Born in the slums of Odense, Denmark, Hans Christian Andersen (1805-1875) was a weaver/tailor and factory worker, until he went to the city to become a singer. He finally attended grammar school and Copenhagen University; and he began to write musical drama, prose arabesques, plays, novels, and travel sketches. Of all the works that Andersen created in his lifetime, he is best-known for his fairy tales and stories. Read more books about Hans Christian Andersen.
1. Hans Christian Andersen: The Life of a Storyteller
by Jackie Wullschlager. University of Chicago Press. In this biography, Jackie Wullschlager discusses the darker side of Hans Christian Andersen's life. Learn more about this "gawky, self-pitying, and desperate man," who became such a "gifted storyteller."
2. Hans Christian Andersen: A Biography
by R. Nisbet Bain. University Press of the Pacific. Here, R. Nisbet Bain explains why Hans Christian Andersen's life was so fascinating. From his travels around the world and his literary acquaintences, he created an unforgettable body of work because "he took the trouble to keep his eyes open."3. Fairy Tale of My Life: An Autobiography
by Hans Christian Andersen. Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Inc. In her Introduction, Naomi Lewis says, "Read this autobiography and you will know something of the thorn forest Andersen traversed, the prize he sought, and the price he paid for obtaining that prize."4. The Perfect Wizard
by Jane Yolen, and Dennis Nolan (Illustrator). Penguin. Jane Yolen explores the early background of Hans Christian Andersen. Those harsh early experiences inspired his passion for the theater and his eagerness to poor out those memories in words through his writing.5. Hans Christian Andersen
by Johan De Mylius (Editor), Aage Joergensen (Editor), and Viggo H. Pedersen (Editor). University Press of Southern Denmark. This collection features papers read at the International Hans Christian Andersen Conference in 1996. The papers discuss biography, style, translation, influences, interpretation, and more.