The English Governess at the Siamese Court: Being Recollections of Six Years in the Royal Palace at Bangkok

The English Governess at the Siamese Court, written by Anna Harriette Leonowens and published in 1870, recounts her six years as a governess in the royal palace of Bangkok. The memoir details her experiences educating the children of King Mongkut and highlights the cultural exchanges between East and West during the 19th century. Notably, this work inspired the Broadway musical The King and I and offers insights into the complexities of Siamese social life and customs, as well as the challenges faced by a foreign woman in a royal setting.