The English Governess at the Siamese Court

Anne Leonowens is an adventurer and a suffragist. All her life she hid her age and the story of her origins. Along with missionaries, she traveled through Egypt and Palestine, spoke out against slavery, taught in the Siamese king’s harem for 6 years, and entered history as the most famous English governess—even though she first visited Great Britain only in adulthood. Remaining a widow at 28 with a small son and a daughter in her arms, Anne opened a school in Singapore for the children of British officers. Soon she received an invitation from the King of Siam to teach English to his 82 offspring and 39 wives. This book is an impression of life in the palace, of the strict laws of the harem, of Siam’s culture and customs.

In 1870, Anne published her memoirs about the mysterious Asian country where two kings rule, a white elephant is worshiped, and royal deceased are cremated a year after their death. Tales of Siam amazed contemporaries, and the book immediately became a bestseller. In the 20th century, based on Anne’s autobiography, a Broadway musical titled “The King and I” was staged, and several films with the same title were made. The latest adaptation of “Anna and the King” was released in 1999, starring Jodie Foster.

The book is being published in Russian for the first time! A special spirit in the book is created by 18 pen-and-ink illustrations made from photographs provided to Anne by the King of Siam.