If you’ve ever had a house guest that just wouldn’t leave, I’m sure you can sympathize with poor Charles Dickens. Although perhaps you wouldn’t be as snide about it to your friends.
So what happened when Hans Christian Andersen, author of the most depressing Christmas story ever, “The Fir Tree,” met the author of “A Christmas Carol?”
For all he understood about the human heart, Andersen, bless his sensitive soul, seemed totally oblivious to social cues. At the very least, as a Dickens superfan, he had no concept of personal space. Perhaps in Denmark, in those days, they were unfamiliar with the maxim: always leave them wanting more.
You can learn more about it – but be ready to wince – here:
Charles Dickens really, really hated his fanboy Hans Christian Andersen.
In the right hands, this could make for a pretty good movie.