Was I a nerd because I read too many books? Or did I read too many books because I was, inherently, a nerd? Who cares. The point is, of all the gifts I received as a child; the dolls, the ponies, real and plastic, the clothes and rubber bracelets, my favorites always were, and will remain, books. There was a lot of upheaval in my early life, and many books I cherished, like an illustrated Beatrix Potter book, and a soiled, tattered copy of Lyle, Lyle Crocodile got left behind. One book I've managed to keep near, however, is a gorgeously illustrated collection of Hans Christian Anderson stories, given to me by my father in 1988. I remember him, and my step mother at the time, reading to us from this book before my brother and I went to bed. Is it weird that my parents still read me bed time stories once in a while when I was 12? Possibly, but reading for pleasure has been linked with success as adults, so whatever.
Anderson wrote some of the most cherished stories of contemporary childhood, though you may not recognize some of the original endings. "The Little Mermaid," for instance, ends with heart break and tragedy, not Ariel and the Prince dancing off into happily ever after. Anderson also wrote classics like "The Ugly Duckling," "The Snow Queen," and "The Princess and The Pea." And there are lesser known gems, like "The Tinder Box," and "The Elder Tree Mother," both of which I loved as a child. Anderson told a world that was both beautiful and sad, and often rife with danger, where love and loss both triumphed. His characters are fragile and flawed, but find reserves of personal strength, courage, and faith.
In honor of his birthday, which was today, 205 years ago, please explore the work of this wonderful tale teller: http://hca.gilead.org.il/
And if you are already a fan, check out The Annotated Hans Christian Anderson edited and with notes by Maria Tatar, noted folklore scholar. It's loaded with intriguing and insightful commentary:
http://www.amazon.com/Annotated-Hans-Christian-Andersen-Books/dp/0393060810
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Posts
7 comments:
i was such a hans christian anderson nerd. and i was in love with danny kaye and i think he was gay.
I was never read bedtime stories, however this very act is one of my most favorite things to share with my grandkids. It is a time when we snuggle together and fly away to some magical imaginary place. Hans Christian Anderson is by far one of our favorites....
Great post. Reading is NOT nerdy, it is they who don't read that are the nerds...
Awesome. :-)
great post. i love reading and hca too!
Books were and are still my favourite gifts to receive.
I remember the Little Mermaid and it's tragic ending. I was shocked when Disney said they were doing it - but I should have known it would end "happily ever after" in their version.
When I was a kid I wasn't an avid reader, and yet I loved getting books as gifts. I just found them immensely pleasing things to hold. It was something to do with knowing what they represented. I knew that I was holding something of value, and yet I didn't need to find out what it was. I'm even weirder now.
Post a Comment