Author Hans Christian Andersen's books one must read
magination and wild characterisations are the key to his success
Hans Christian Andersen, a Danish author was a prolific writer of plays, travelogues, novels, and poems. But the great author is most famously known for his literary fairy tales, the most popularly loved was The Little Mermaid. Andersen's fairy tales comprise 156 stories that are spread across nine volumes. His stories have been translated into more than 125 languages and overtime became embedded in the rest of the world's collective literary consciousness. Here are some must-read Hans Christian Andersen books.
The Improvisatore
This is an autobiographical novel by Andersen which was first published in 1835 and was an instant favourite. The novel narrates Andersen's own tale of his travels in Italy in 1833. The book tells a lot about the author's personal life and aspirations. But the narration is a fictionalised autobiography and is narrated through the lead character and hero Antonio. The story goes on to reveal how Antonia did not come as a tourist to Italy but goes on to grow up in the country. The novel gives a great description of the Italian towns and regions in the most captivating manner expressed through the author's colourful language.
The Tallow Candle
This is a 700-word literary fairytale by Hans Christian Andersen. This standalone tale by the author was written in the 1820s, therefore is considered to be one of his earliest works in the fairy tale genre. Though lost for centuries, a copy of the original manuscript was discovered in the National Archives of Funen, in a filing box in October 2012. The story is about a tallow candle, whose parents are sheep and a melting pot. It becomes disheartened by the passing day as it is unable to find a purpose in life.
The Tinderbox
This is another literary fairy tale by Hans Christian Andersen narrating the story of a soldier who acquires a magic tinderbox. Through the magic, the soldier becomes capable of summoning three powerful dogs to do his bidding. In the run to get a hang of his powers, the soldier has one of the dogs' transport a sleeping princess to his room. Upon discovery, the soldier is sentenced to death. However, ends up summoning the dogs to save his life.
Some other novels by Hans Christian Andersen are To be or not to be?, Lucky Peer (Lykke-Peer), Sorøe Gang, Fragmenteraf en ufuldførthistorisk Roman, Christian den AndensDverg, and The Two Baronesses. Some of his standalone stories are The Ghost at Palnatoke's Grave, "Little Ida's Flowers, and The Naughty Boy.
