The English Governess and the Siamese Court: The True Story Behind 'The King and I' [Paperback]

Anna Leonowens (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 15, 1999

Anna Leonownes' memoir of her six year as a governess in the Royal Palace of Bangkok was the inspiration for the beloved Broadway musical The king and I, as well as two award-winning films. First published in 1870, Leonowens' memoir is the true story of a proper English governess who is hired by the King of Siam to tutor his many children. A delightful portrait of an unlikely friendship between two headstrong personalities, it is also a revealing peak at two very different cultures.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

1834-1914

--This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

Product Details

• Paperback: 308 pages
• Publisher: Tor Books; 1st edition (November 15, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0812570626
• ISBN-13: 978-0812570625
• Product Dimensions: 6.6 x 4.2 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 2.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #724,597 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

131 of 143 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Colonial Bias, February 8, 2000

By 

Arthur Brown (Egypt) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The English Governess and the Siamese Court: The True Story Behind 'The King and I' (Paperback)

Probably one of the strangest things about my reading of The English Governess at the Siamese Court, was the location in which I found the book. I was rummaging through the books at the Asia Book Store on Sukhumvit Road in Bangkok, looking for mindless mysteries to pass the time between tailor fittings. I was astonished to find a copy in Bangkok, knowing the Thai feelings toward Anna Leonowens. All I can say about the book is, now I have a complete understanding of why they would feel that way about her. Mrs. Leonowens view is so ethnocentric as to be bordering blatant racism. She takes no time to understand the culture around her, and fills her writings with the basest stereotypes of Asian culture found so prevalently in Victorian Imperial culture. Even when she does give credit to the Thai people for the beauty of their culture, it is done with an air of surprise, that these "primitives" could develop something of beauty.

BUT, this should not stop anyone from reading the book (thus my rating of four stars). The book should be read if only to gauge the growth that has been achieved in the last one hundred and thirty years. The book is an interesting look back at the accepted viewpoint of the nineteenth century. Mrs. Leonowens is a perfect mirror of the superior attitude of the Anglo-Saxon in his drive to finally control 3/4 of the earth. All in all, this book is a very interesting trip into the past.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Victorian Travelogue, June 12, 2011

By 

Geoffrey A. Snyder (Dallas, TX) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: "Memoirs of an English Governess at the Siamese Court - (The King and I)" [Illustrated] (Kindle Edition)

I've loved the musical and movie versions of this story since forever, so it was a no-brainer to finally read the book. As with many memoirs of travelers from this period, the story was less plot and more historical and cultural details of Siam than anything. The book's story is familiar to everyone and the style is full of Victorian British Exceptionalism and rife with unconscious bigotry - but that part is to be expected.

If one appreciates the Victorian writing style, then this is a good example of and worth the read. If you're not familiar with this style, it's still worth a read, but it's probably not what you're expecting.

64 of 84 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars The British Women, Anna, January 20, 2000

By 

Vincent Yeung (Calgary, Canada) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The English Governess and the Siamese Court: The True Story Behind 'The King and I' (Paperback)

This is one of a few books which are written by Anna Leonowens herself as a English teacher in Siam. For those of you who wants to know more about Anna herself and her dairy, should read this book. It describes the Siamese court from a historical point of view, bring you back to 19th century.