Hans Christian Andersen was born in Odense, Denmark on April 2nd, 1805. He was a writer of plays, novels, poems, and travelogues—though he is best remembered for his fairy tales, which consist of 156 stories published across nine volumes. He died in Copenhagen on August 4, 1874.
Andersen's fairy tales are a staple in the Western cultural imagination, having been translated into over 100 languages and spawned many beloved animated and live-action films. Andersen's most notable stories include "The Little Mermaid," "The Princess and the Pea," "Thumbelina," and "The Ugly Duckling."
