In the early 1860s, Anna Leonowens, a widow with two young children, was invited to Siam (now Thailand) by King Mongkut (Rama IV), who wanted her to teach his children and wives the English language and introduce them to British customs. Her experiences during the five years she spent in the country served as the basis for two memoirs, The English Governess at the Siamese Court (1870) and Romance of the Harem (1872).
Landon took Leonowens' first-person narratives and added details about the Siamese people and their culture taken from other sources.[1] The book has been translated into dozens of languages[2] and has inspired at least six adaptations into various dramatic media:
At the time of its publication, The New York Times called it "an inviting escape into an unfamiliar, exotic past... calculated to transport us instantly". The Atlantic Monthly described it as "enchanting" and added that "the author wears her scholarship with grace, and the amazing story she has to tell is recounted with humor and understanding."[3]
