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The Steadfast Tin Soldier
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The Steadfast Tin Soldier
Charming color illustrations in this gorgeous volume bring the classic stories of Hans Christian Andersen to life, including:
• "The Wild Swans"
• "The Emperor's New Clothes"
• "The Ugly Duckling"
• "Thumbelina"
• "The Wild Swans"
• "The Emperor's New Clothes"
• "The Ugly Duckling"
• "Thumbelina"
Published
(first published 1874)
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Andersen is probably best known today for “The Little Mermaid,” usually in the sense that children who have seen the Disney film often hear, from their friends, something to the effect of, “Did you know that she actually dies in the end.” Andersen stories, more than any other traditional fairy tales, are filled with pathos and sadness, and end badly for their protagonists.
But to dismiss Andersen’s tales as “dark” fairy tales or, as seems to often be the case, a way to totally scar children forev...more
But to dismiss Andersen’s tales as “dark” fairy tales or, as seems to often be the case, a way to totally scar children forev...more
I recently chose this book for my book cub. I love HCA fairy tales. They are so compelling and read as though you are sitting at the man's feet and he is telling them straight to you and guestering with his overly large hands. What was so great about reading them this time is this particular edition that is translated by Tiina Nunnally. It is incredible with it's bio of him in the front- a MUST read and the notes about each story in the back to conect it to a time and place in the authors life....more
Strangely, despite four decades on Earth, I have almost no familiarity with this gentleman Hans. If I can live another 4 decades, I doubt I'll forget about him from here on out.
What is most generally striking/perplexing to me is how these stories came to be known as children tales, came to be widely accepted and popular rather than scorned. I don't think it's just my glasses that view Hans Christian Andersen as a soul that senses more darkness than light. “Yes, every year the trees have new, fr...more
What is most generally striking/perplexing to me is how these stories came to be known as children tales, came to be widely accepted and popular rather than scorned. I don't think it's just my glasses that view Hans Christian Andersen as a soul that senses more darkness than light. “Yes, every year the trees have new, fr...more
Mar 19, 2013
Hebe (The English Student)
rated it
3 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
Children, anyone who likes a good yarn
Recommended to Hebe (The English Student) by:
Grandparents
Shelves:
myths-and-legends,
sf-and-fantasy
OK. So. Fairy Tales. Everyone loves a good fairytale, right?
But, you know, one. Or two. Three at best. By the time I'd read all these, I could predict exactly what was going to happen. And most of them are so horrible! Nearly all of them involve death, or unrequited love, or divine judgement, and some of them don't even seem to have any point. Surely "The Old Bachelor's Nightcap" is just gratuitous misery? And is it just me, or does Andersen have a thing for anthropomorphism? Nearly half of thes...more
But, you know, one. Or two. Three at best. By the time I'd read all these, I could predict exactly what was going to happen. And most of them are so horrible! Nearly all of them involve death, or unrequited love, or divine judgement, and some of them don't even seem to have any point. Surely "The Old Bachelor's Nightcap" is just gratuitous misery? And is it just me, or does Andersen have a thing for anthropomorphism? Nearly half of thes...more
I have not read this entire book. However, I highly recommend it.
First of all, Hans Christian Anderson did not write any children's stories, and apparently he would bristle at the comment that his stories are for children. He wrote these stories for adults, and he would often be invited to visit the King of Denmark and tell a few stories. This book mentiones which two were the King's favorites.
Occasionally I read a story or two from the book, and then I make notes on whether I liked the story, o...more
First of all, Hans Christian Anderson did not write any children's stories, and apparently he would bristle at the comment that his stories are for children. He wrote these stories for adults, and he would often be invited to visit the King of Denmark and tell a few stories. This book mentiones which two were the King's favorites.
Occasionally I read a story or two from the book, and then I make notes on whether I liked the story, o...more
I feel slightly obligated to like this more since I'm of Danish descent, but what can you do. I find this book interesting from a historic perspective mostly, although I do really enjoy the original version of the Little Mermaid because she ultimately died (sorry, no spoiler alerts here: if you aren't familiar with a hundreds of years old popular fairy tale by now, tough!). I mean, what else do expect would happen? There can be no happy ending when you give up your entire self in the hope that a...more
Hans Christian Andersen is my Fave author of Fairy Tales (the Grimm collection is also awesome.) But I found myself more drawn to Hans, because a sort of sense of loneliness but inherit grit was found in his tales, even the sanitized versions I read/watched as a kid. Also, I owned many of his tales, without even knowing who he is, because they always credited the translator and not the author. I find that a tad rude, but oh well.
The Hardy/Steadfast Tin Soldier was one of my favorites. It had poi...more
The Hardy/Steadfast Tin Soldier was one of my favorites. It had poi...more
Hans Christian Andersen nasceu em Copenhague, Dinamarca, no dia 4 de Agosto de 1805. filho de um sapateiro e de uma lavadeira, Hans teve uma infância muito dura, tendo passado inclusivamente fome, no entanto e em sua casa, o amor nunca faltou.
Desde muito cedo sentiu que o seu destino estava ligado às artes, pois a sua paixão pela música e pela dança levaram-no a pensar que o seu futuro estaria numa dessas duas actividades, mas foram precisamente as dificuldades sentidas na infância, combinada co...more
Desde muito cedo sentiu que o seu destino estava ligado às artes, pois a sua paixão pela música e pela dança levaram-no a pensar que o seu futuro estaria numa dessas duas actividades, mas foram precisamente as dificuldades sentidas na infância, combinada co...more
Beautifully selected works set in a fantastic translation, Hans Christian Anderson’s The Complete Fairy Tales and Stories is a wonderful introduction to the author’s work. His famous works are included and the translations are just as engaging as Anderson’s original tales. What is pertinent about Anderson’s work is his descriptions and gift for imagery. For example, in ‘The Little Mermaid’ Anderson opens his story by describing the colors and textures of the undersea kingdom that is both lyrical...more
This is a rather charming volume that takes a little effort to wade through if tales of the lives of trees, thimbles, candles, and obscure (to Westerners) European and Scandinavian history aren't your usual fare. Ask anyone on the street what their favourite Andersen story is, and they will likely reply, "Disney's 'Little Mermaid' was fun and had sweet music." Some may mention the Emperor's New Clothes, or The Ugly Duckling. After reading his complete works, my conclusion is that Andersen's famo...more
If you don't know Andersen, you don't know much. He's the author of so many of our favorite fairy tales and stories that for that reason alone you should read him. Of course, he himself says that he doesn't understand why most people only read his earlier work and think that his later work is inferior: Princess and the Pea, Little Mermaid, The Ugly Duckling, etc., were all written fairly early in his career. But as you read his tales you should see that his later work is just as brilliant. Indee...more
author : Hans Anderson. How have I never heard this name before. How is it even possible. This man has created the most poignant of my childhood stories and I have come to know about him so late in my life. Well, at least it was not unlike the other learning of my life : always late but you will get there, trust me!
The tales are familiar because they have been adopted in all possible media since decades. Thumbelina, The Princess and the Pea, The king's new Clothes, The Mermaid were beyond fun. I...more
The tales are familiar because they have been adopted in all possible media since decades. Thumbelina, The Princess and the Pea, The king's new Clothes, The Mermaid were beyond fun. I...more
I first read Andersen's Fairy Tales when I was 8, and since then I frequently re-read them, as I love them so much.
Hans Christian Andersen was categorical: his stories were not intended for children, they were aimed at grown-ups. When you read them, you obviously understand why. These stories are totally different from the Disney's adaptations that nearly everyone know (but I'm a huge fan of them too, don't get me wrong)!
The edition I own contains : The Little Mermaid, The Flying Trunk (my thoug...more
Hans Christian Andersen was categorical: his stories were not intended for children, they were aimed at grown-ups. When you read them, you obviously understand why. These stories are totally different from the Disney's adaptations that nearly everyone know (but I'm a huge fan of them too, don't get me wrong)!
The edition I own contains : The Little Mermaid, The Flying Trunk (my thoug...more
I read Hans Christian Andersen on my iPad, Macsimus Tango. That means that the book listed here isn't the exact book that I read since I read Gutenberg's version, which is a collection of only a few dozen of the fairy tales. I put this book on my virtual bookshelf because this is the book that I put on my actual bookshelf since I ordered a version of the complete fairy tales from Amazon. My opinion is that if you read an important author then you should own all of the important works and you sho...more
The first building blocks of most peoples’ literary and reading world began with fairy tales. Even before the written word made sense in a child’s mind these tales were already embedded. At night before they slept a soothing voice would read of “Once upon a time” and even if the child drifted off to sleep before the last words were read they would feel at ease as the ending of “and they lived happily ever after” was sure to be spoken. The Complete Hans Christian Andersen’s Fairy Tales by Hans Ch...more
I read this mostly as a must read. Was amazed at how much of literature is based in these and other tales. Also, how through the years the stories have changed. The "Little Mermaid" for example ends quite differently from the Disney version. This version brings to mind messages paying the ultimate price for disobeying a father, for wanting to explare and go outdside of known community-- Not in the beauty and empowerment of following ones own path or the strength of true love.
Also many many fair...more
Also many many fair...more
HCA seems like such a close friend and fellow human traveller to me. Once in Denmark, in front of a beautiful bronze statue of him sitting calmly on a chair, I felt so close to his pain. And what could be a better way of dedicating your life than instead of wallowing in your personal pain, than to spread beauty and kindness through your art and immortal words. I don't think there has ever been a writer who managed to stay so true to his own personal difficulties and struggles and yet at the same...more
I was somewhat amazed by the large number of fairy tales that Hans Christian Andersen wrote. Apparently he wrote more than 200 in all, of which over sixty are included in this volume. In this book these tales are grouped into different sections according to the type of tales that they are. For example there are some which are grouped under the title 'Original Fairy Tales' which include The Little Mermaid and Thumbelina which are two of my favorites. Others are grouped under the title 'Evangelica...more
This is bittersweet for me. Being from Denmark, I've grown up listening to H.C. Andersen's stories. He's like our number one cultural treasure. When it comes to certain stories, I been forced to read them so many times I've grown sick of them. Danish teachers would time and time again make us go through the same stories, and there were a few years, when even the mention of his name would make me want to scream. It was simply too much of a good thing.
But he's written so many stories, and as I got...more
But he's written so many stories, and as I got...more
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
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After reading this collection of classic fairy tales, I learned/realized some new things. First, it is not for children. Second, it doesn't always have a happy ending.
Most of them were entertaining, some were boring, but there are morals in the stories. Hans Christian Andersen uses symbols to represent good and evil, we can't always have what we want, but somewhere along the way we get something better that's essential for us.
My favorite Disney story is "The Little Mermaid", and after reading th...more
Most of them were entertaining, some were boring, but there are morals in the stories. Hans Christian Andersen uses symbols to represent good and evil, we can't always have what we want, but somewhere along the way we get something better that's essential for us.
My favorite Disney story is "The Little Mermaid", and after reading th...more
Bloemlezing met daarin 39 van de 168 sprookjes en vertellingen (1835-1872) van de 19e eeuwse grootmeester. Bevat de een na de andere klassieker (die overigens wél allemaal tussen 1835 en 1846 ontstaan zijn), maar ook een reeks onbekende vertellingen die soms zeer, soms matig geslaagd zijn.
Opvallend is dat deze originele versies vaak nogal romantisch (zeg: sentimenteel) zijn, opvallend duidelijk gericht tot kinderen en soms hun Deense en heel vaak hun Christelijke achtergrond verraden.
Maar Anders...more
Opvallend is dat deze originele versies vaak nogal romantisch (zeg: sentimenteel) zijn, opvallend duidelijk gericht tot kinderen en soms hun Deense en heel vaak hun Christelijke achtergrond verraden.
Maar Anders...more
I recieved a very old copy of this book for my 8th birthday from my mother. It has a dark green cover that is textured. It is full of old color pictures some of which were very scary to me at the time, scary black widow spiders with human faces & such. I'm not sure of the edition or day it was made, the only page gone from the whole book,is that one! But it had been through many people before me. I guess what I liked about these fairy tales others may not, the tales are often sad in their en...more
Ah, the fairy tales of H.C. Andersen, where nobody lives happily ever after. Or almost nobody. Thumbelina gets to marry a king and live in a flower. But most of the love is unrequited. Like "Ib and Little Christine." Ib releases the girl he loves to marry another because that other has more money, and he wants Christine to have a better life. But her husband squanders the money, and Christine ends up dying in poverty. The "happy ending" is that Ib adopts Christine's orphaned little girl. Like "T...more
Actually, I'm pretty sure I've never seen this particular edition. I would remember illustrations by Arthur Rackham, surely?
In fact, I'm not even sure I've seen an edition of Andersen's complete works. Most of the stories I've read piecemeal, from various sources.
But I'd LIKE to have a comprehensive edtion, preferably in a good translation. Many of these stories I read in my early teens, and have read over again since. A complete edition would fit well in my library. I'll have to keep an eye out...more
In fact, I'm not even sure I've seen an edition of Andersen's complete works. Most of the stories I've read piecemeal, from various sources.
But I'd LIKE to have a comprehensive edtion, preferably in a good translation. Many of these stories I read in my early teens, and have read over again since. A complete edition would fit well in my library. I'll have to keep an eye out...more
Well, I didn't read this edition of it, but the one I read couldn't be found on this lovely page. It was very entertaining, but people who read these stories to their children will damage their innocent minds for all eternity because I think they are more horror-stories than fairytales.
Anyway, they are very good indeed and quite entertaining even if they are somewhat morbid. Like the story about Bigclaus and Littleclaus. The story about the Little Mermaid is by far the most beautiful and the sad...more
Anyway, they are very good indeed and quite entertaining even if they are somewhat morbid. Like the story about Bigclaus and Littleclaus. The story about the Little Mermaid is by far the most beautiful and the sad...more
Jul 05, 2011
Ashley
rated it
5 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
childrens,
classics,
faeries-goblins-pixies-trolls,
fairy-tale,
fantasy,
medieval,
own,
read-again,
anthology,
magic,
mythology,
reviewed
I am currently working my way through this monstrously large collection of tales (there are 156 in over a thousand pages). They are a nice antidote to other books I am reading. There are well-known favorites like The Little Mermaid and The Ugly Duckling as well as many you will have never heard of, like The Magic Galoshes and Auntie Toothache. Hans Christian Andersen's writing style is unique and well-suited to reading aloud. The descriptions of landscape and setting are articulate, vivid and im...more
Hans Christian Anderson (known as H. C. Anderson in Denmark and the rest of Scandinavia) (1805 – 1875) was a Danish author of short fiction, travelogues, and novels, but he is best known as the author of fairy tales, the first edition of which he published in 1835, with additional material added in the next two years. As fairy tales are generally short, I found this book to be great bedtime reading, and I finished it last night before going to sleep.
This collection contains such well-known gems...more
This collection contains such well-known gems...more
I am not sure if this is the one i have, but mine was similar to this. It had many of the stories in it, around 35 i think. Most of the stories i really liked, they had a great moral. I like the way that he writes, its very witty and fun. Some of the stories where a little gory-er then i would like, but they still where great stories. Some of the stories would basically state the moral in the story, for example, "The ugly duckling". But the others You have to think about it for awhile, until you...more
This book has well-known and virtually unknown fairy tales. I thought Hans Christian Andersen just transcribed oral tradition, but many of these he wrote himself. The book also prints images of paper cut-outs that Hans Christian Andersen made. He often found himself, as a celebrity author, among people whose language he could not speak, so the paper cut-outs were a way of communicating, as well as a way of bridging the gap of his social awkwardness.
The Ice Maiden has had the biggest impact on me...more
The Ice Maiden has had the biggest impact on me...more
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Hans Christian Andersen, or simply H.C. Andersen, was a Danish author and poet, most famous for his fairy tales. Among his best-known stories "The Snow Queen", "The Little Mermaid", "The Emperor's New Clothes" and "The Ugly Duckling". During Andersen's lifetime he was feted by royalty and acclaimed as having brought joy to children across Europe. His fairy tales have been translated into well over...more
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“Just living is not enough," said the butterfly, "one must have sunshine, freedom, and a little flower.”
—
456 people liked it
“"Does all the beauty of the world stop when you die?"
"No," said the Old Oak; "it will last much longer - longer than I can even think of."
"Well, then," said the little May-fly, "we have the same time to live; only we reckon differently.”
—
30 people liked it
More quotes…
"No," said the Old Oak; "it will last much longer - longer than I can even think of."
"Well, then," said the little May-fly, "we have the same time to live; only we reckon differently.”
Nov 10, 2011 02:52pm