Hans Christian Andersen: The Life of a StorytellerBeloved by generations of children and adults around the world for tales such as "The Ugly Duckling" and "The Emperor's New Clothes," Hans Christian Andersen (1805-1875) revolutionized children's literature. Although others before him had collected and retold folk stories and fairy tales, Andersen was the first to create the stories himself, instilling a previously stilted genre with new humor, wisdom, and pathos. Drawing on letters, diaries, and other original sources (many never before translated from the Danish), Wullschlager shows in this compelling, extensively researched biography how Andersen's writings—darker and more diverse than previously recognized—reflected the complexities of his life, a far cry from the "happily ever after" of a fairy tale. As we follow in his footsteps from Golden Age Copenhagen to the princely courts of Germany and the villas of southern Italy, Andersen becomes a figure every bit as fascinating as a character from one of his stories—a gawky, self-pitying, and desperate man, but also one of the most gifted storytellers the world has ever known. |
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Adam Müller Anders Hansen Traes Andersen described Andersen family Andersen recalled Andersen remembered Andersen wrote Andersen's mother Anne Catherine Anne Marie autobiographies Bogense born Bredsdorff Bunkeflod century child childhood Christian Andersen Museum clothes Copenhagen culture Danish Denmark Department of Maps Dickens dreams Europe Fairy Tale fantasy father Funen German girl glovemaker grandfather grandmother Gundersen H. C. Andersen Hans Andersen Hans Christian Andersen Holberg Ice Maiden journeymen Karen-Marie Knud's Church Little Matchgirl lived Manor House married Munke Mølle Munkemøllestræde Museums/The Hans Christian neighbours never Odense City Muse Odense City Museums/The Odense's parents photograph of H. C. play poor Portrait of H. C. Prints and Photographs return to Odense rich romantic Royal Library Royal Theatre Schenk shoemaker Snow Queen social stood story streets tailor Thorvaldsens Museum thought town Ugly Duckling ums/The Hans Christian Vilhelm Pedersen voice washerwoman Wilhelm Marstrand woman writer