Anna and the King

By Elizabeth Hand

Book Overview

Arriving in Siam as governess to the King's royal children, the recently widowed Anna brings with her a fiercely independent spirit, a passion for justice, and a hidden loneliness. As Anna learns more about her exotic students and their proud, handsome father, the ancient, exotic land of Siam approaches a critical moment in history. fighting to keep his equal -- and more. In Anna and the King, the world will rediscover the "almost true" story of love, loyality, and loss that has moved generations to gentle smiles and bittersweet tears.

• Format: Mass Market Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0061020451
• ISBN13: 9780061020452
• Release Date: December 1999
• Publisher: HarperEntertainment
• Length: 304 Pages
• Weight: 0.35 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 4.2" x 6.8"

Customer Reviews

BETTER THAN THE MOVIE!

My aunt bought this used for 50 cents from Half Priced Books and gave it to me. I had a hard time getting into the story right away and stoped midway. Last year I picked it up again and read the whole thing! It is great! After I finished it I rented the movie and was very dissipointed in it. It is much better as a book! It instantly became my favorite book! I read it again this year and loved it even more! Yes this is a book writen from the screenplay so you don't like the movie you might not like it. But I do! This is a relly good book and should be considired! It is great! Much better than the movie!

a superb recreation

You may remember Rex Harrison and Irene Dunne or Yul Brynner and Deborah Kerr in the pivotal roles of this story. Now, Jodie Foster and Chow Yun-Fat are lighting up the screen in the Twentieth Century Fox remake. Fiona Hutchinson, popular star of television's "The Guiding Light," does more than light up the audio version of this romantic and exciting tale that has captured the hearts of generations. Hutchinson superbly recreates Anna, the strong and passionate woman who not only impacts a king but a country as well.

A PERFECT companion to the movie

For those of us who have seen 'Anna and the King' (the best movie ever made:) and left the theater wanting more, more, more, go get this book. I did. I'm quite familiar with movie novelazations, and Elizabeth Hand did a great job. Not many can do justice to the movie, or vice versa, but I can't believe how good this book is. It's a MUST for 'Anna' fanatics, because the book details a lot of scenes that had to be cut from the movie for length, gos into what the characters are feeling, describes rooms, everything the screens couldn't show.. I am SO reccomending this to everybody. My copy is worn and tattered now, I carry it around and pretty much have it memorized! Do yourself a favor, 'Anna' fiends such as myself, check this book out!!

Anna and the King : Novelization

I enjoyed the book (and the movie immensely). The scene setting and the flow of the story, including the development of characters are well established. Being a Thai, I have to point out, however, that the story is 95% fiction. But I do believe it will help encourage people to do their own research about Thailand. Good entertainment!

More than a required book for me

I'm an 8th grader who had to read a historical fiction book. i chose this one just because i like to read books and then go see their movies. i really enjoyed it. my fave parts of the book were when anna said amazing witty comments. although as a british woman she wasn't suppose to be so much, she truly was. she proved to the story that she was like a man's equal. i thought it had a really kewl plot. it kept me reading as well as on the edge of my seat. not overly predictable either. i would recommend this even to the people who have seen the play or movie. another item i liked about the book was how they would have siamees words in italics and then give their definition. that was kinda kewl. i learned a few words. well i gtg type my book report now. i hope you'll like the book as much as i do.........