Hans Andersen

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 23097, 23 July 1938, Page 4 (Supplement)

Hans Andersen

A [ R. P.LEYSSAC A 1 h;is given us ;in entirely new translation of a number of Hans Christian Andersen's liest stories, including many of the short amusing ones which are not as well known in British Countries as tliev deserve to he. Mr. Leyssac—actor, author, and lecturer —is himself a Dane who has made :i special study of Andersen. His own love for , , ~ , , , ~ , , , - the stories dates from his childhood, when he listened to them read by his " lOtl For manv vears Mr. Levssac has given recitals of these stories both in Great Britain and America, and lie has also broadcast many of them. In his recitals and lectures he alwnvs stresses the two facts, that the stories were all intended to he read aloud or told, and therefore Andersen invariably uses the spoken form: and that they were not written just to amuse children, hut were for theiv elders as well—especially, of course, the satirical stories, such as "It's Perfectly True!" . . . The illustrations bv Vilhelm Pedersen are those done for the original illustrated edition published in Denmark. There is a foreword by Sir Hugh "Walpole. "Jt's Perfectly Triio!" and other stories by Hans Christian Andersen, translated from the Danish b.v r.iul Leyssac. (Macmillan).