Anna and the King of Siam - by Margaret Landon (Paperback)

The King and I is a captivating tale of an unlikely candidate who changed the course of Siamese (Thai) history.

Anna Leonowens, a young widow and mother, was engaged by King Mongkut in the 1860's 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 of mystic faiths and curious people, and a king's palace bustling with royal pageantry, ancient custom, and harems.

One of her pupils, the young prince Chulalongkorn, was particularly influenced by Leonowens and her Western ideals.

He learned about Abraham Lincoln and the tenets of democracy from her, and years later he would become Siam's most progressive king.

He guided the country's transformation from a feudal state to a modern society, abolishing slavery and making many other radical reforms.

This unforgettable portrait of life in a forgotten exotic land is meticulously researched and richly imagined, making it a must-read for anyone interested in historical fiction or the cultural exchange between East and West.