5 Books You Need to Read by the Author of A Series of Unfortunate Events

Updated on Jan 18, 2017 at 12:00 PM

While I first encountered (and devoured) A Series of Unfortunate Events as a young teen, the books are just as absorbing when you're an adult. But if you've finished the series and are looking for something new, you should consider diving into some of the other novels written by Daniel Handler, aka Lemony Snicket. While he's published other children's books under his pseudonym, he releases his more mature books under his real name. They range from tales of treacherous teens to memoirs of modern pirates. Take a look!

The Basic Eight

Handler's first novel came out in 1998, a full year before The Bad Beginning. Centered on a high school senior named Flan, The Basic Eight takes a satirical look at a wealthy San Francisco high school and the girls that attend. If you count Heathers among your favorite movies, you need to check this out.

Watch Your Mouth

The same year that The Carnivorous Carnival was released, Handler published Watch Your Mouth. The novel delves into a romance between two college students, chronicling the Summer they spend with one's curiously close family in Pittsburgh.

Adverbs

Limited attention span? Try Handler's collection of short stories, published in 2005. While the essays cover a variety of characters, Adverbs has an overarching theme: love. Don't worry, it's still threaded with the same skepticism that makes ASOUE so much fun.

Why We Broke Up

If you've even been through a painful breakup, you'll relate to some part of this 2011 novel, Why We Broke Up. The novel tells the story of the dissolution of first love, as broken down (no pun intended) by all the items collected during the relationship.

We Are Pirates

Set in Handler's hometown of San Francisco, We Are Pirates is a dark and playful look at the lives of a father and daughter longing to break free from their own lives.