Anna and the King of Siam is a fictional account of an English teacher's two volume "memoir" that had long gone out of print. Margaret Landon combined these two books together into a historical novel. As there are so many points of elaboration it is hard to get any real sense of the events that might have actually taken place back in the 1860s. A quick search online will bring up numerous opinions and essays on the story in its many forms: The English Governess at the Siamese Court, The Romance More...

I really had no idea what to expect when I read this, knowing what I know about both the musical and the more recent movie with Jodie Foster and Chow Yun-Fat and how musicals really compare to books (I've read the book and seen on Broadway Wicked, after all).

It was really interesting to start with the preface by Margaret Landon and learn more about Anna Leonowens. It made me once again glad that I read prefaces, because it put me in the right state of mind to read this book.

One of the first thin More...

For anyone who has watched the Rogers and Hammerstein musical and believes that they know the story of Anna Lenowens' inspiring experiences in Siam, this book will shock you to the core. "Anna and the King of Siam" chronicles the educational and political challenges faced by this English schoolteacher in a transitional time in Siamese history with uncensored brutality, hope, despair, and redemptive compassion. This is one of the most worthwhile and remarkable books I have ever had the privilege More...

A fascinating read- I love Thailand and this was an interesting look into its past. The writing style comes across somewhat disorganized and apparently there is some dispute into the veracity of all of her claims. What did I learn from this- there are strong women all over the world who can and do make a difference. As Margaret Landon wrote of some of the Thai women "they were not surpassed by the women of any nation in the world. But the system under which they lived! That was the crux of the m More...

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. It taught some wonderful lessons about courage and the good that one person can do. It was interesting to learn about the life of Anna Leonowens and the real story behind The King and I.

My one complaint is that I wish the king had played a more prominent part in the book. I really didn't feel like I got to know him very well like I did Anna. At the end of the book, when Anna leaves Siam, we are told that she realized she and the king were not just employe More...

Anna Leonowens was a real woman and this really happened, and that statement alone seems crazy when you read the book. This is a fabulous story about one woman who happened to be British when the English ruled the world. Behind the familiar story of “The King and I” (which a lone is pretty fabulous!) is the story of Anna’s determination to make the most of the situation she found herself in. It is true that the Brits bowed to no one but their queen and that attitude of “Noblese obligue” gave her More...

Anna Leonowens, a proper Englishwoman, was an unlikley candidate to change the course of Siamese (Thai) history. A young widow and mother, her services were engaged in the 1860's by King Mongkut of Siam to help him communicate with foreign governments and be the tutor to his children and favored concubines. Stepping off the steamer from London, Anna found herself in an exotic land she could have only dreamed of lush landscape of mystic faiths and curious people, and king's palace bustling with r More...

I'm not sure I would have given this 4 stars if I weren't just arrived back for my 2nd stint teaching English in Asia. So that's my fair warning: it may be more of a 3-starrer. It's written kind of in that lilting, old-fashioned, really straightforward narrative style, so there's no wasted atmosphere. I did have moments where I was sucked in and was like, "OOh, what will happen to this person?!" but her experiences are also *almost* like a sea of anecdotes. Almost. The author gets her point acro More...

First sentence: "The Siamese steamer Chow Phya , most modern of the ships plying between Singapore and Bangkok, came to anchor outside the bar at the mouth of the River Chow Phya."

Anna Leonowens is a widowed English woman living in India in the 1860s. Since losing her husband, she has struggled to provide for her two children. An opportunity arises for her to serve as governess, teaching the royal children of Siam (modern day Thailand) English and assisting their father, King Mongkut, with secr More...

I read this book 14 years ago. It is not written by Anna Leonowens herself but it is based on two memoirs that she wrote: The English Governess at the Siamese Court and romance of the harem. The book itself is very charming and an easier read than the two memoirs. This book are the base for most of the screen adaptation including Anna and the king of Siam (with Rex Harrison) and the latest Anna and the King (Jodie Foster and Chow Yun Fat who is actually the first asian to play the king but he is More...

The King and I is one of my favorite musicals and so I have long wanted to read the book on which the musical was based. I started Anna and the King of Siam several times but never got very far, but now I finally managed to finish it!

This book is written by Margaret Landon who took the two books that Anna Leonowens had written about her experiences in Siam and edited them together. She thoroughly researched the life of Anna Leonowens but she added a few fictional scenes to help the flow.

I loved More...

Wonderful! Incredible! Captures you! I have always loved the musical, "The King and I" and when "Anna and the King" was produced, I loved it, too. Neither movie is entirely correct, but I love them anyway. There was great controversy over Anna's own book of her experiences, and it was banned in Siam. Years later Margaret Landon found the two books written by Anna Leonowens(and in her words "devoured" them) and she combined information from the first book (The English Governess at the Siamese Cou More...

I always question the value of my small contribution in my sphere of influence. This book was about a woman who did the best she could to improve for good the world around her. She lived with integrity, determination and courage. Who saw the small opportunities around her and made the most of them. This book was about the few years that she lived in Siam - and was a teacher to the children and women of the King. Where she was payed very little, but did her best with the opportunities to serve th More...

Having been a big fan of "The King and I," when I ran across a really old copy of this book in an antique store about 10 years ago, I nabbed it. It was waaaaaaaaaaaaay more interesting than I thought and not at all what I expected.

Put together through family interviews and the journals and letters of Anna LeonOwens, it's the real story, which is nothing much like the 3 Hollywood versions. Her experiences as teacher to the children and wives of Siam's then king were actually extremely trying and More...

I've never seen "The King & I," so I didn't have too many expectations going into this. I enjoyed it. I definitely learned more about Thai history and culture than I was expecting, which was a big plus since I'm going there next month. Due to my touchy-feely liberal arts education, I always get a bit nervous when I read something about a Westerner going to an "uncivilized" country and showing them how things are supposed to be done, but I guess I'll give this lady a pass for helping to aboli More...

This is NOTHING like the musical, "The King and I", which is loosely based on the time the British Anna Leonowens spent in Siam, working as a teacher and clerk to the people of the royal family. Represented here are many anecdotes relating life in Siam in the 1880's and how the western culture is starting to not only clash with the local traditions but how they begin to influence each other. Anna arrives with a strong personality, which gets her into trouble with the Siamese (including the King) More...

I fell in love with the musical first, and now I can say I thoroughly enjoyed the book as well. I could relate to Anna as a teacher, especially as I will be leaving myself to teach in a foreign country soon. Inspiring how one woman's compassion and strength could have such an impact on the history of an entire country. I don't doubt that Landon embellished the truth at times, but the most important points of the story seem to coincide with fact. In anycase, I consider her way of telling Anna Leo More...

This is an amazing TRUE story!!! what a woman and only in her late 20s when she was hired to teach the kings 60 some-odd children of his concubine. She had fire, grit, and keen intelligence that matched the kings and better. Anna and the king had a tug a war relationship- he couldn't quite control her as he did his little kingdom and it really bugged him!

I would love to read the original books written by Anna Leowens. This author left unanswered questions, for example what happened to Moonshee and Bebee? Otherwise I enjoyed this book, I read this to my family but Dan and Coreen are the only ones who listened to me read the entire book, some parts were a little deep and hard to understand.

A very entertaining book! I thought this would be just a recap of the vintage musical "The King and I". It turned out to be a keyhole view into the life of an amazing woman, Anna Leonowens and her adventures in 19th century Siam. The reader experiences a world so different than ours that it stretches the imagination!

I have had this book in my car for literally three years. I kept it there to read while I was waiting. Interestingly enough I never forgot the thread of the story even if it was several weeks between reading. The story of Anna Leonowens is a great example of how one person can make a difference for generations to come.

Great read! I'd never read the original, and am currently looking for a copy of the movie just to see how it differs. I know that I've seen the movie, and my memory leads me to believe that it's not at all the same. It's statement about slavery and the ownership of people is something I didn't expect when I began the book.

Finally finished! This is one of those books that you can put down for awhile and pick back up many times. It is anecdotal enough that you can read bits and pieces in between reading other things and not feel like you forget the story.

Interesting note about my edition:
I own a first edition of this book, published in 1944. Since it was printed during WWII, there appears this disclaimer in the front of the book. "Government wartime restrictions on materials have made it essential that the amount o More...

Absolutely loved this book. I can't imagine being as brave as Anna was to go to a strange country and live let alone teach in a world that she didn't always agree with. This is an amazing story of how one person can influence others to make a better world. A must read for any teacher!

This book is really good. I expected to see more stories in it about Anna's relationship with the King himself, because of the title, however the book is more about her relationship with the harem women. That doesn't take away from the story, it just wan't what I expected.

This is a powerful, touching, and often hilarious memoir. Margaret Landon's writing style is occasionally a bit stiff and 50s-ish, but the underlying story is amazing. The book has everything--its fault is it's a tiny bit too long.

Not totally like either movie, but a wonderful book! A little complicated, you definitely have to engage your brain, but worth every bit of it. Shows how much influence one person can have for good. Fun to learn about another culture.

It was very hard to get through yes, and very complicated. But I loved the musical so I had to read the book that started it all. And when you think about it, that all she did was real and true, it is pretty amazing.

A little tedious and hard to get through at times, but very interesting overall. I enjoyed reading about the politics of the time in Siam, the imperialism of both France and England, and the many difficult experiences Anna had while in Siam. Also, it was very interesting to see her influence on the future king and, ultimately, the future of the country.

Have always enjoyed the musical with Yul Brenner, and thoroughly appreciate this telling. Very much enjoyed this book, and admire "Miss Anna" more than I possibly could have before reading this book.