Literary Canon
Best Books from Denmark
Denmark's literary tradition is smaller than those of its Scandinavian neighbours, but its contributions to world literature are of the first order. Hans Christian Andersen's fairy tales are among the most widely translated texts in any language. Søren Kierkegaard, the first existentialist philosopher, wrote with a literary brilliance that makes his work as readable as fiction. Isak Dinesen (Karen Blixen) brought African experience back to Danish literature in Out of Africa and the stories of Winter's Tales. Contemporary Danish fiction — from Peter Høeg's Smilla's Sense of Snow to Olga Ravn's experimental novels — continues a tradition of formal seriousness.
#1
classic-literature
The emperor's new clothes
Hans Christian Andersen· 1945
Notable Work
Editorial Score46/100
#2
fantasy
Hans Andersen's Fairy Tales
Hans Christian Andersen· 1846
Notable Work
Editorial Score46/100
#3
fantasy
Lille pige med svovlstikkerne
Hans Christian Andersen· 1944
Notable Work
Editorial Score46/100
#4
fantasy
Wild Swans (6016)
Hans Christian Andersen· 1863
Notable Work
Editorial Score46/100
#5
fantasy
The sand-hills of Jutland
Hans Christian Andersen· 1860
Notable Work
Editorial Score46/100
#6
fantasy
Stories and tales
Hans Christian Andersen· 1870
Notable Work
Editorial Score46/100
#7
literary-fiction
Thumbelina
Hans Christian Andersen· 1911
Library Journal
Editorial Score45/100
#8
fantasy
Kate Greenaway's Original Drawings for The Snow Queen
Hans Christian Andersen· 1960
Notable Work
Editorial Score43/100
#9
fantasy
Hans Christian Andersen's The Fir Tree
Hans Christian Andersen· 1960
Notable Work
Editorial Score43/100
#10
fantasy
Røde sko
Hans Christian Andersen· 1928
Notable Work
Editorial Score43/100
#11
fantasy
Le vilain petit canard
Hans Christian Andersen· 1959
Notable Work
Editorial Score43/100
#12
fantasy
Svinedrengen
Hans Christian Andersen· 1920
Notable Work
Editorial Score41/100
#13
fantasy
The ice-maiden
Hans Christian Andersen· 1863
Notable Work
Editorial Score41/100
#14
fantasy
It's Absolutely True
Hans Christian Andersen· 1944
Notable Work
Editorial Score41/100
#15
childrens
Fairy tales from Hans Andersen
Hans Christian Andersen· 1908
Notable Work
Editorial Score41/100
#16
literary-fiction
La Petite Sirene (French Well Loved Tales)
Hans Christian Andersen· 1935
Kirkus Reviews
Editorial Score40/100
#17
literary-fiction
The emperor's new clothes
Hans Christian Andersen· 1945
Kirkus Reviews
Editorial Score40/100
#18
literary-fiction
Enten-eller
Søren Kierkegaard· 1843
Publishers Weekly
Editorial Score40/100
#19
fantasy
La reina de las nieves
Hans Christian Andersen· 1984
Editorial Score38/100
#20
fantasy
Cuentos de Andersen
Hans Christian Andersen· 1984
Editorial Score38/100
#21
fantasy
Pictures of Sweden
Hans Christian Andersen· 1851
Editorial Score38/100
#22
fantasy
Skazki
Hans Christian Andersen· 1955
Editorial Score38/100
#23
childrens
Stories for the Household
Hans Christian Andersen· 1866
Editorial Score38/100
#24
literary-fiction
The Ugly Duckling
Hans Christian Andersen· 1851
Kirkus Reviews
Editorial Score35/100
#25
literary-fiction
The Little Tin Soldier
Hans Christian Andersen· 1900
Kirkus Reviews
Editorial Score35/100
#26
literary-fiction
Die schönsten Märchen
Hans Christian Andersen· 1880
Publishers Weekly
Editorial Score35/100
#27
biography-memoir
The True Story of My Life
Hans Christian Andersen· 1847
Publishers Weekly
Editorial Score35/100
#28
psychology
Sygdommen til døden
Søren Kierkegaard· 1849
Publishers Weekly
Editorial Score35/100
#29
psychology
Gjentagelsen
Søren Kierkegaard· 1843
Publishers Weekly
Editorial Score35/100
#30
travel-exploration
Digters bazar
Hans Christian Andersen· 1846
Library Journal
Editorial Score35/100
#31
short-stories
Hans Andersen's Fairy Tales
Hans Christian Andersen· 1846
Publishers Weekly
Editorial Score35/100
#32
short-stories
Fairy Tales and Stories
Hans Christian Andersen· 1850
Kirkus Reviews
Editorial Score35/100
#33
short-stories
Fairy tales from Hans Christian Andersen
Hans Christian Andersen· 1899
Kirkus Reviews
Editorial Score35/100
#34
short-stories
Fyrtøjet
Hans Christian Andersen· 1928
Publishers Weekly
Editorial Score35/100
#35
short-stories
Hans Christian Andersen
Hans Christian Andersen· 1942
Kirkus Reviews
Editorial Score35/100
#36
short-stories
The fairy tales of Hans Christian Andersen
Hans Christian Andersen· 1899
Publishers Weekly
Editorial Score35/100
#37
fantasy
Hans Andersen's Fairy Tales - Illustrated by W. Heath Robinson
Hans Christian Andersen· 1976
Editorial Score35/100
#38
fantasy
El Traje Nuevo del Emperador
Hans Christian Andersen· 1992
Editorial Score35/100
#39
fantasy
Andersen's Fairy Tales
Hans Christian Andersen· 1963
Editorial Score33/100
#40
fantasy
Lille Claus og Store Claus
Hans Christian Andersen· 1951
Editorial Score33/100
#41
literary-fiction
Hans Christian Andersen's The Fir Tree
Hans Christian Andersen· 1960
Library Journal
Editorial Score30/100
#42
classic-literature
Andersen's Fairy Tales
Hans Christian Andersen· 2004
Publishers Weekly
Editorial Score30/100
#43
fantasy
Princess and the Pea
Hans Christian Andersen· 1967
Publishers Weekly
Editorial Score30/100
#44
mystery-thriller
At Close Range
Jessica Andersen· 2006
Library Journal
Editorial Score30/100
#45
psychology
The greatest power in the universe
U. S. Andersen· 1971
Kirkus Reviews
Editorial Score30/100
#46
politics-society
Sociology
Margaret L. Andersen· 1999
Publishers Weekly
Editorial Score30/100
#47
religion-spirituality
The last years
Søren Kierkegaard· 1953
Library Journal
Editorial Score30/100
#48
fantasy
Fairy Tales
Hans Christian Andersen· 1990
Editorial Score30/100
#49
fantasy
Snow Queen
Hans Christian Andersen· 2012
Editorial Score25/100