Anna Leonowens went to Bangkok in the 1860s to teach the wives and children of King Mongkut. She describes the palace and its harem, the temples of the Emerald and Sleeping Buddhas, the Prime Minister at home, court ceremonies and her own clashes with the king, though Thai historians have long disputed the accuracy of her account.
The memoir that inspired Anna and the King of Siam and The King and I, best read with its colonial viewpoint in mind. Download the free EPUB.