The English Governess at the Siamese Court - Hardcover

""The English Governess At The Siamese Court"" is a memoir written by Anna Leonowens, an Englishwoman who served as a governess to the children of King Mongkut of Siam (now Thailand) in the 1860s. The book provides a fascinating account of Leonowens' experiences in the royal court, including her interactions with the king and his many wives, as well as her efforts to educate the royal children in Western culture and values. Along the way, she also offers insights into Siamese customs, traditions, and beliefs, as well as the political and social dynamics of the kingdom during this time period. The book is a captivating blend of personal narrative, historical commentary, and cultural analysis, and remains a classic work of travel literature and cross-cultural exploration.Such was Chow Phya Sri Sury Wongse when I was first presented to him: a natural king among the dusky forms that surrounded him, the actual ruler of that semi- barbarous realm, and the prime contriver of its arbitrary policy. Black, but comely, robust, and vigorous, neck short and thick, nose large and nostrils wide, eyes inquisitive and penetrating, his was the massive brain proper to an intellect deliberate and systematic. Well found in the best idioms of his native tongue, he expressed strong, discriminative thoughts in words at once accurate and abundant. His only vanity was his English, with which he so interlarded his native speech, as often to impart the effect of levity to ideas that, in themselves, were grave, judicious, and impressive.This scarce antiquarian book is a facsimile reprint of the old original and may contain some imperfections such as library marks and notations. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment for protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature in affordable, high quality, modern editions, that are true to their original work.