ANNA LEONOWENS, A PROPER ENGLISHWOMAN, WAS AN UNLIKLEY CANDIDATE TO CHANGE THE COURSE OF SIAMESE (THAI) HISTORY. A YOUNG WIDOW AND MOTHER, HER SERVICES WERE ENGAGED IN THE 1860`S BY KING MONGKUT OF SIAM 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 SHE COULD HAVE ONLY DREAMED OF LUSH LANDSCAPE OF MYSTIC FAITHS AND CURIOUS PEOPLE, AND 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, ABOLSHING SLAVERY AND MAKING MANY OTHER RADICAL REFORMS. WEAVING METICULOUSLY RESEARCHED FACTS WITH BEAUTIFULLY IMAGINED SCENES, MARGRET LANDON RECREATES AN UNFORGETTABLE PORTRAIT OF LIFE IN A FORGOTTEN EXTOTIC LAND. WRITTEN MORE THAN FIFTY YEARS AGO, AND TRANSLATED INTO DOZENS OF LANGUAGES, ANNA AND THE KING OF SIAM (THE INSPIRATION FOR THE MAGICAL PLAY AND FILM THE KING AND I)CONTINUES TO DELIGHT AND ENCHANT READERS AROUND THE WORLD.
अॅना ही पाश्चात्त्य संस्कृतीत वाढलेली, मानवतावादी मूल्ये जपणारी स्त्री; सयामसारख्या (आताचा थायलंड) बुरसटलेल्या, व्यक्तिस्वातंत्र्यावर गदा असलेल्या, रूढी-प्रथांना महत्त्व देणा-या गुलामांच्या देशात इंग्रजी शिकवायला जाते.
सयाममध्ये अॅनाला जुळवून घेणे फार जड जाते, पण तरी व्यक्तिगत आयुष्यातली सुखदु:खे भोगत, ती तिच्या इतरांचे कष्ट दूर करण्याच्या मनोवृत्तीला, ऊर्मीला थांबवू शकत नाही. तिचे उदार अंत:करण आणि अन्यायाविरुद्ध उभे ठाकण्याची वृत्ती यांमुळे सयामचा राजा आणि राजपुत्र प्रभावित होतातच; पण तिच्या पश्चात सयामी जनताही तिची ऋणाईत राहते. तिच्या शिकवणुकीच्या प्रभावामुळेच राजपुत्र सयाममधील अयोग्य चालीरीतींना कायमची तिलांजली देतो आणि सयामला नवी दिशा दाखवतो.
जवळजवळ दीडशे वर्षांपूर्वीच्या कालखंडातली ही हकिकत म्हटली तर अद्भुत; म्हटली तर वास्तववादी
अंधारात चाचपडणा-या एका समाजाची; मानवतेसाठी संघर्ष करणा-या एका स्त्रीची.