As a man, King Bhumibol Adulyadej has displayed a remarkable range of talents. He is a gifted musician and composer, particularly in the field of jazz. Indeed, one of his songs was featured in a Broadway musical in the early 1950’s, and such masters as Benny Goodman and Lionel Hampton have acknowledged his skills. He was an enthusiastic sailor in the early years of his rule and won the Southeast Asia Peninsula Games gold medal in 1967. In addition, he can point to impressive achievements in the fields of painting, photography, and engineering. Thanks to his international education and upbringing, he is fluent in three European languages and at ease in a variety of cultures. Undoubtedly, though, posterity will remember him most for his accomplishments as leader of the Thai nation during a critical period in its history.