Synopses & Reviews
Hans Christian Andersen's haunting and enigmatic tale, The Snow Queen, has not only enchanted generations of children, but has also fascinated and puzzled adults. Lederer uncovers the roots of this perennial enchantment by interweaving an astute psychological analysis of the fairy tale with an account of Andersen's life. Engaging and highly readable, this book is suffused with perceptions culled from psychology, folklore, and myth.
Synopsis
"A fascinating, well-argued, in-depth analysis . . . drawing ingeniously on biographical details of Andersen's life. A pleasure to read, the book is interesting even to those who care nothing about Hans Christian Andersen or literary fairy tales. The issues in question are important ones for the development of male and female identities in the western world."Alan Dundes, University of California, Berkeley
About the Author
Wolfgang Lederer is Clinical Professor in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of California, San Francisco.