Tales and Stories by Hans Christian Andersen

by Hans Christian Andersen, Patricia L. Conroy (Translator), Sven H. Rossel (Translator)

Collects such famous stories and fairy tales as The Emperor's New Clothes, The Ugly Duckling, and The Snow Queen.

Genres: Short Stories

316 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1835

About the author

Hans Christian Andersen (often referred to in Scandinavia as H.C. Andersen) was a Danish author and poet. Although a prolific writer of plays, travelogues, novels, and poems, Andersen is best remembered for his fairy tales. Andersen's popularity is not limited to children; his stories — called eventyr, or "fairy-tales" — express themes that transcend age and nationality.

Andersen's fairy tales, which have been translated into more than 125 languages, have become culturally embedded in the West's collective consciousness, readily accessible to children, but presenting lessons of virtue and resilience in the face of adversity for mature readers as well. Some of his most famous fairy tales include "The Little Mermaid", "The Ugly Duckling", "The Nightingale", "The Emperor's New Clothes" and many more. His stories have inspired plays, ballets, and both live-action and animated films.

Reviews

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

An interesting fact is that Hans Christian Andersen never intended to be a children's writer, and he never thought of himself as one. When you put aside the portrayal of his tales by others and read this collection with that thought in mind it becomes obvious that most of his stories were for adults. Young adults, maybe, but certainly not children. The collection is riddled with tough stories about death and politics, changes that come with living life and the realization that life has left you behind. I cried when an old fir tree realized this fact, he was no longer young, and his best days were behind him. There are several stories like that, time going by, with or without the protagonist. There are also stories that point fingers at the upper class, The Little Match Girl is just one. The thing that might have tricked his readers into believing the tales were for children is the fantastic imaginative voice that is Andersen. There are few tales without magic, and fewer without talking plants and animals. These things Andersen used to address his difficult subjects and soften the impact on his impressionable audience, child or adult.