Hang Christian Andersen
The peripatetic king of fairy tales turns 200
Hang Christian Andersen would be furious to know that the world remembers him best for a story about an ugly duckling.The insanely insecure Dane desired enduring fame-but not as a children's author.Born in 1805 in one of Denmark's poorest neighborhoods,Andersen rose to fortune and glory as a literary star.He conceived his first international hit,the novel The Improvisatore during a trip to Italy.Later journeys through europe,Turkey,and Scandinavia inspired characters and plots in his novels, travel books,and plays.