Anna's Real-Life King of Siam

by Donna Faulkner

The people of Siam (now Thailand) were insulted when English governess Anna Leonowens, after spending five years as a royal tutor to his children, wrote two books depicting their beloved King Mongkut as a tyrant. Insult turned to outrage when Broadway and then Hollywood adapted her story as the musical The King and I.In fact, King Mongkut was Siam's greatest ruler. Inheriting a country rife with medieval customs and feudal ignorance, he almost single-handedly brought Siam into the nineteenth century. Among his many accomplishments, he sparked the reform of the Buddhist religion; spoke eleven languages; mastered history, geography, astronomy, chemistry, physics, and mathematics. The He?] transformed himself from a god-king to an approachable, tolerant leader. In a diplomatic triumph, he played European powers against each other so deftly that Siam, alone among the nations of Southeast Asia, never succumbed to colonial dominance. This short-form book shares the story of this thoroughly remarkable man.

Genres: History

25 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 15, 2012

Reviews

[Amy Gennaro · Rating 2 out of 5]

When this book popped up after I read Anna and the King of Siam purporting to discredit Anna Leonowens's story, I was fascinated. What I found was a BRIEF history of King Mowkhut whose only point was that he was not as spoiled and angry as the other book had portrayed.

It was without depth and feel.

[Werawat Wisitudonkan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Perfect concise book

The author did not miss any important matters about the Prince Monk and King Mongkut. It was the specific period in Siam history that this nation needed to give away their isolationism and strategically entering the power game among the powerful European nations. It's understandable that Siam became strategically geographically final place in Southeast Asian that two power houses like British and France were stalemate and agree to draw and divided the last remaining resource than fought each other and became weak for the next power house to claim everything too easy.

[Justin Vidanes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Easy Read

This felt like a Young Adult book. It was short and sweet. I learn a bunch of stuff on southeast Asian diplomacy. The book helps as a disclaimer to the real story and mire factual accounts of Mongkut’s life. His celibacy and monasticism help pave the way for an incredible life and an incredible story.

[Daniel Schuffert · Rating 5 out of 5]

A short read packed full of facts. An enjoyable book to read.

[Elaine Cook · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was is some ways better than the Landon book I just read. It seems more balanced and factual and is mercifully brief.

[Sandy · Rating 3 out of 5]

2018 Not as interested as I thought ii would be. this book was more true to life than the actual movie and play. teacher less likable. king less likable. descriptions of Thailand are somewhat interesting but a little boring at times too