Hans Christian Andersen, creator of The Little Mermaid, was inspired by his love for a series of women but died a virgin, according to his latest biographer.
"I believe he never had a sexual relationship," says Bente Kjoelbye, whose book H.C. Andersen and His Lady Friends was published yesterday. "If he had had, we would know about it from his fairy stories which all reflect his personality," she added.
Kjoelbye explores in detail the private life of the Danish writer, whose stories such as The Ugly Duckling, The Little Matchgirl and The Elves and the Shoemaker are still read by millions of children.
As well as his passion for actress Jenny Lind, the "Swedish songbird" who later became the mistress of an English crown prince, Andersen's four other unrequited loves are recorded.
US First Lady Hillary Clinton will begin her trip to the former Soviet Union today, a day behind schedule because of engine problems after her take-off from Washington. She will arrive in Almaty, capital of Kazakhstan today and will then go on to Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan, where she will visit the capital Tashkent and the historic cities of Samarkand and Bukhara.
French writer Patrick Rambaud won the country's top Goncourt literary prize yesterday for La Bataille (The Battle), a novel criticising French emperor Napoleon over his bloody 1809 battle of Essling against Austria.
Another major award, the Renaudot prize, went to Pascal Bruckner for Les Voleurs de Beaute (Beauty Thieves), a novel on farmers holding girls captive until their beauty wilts.
The Goncourt award made Rambaud the leading figure of the French literary season. His book won the prestigious French Academy's novel prize last month.