Anna Leonowens

Anna Harriette Leonowens (born Ann Hariett Emma Edwards; 5 November 1831 – 19 January 1915) was an Anglo-Indian or Indian-born British travel writer, educator, and social activist.

She became well known with the publication of her memoirs, beginning with The English Governess at the Siamese Court (1870), which chronicled her experiences in Siam (modern Thailand), as teacher to the children of the Siamese King Mongkut. Leonowens's own account was fictionalised in Margaret Landon's best-selling novel Anna and the King of Siam (1944), as well as adaptations for other media such as Rodgers and Hammerstein's 1951 musical The King and I.

During the course of her life, Leonowens also lived in Western Australia, Singapore and Penang, the United States, Canada and Germany. In later life, she was a lecturer of Indology and a suffragist. Among other achievements, she co-founded the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design. Biography at the Dictionary of Canadian Biography Online

Works by Anna Leonowens at Project Gutenberg

Works by or about Anna Leonowens at Internet Archive

Works by Anna Leonowens at LibriVox (public domain audiobooks)

Works by Anna Leonowens at Google Books

Louis T. Leonowens (Thailand) Ltd., the company founded by Leonowens's son

(Thai) "Anna Leonowens: Who says she's a compulsive liar?" - Art and Culture Magazine

(Thai) ""Letter from 'King Mongkut' to 'Anna' from To Dear and the case of 'Son Glin'."". Archived from the original on 19 March 2007. Retrieved 13 July 2006. Art and Culture Magazine, English translation here.

(Thai) "King Mongkut set up 'secret mission' disguising Sir John and Anna, hid Laos in Khmer" - Art and Culture Magazine

(Thai) "King Mongkut's letters to Anna: When Madame Teacher plays political negotiator" - Art and Culture Magazine