The Bad Beginning

But the children knew, as I'm sure you know, that the worst surroundings in the world can be tolerated if the people in them are interesting and kind. Count Olaf was neither interesting, nor kind... The only good thing to be said for Count Olaf is that he wasn't around very often.

The first time you try Gorgonzola cheese you may find it too strong, but when you are older you may want to eat nothing but Gorgonzola cheese. Klaus, when Sunny was born, did not like her at all, but by the time she was six weeks old the two of them where thick as thieves. Your initial opinion on just about anything may change over time.

"Here we are", Mr Poe said, in a voice undoubtedly meant to be cheerful. "Your new home".

In this book, not only is there no happy endings, there is no happy beginnings and very few happy things in the middle.

As the first light of morning trickled into the tower room, Violet reflected on all the awful things she and her siblings had experienced recently. Their parents had died, suddenly and horribly. Mrs. Poe had bought them ugly clothing.
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All in all, the Baudelaire orphans had encountered catastrophe after catastrophe, and Violet found their situation lamentably deplorable, a phrase which here means “it was not at all enjoyable.”

Бодлеровские дети сидели, тесно прижавшись друг к другу, согреваясь после ночной прохлады, и долго махали, глядя в заднее стекло. Машина ехала все дальше, скоро судья Штраус превратилась в пятнышко, и детям стало казаться, что они движутся в превратном направлении, то есть «совершенно, совершенно ошибочном и огорчительном».

На свете есть множество книг самого разного типа, и это правильно,  поскольку на свете есть множество людей разного типа и все хотят читать что-то на свой вкус.

Настоящий Санта Клаус это торговый центр.

И тут они заметили, что на ногах у Графа Олафа нет носков! А между обтрепанными отворотами брюк и черными башмаками на бледной коже ясно виднеется изображение глаза – точь-в-точь такое, как на входной двери.

Каким же надо быть человеком, подумала Вайолет, чтобы вырезать изображение глаза у входа в дом?

Дети перевели взгляд с сияющего чистотой дома судьи Штраус на соседний: покрытые копотью и грязью кирпичи, два маленьких окошка, да и те завешены шторами, несмотря на славный день. Над крышей вздымалась потемневшая башня, слегка покосившаяся влево. Входную дверь требовалось покрасить заново. Посредине же двери было вырезано изображение глаза. Все сооружение осело на одну сторону, словно кривой зуб.

But one type of book that practically no one likes to read is a book about the law. Books about the law are notorious for being very long, very dull, and very difficult to read. This is one reason many lawyers make heaps of money.

One of the most troublesome things in life is that what you do or do not want has very little to do with what does or does not happen.

First impressions are often entirely wrong.

You may spend the rest of your life believing that the Baudelaires triumphed over Count Olaf and lived the rest of their lives in the house and library of Justice Strauss, but that is not how the story goes.

There are many, many types of books in the world, which makes good sense, because there are many, many types of people, and everybody wants to read something different. For instance, people who hate stories in which terrible things happen to small children should put this book down immediately.

The word “standoffish” is a wonderful one, but it does not describe Count Olaf’s behavior toward the children. It means “reluctant to associate with others,” and it might describe somebody who, during a party, would stand in a corner and not talk to anyone. It would not describe somebody who provides one bed for three people to sleep in, forces them to do horrible chores, and strikes them across the face. There are many words for people like that, but “standoffish” is not one of them.