Hans Christian Andersen's Complete Fairy Tales

This book contains the complete Andersen’s 168 fairy tales and stories in the
chronological order of their original publication. Hans Christian 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, a literary
genre he so mastered that he himself has become as mythical as the tales he
wrote. Andersen's popularity is not limited to children; his stories—called
eventyrs, or "fantastic tales"—express themes that transcend age and
nationality. During his lifetime he was acclaimed for having delighted
children worldwide and was feted by royalty. 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. They have inspired motion pictures,
plays, ballets, and animated films.