Hans Christian Andersen Travels through Denmark

Hans Christian Andersen is probably the most famous Dane in literary history, but his rise from poor, ambitious shoemaker's son to lauded, internationally renowned author was a troubled one. Even today people are still trying to unearth the real Andersen.

To truly understand this man, one must travel back to Odense, Denmark in the year 1805. On April 2 of this year, Hans Christian Andersen was born to parents who had been married for two months and who did not live together until nine months after his birth. He had half-siblings born out of wedlock, an aunt who ran a brothel, and a maternal...