Awards
A New York Times Notable Book of the Year.
Synopses & Reviews
Based on twenty years of research and thousands of interviews, this authoritative biography of performer Josephine Baker (1906-1975) provides a candid look at her tempestuous life. Born into poverty in St. Louis, the uninhibited chorus girl became the sensation of Europe and the last century's first black sex symbol. A heroine of the French Resistance in World War II, she entranced figures as diverse as de Gaulle, Tito, Castro, Princess Grace, two popes, and Martin Luther King, Jr. Yet Josephine was also, as one critic put it, a monster who made Joan Crawford look like the Virgin Mary. Jean-Claude Baker's book also reveals her outbursts that resulted in lasting feuds, her imperious treatment of family and entourage members, and her ambivalent attitudes concerning her ethnic background. Reconciling Josephine's many personas Jazz-age icon, national hero of France, proponent of Civil Rights, mother of children from across the globe Josephine: The Hungry Heart gives readers the inside story on a star unlike any other before or since.
Review
"Mesmerizing irresistible perversely fascinating a killer achievement. Here is Josephine stripped of glamour and defenses one of the most paradoxical figures in twentieth-century entertainment." New York Times Book Review
Review
"...an effusive, peppy version of Baker's long and restless professional and personal saga." Publishers Weekly
Review
"Nearly two decades after her death, the legend of Josephine Baker continues to flourish. Subject of a number of books and recent films, 'the most successful music hall performer ever to take the stage'' (according to Ebony magazine) was larger than life: She was the toast of Paris in the 1920s, star of stage and screen in the 1930s, Red Cross volunteer and undercover agent in World War II, participant in the 1963 Civil Rights Movement march on Washington, and star of several farewell (and comeback) tours. Baker adopted 12 children of different races and called them her 'rainbow tribe.' Jean-Claude, 'the 13th of her twelve adopted children,' and Chase have crafted a biography rich in anecdotes and personal recollections of many of her fellow entertainers." Library Journal
Review
"Josephine Baker took Paris by storm as the exotic dancing star of La Revue Negre in 1925. Fifty years, several husbands, hundreds of lovers, 12 adopted children, and many awards (including the French Legion of Honor) later, she wowed her adoring Parisian fans in a retrospective show that proved to be her final curtain. Jean-Claude Baker, who came to love and hate this woman he called 'Mother,' for whom he worked and whose surname he took, tells Josephine's story in absorbing, disquieting detail....Grounding his examination in 20 years of research and thousands of interviews, Baker pushes relentlessly (but not viciously) beyond the glamour and scandal to reveal a woman all the more remarkable and sympathetic for such triumphant perseverance despite her undeniable character flaws. A genuinely fabulous and scholarly book." J. Ellis, Choice
Synopsis
This revelatory biography of Folies Bergere dancer Josephine Baker (1906-1975) is a study of struggle, truimph and tragedy.
Description
Includes bibliographical references (p. [505]-512) and index.
About the Author
Jean-Claude Baker spent years with his "second mother" Josephine Baker and her family on tour in Europe and America. Currently owner of the restaurant Chez Josephine, he lives in New York City.
Chris Chase also lives in New York City.