Journey to Siam

Anna Leonowens is an adventurer and suffragette. Throughout her life, she concealed her age and the story of her origins, traveled through Egypt and Palestine with missionaries, spoke out against slavery, taught for 6 years in the harem of the King of Siam (Thailand), and entered history as the most famous English governess. Left a widow at 28 with a small son and daughter, Anna opened a school in Singapore for the children of British officers. Soon, she received an invitation from the King of Siam to teach English to his 82 offspring and 39 wives. This book is an impression of life in the palace, the harsh rules of the harem, and the culture and customs of Siam. In 1870, Anna published her memoirs about the mysterious Asian country ruled by two kings, where they worship the white elephant and cremate royal corpses a year after their death. Tales of Siam astonished her contemporaries, and the book immediately became a bestseller. The publication is brought to life by 18 pen-and-ink illustrations. This book is published for the first time in Russian.