Village|publisher=HarperCollins|accessdate=2007-09-05] and "The Hostile Hospital"; [cite web|url=http://www.harpercollins.com/books/9780064408660/A_Series_of_Unfortunate_Events_8_The_Hostile_Hospital/index.aspx|title=A Series of Unfortunate Events #8: The Hostile Hospital|publisher=HarperCollins|accessdate=2007-09-05] a best book prize at the Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards, [cite web|url=http://www.nick.com/all_nick/specials/kca_2005/kca05-vote.jhtml|title=Kids' Choice Awards 2005|publisher=Nickelodeon|accessdate=2007-09-05] and a 2006 Quill Book Award, [cite web|url=http://www.thequills.org/2006.html|title=The Quill Awards | The 2006 Awards|publisher=thequills.org|accessdate=2007-09-05] both for the Penultimate Peril. While not technically awards, the Ersatz Elevator was named a "Book Sense 76 Pick", [cite web|url=http://www.harpercollins.com/books/9780064408646/A_Series_of_Unfortunate_Events_6_The_Ersatz_Elevator/index.aspx|title=A Series of Unfortunate Events #6: The Ersatz Elevator|publisher=HarperCollins|accessdate=2007-09-05] and "The Grim Grotto" is an Amazon.com Customers' Favorite. [cite web|url=http://www.harpercollins.com/books/9780064410144/A_Series_of_Unfortunate_Events_11_hhhThe_Grim_Grotto/index.aspx|title=A Series of Unfortunate Events #11: The Grim Grotto|publisher=HarperCollins|accessdate=2007-09-05]

Translations

* Ancient Greek: "Άθλια Τολμήματα" (lit. "Miserable adventures", still being made)
* Bulgarian: "Поредица от злополучия"
* Croatian "Niz nesretnih događaja"
* Czech: "Řada nešťastných příhod"
* Dutch: "Ellendige avonturen" (lit. "Miserable adventures")
* Finnish: "Surkeiden sattumusten sarja"
* French: "Les Désastreuses Aventures des orphelins Baudelaire" (lit. "The disastrous adventures of the Baudelaire orphans")
* German: "Eine Reihe betrüblicher Ereignisse"
* Greek: " _gr. Μια Σειρά από Ατυχή Γεγονότα"
* Hebrew: " _he. סדרה של צרות"
* Hungarian: "A balszerencse áradása" (lit. "The flooding of misfortune")
* Italian: "Una serie di sfortunati eventi"
* Norwegian: "Den onde greven" (lit. "The evil Count")
* Polish: "Seria niefortunnych zdarzeń"
* Portuguese: "Uma Série de Desgraças" (lit. A series of disgraces)(Portugal) and "Desventuras em Série" (lit. Series of Misadventures) (Brazil)
* Russian: " _ru. Тридцать три несчастья" (lit. "Thirty three misfortunes"), Azbuka, 2004–2007
* Serbian: "Серија несрећних догађаја"/"Serija nesrećnih događaja"
* Slovenian: "Zaporedje nesrečnih dogodkov"
* Spanish: "Una serie de catastróficas desdichas" (Spain) and "Una serie de eventos desafortunados" (Latin America)
* Swedish: "Syskonen Baudelaires olycksaliga liv" (lit. "The Baudelaire siblings unfortunate life")
* Turkish: "Talihsiz Serüvenler Dizisi"
* Chinese: zh-sp|s=斯尼奇的不幸历险|p=

References

External links

* [http://www.lemonysnicket.com/ Lemony Snicket official website]
* [http://www.unfortunateevents.com/ Official ASOUE UK website]
* [http://www.quidditch.com/lemony%20snicket.htm/ List of all cultural references and literary allusions in ASOUE]
*
* [http://asoue.proboards11.com/index.cgi?board=documents&action=display&thread=1184328101 Exclusive 667 Dark Avenue interview]