About Hans Christian Andersen
Hans Christian Andersen grew up in a poor family in Odense, Denmark. As a child, he listened to the stories told around him and became fascinated by the theatre. At fourteen, he left for Copenhagen, hoping to perform on stage.
He eventually became a writer, publishing poems, plays, novels and travel books. His first small collection of children’s stories appeared in 1835. Some of his stories retold traditional narratives; others were his own inventions.
His writing brings tenderness and irony together: it can move readers while gently mocking a character’s self-importance. Even after becoming famous, Andersen remained attentive to ordinary people and to those who struggled to find a place in the world.