Horseradish: Bitter Truths You Can't Avoid by Lemony Snicket

Title: Horseradish: Bitter Truths You Can't Avoid

Author: Lemony Snicket
Reading level: Ages 9-12
Publisher: HarperCollins
Publication date: April 24, 2007
Hardcover: 176 pages
ISBN: 978-0061240065





Although the reading level for this book is at ages 9-12, the irreverent humor in this book may be lost on the young. In true Lemony Snicket, doom and gloom style, this book is the darker twin of the Chicken Soup for the Soul books. They are aphorisms and short "truths" about home, family, school, work, entertainment, literature, travel, emotional health, affairs of the heart, a life of mystery, the mystery of life, and an overall feeling of doom that one cannot ever escape no matter what one does.

The snippet on the back cover says, "Life is a turbulent journey, fraught with confusion, heartbreak, and inconvenience. This book will not help." True, this book will not help if you are stuck in a conundrum or a barrel of monkeys, but I found myself chuckling out loud, then looking around to see if people were looking at me strangely. The only bad thing about this book was when I thought that something was extremely funny, then shared it with someone and they didn't get the same wicked smile on their face as I did. I guess what I'm trying to say is that this book is not for Snicket amateurs.