<p>'[Handler's] new book lays out a personal canon, from Baudelaire (of course) to Vladimir Nabokov, via Roald Dahl, Edward Gorey, pulp films and music... <strong>Wryly observed... This is a book of engaging essays that do not provoke but suggest, while also demonstrating how both life and literature combine to create the camp, whimsical neo-gothic of his books for children</strong>. “No one has asked me to do what I am doing, not really”, he notes. “I can’t really stop and I don’t really want to.” Which is about as succinct an explanation of why writers write as I've ever read.' —<em>TLS</em></p>

<p>'<strong>A thoughtful and eloquent celebration of story</strong>.' —<em>Irish Times</em></p>

<p>'A <strong>fierce cri de coeur</strong> at a time when books — especially kids’ books — are targeted.' —<em>Washington Post</em></p>

<p>'If the Lemony Snicket output is looked at closely, it isn’t wayward but moral: misfits setting off from home and overcoming obstacles, building towards some great triumph; steadfastness in the face of chaos and menace. Isn’t this, also, the formula underlying Tolkien, J K Rowling, C S Lewis, Enid Blyton’s Famous Five, Dahl’s Matilda — all those authors who perceived that children generally "have a firmer grasp on what might be interesting to say". <strong>Daniel Handler’s creations belong in the company of these classics</strong>.' —<em>Daily Mail</em></p>

<p>‘<strong>With his inimitable wit and candour</strong>, Handler, aka Lemony Snicket, crafts <strong>an exceptionally companionable memoir sure to delight</strong> and perhaps even challenge both existing fans and readers new to his work… <strong>A fully captivating memoir rich with insights on reading, writing, and life itself</strong>.’ —<em>Kirkus</em>, starred review</p>

<p>'This <strong>dazzling</strong> memoir from the writer better known as Lemony Snicket (a<em> nom de plume</em> whose origins he hilariously explains here) delves deeply into every aspect of his life... In <strong>stupendously written, engagingly conversational</strong> prose, Handler candidly covers a wide range of topics and experiences – his mental health struggles, his sexuality, his terrible early attempts at writing, and some shocking trauma... <strong>Thought-provoking, deeply personal</strong>, and like few other memoirs in the range of topics covered, Handler's mix of the personal and the literary is <strong>as compelling as his gloriously off-beat fiction</strong>.' —<em>Booklist</em>, starred review</p>

<p>'<strong>Handler is skilled and nuanced as a writer, with a developed voice and point of view</strong>. He has never fit the categories, so why would we expect him to start here?… He is frank without being overly revealing and always seeks out some larger integration, a place where thought and feeling might intersect.' —<em>LA Times</em></p>