“The most sensational woman anybody ever saw. Or ever will.” Ernest Hemingway describing Josephine Baker. Josephine Baker was admitted to the Pantheon of France’s great and famous in Paris on 30th November 2021 in recognition of her work for the French Resistance and for her Civil Rights work.This novel, biographical fiction is based primarily during WW2 when she was recruited as a spy by … recruited as a spy by France’s intellegence service.
Born into poverty in a racially segregated America, Josephine Baker flees to France where she embraces the hedonistic and liberal lifestyle available to the daring in “Roaring Twenties’ Paris.
With Hitler’s rise to power in Germany she is forced to face her true self and bravely declares ’ I am ready to give my life for France.’
Determined to protect the Liberty, Equality and Fraternity she has become accustomed to in France, Josephine becomes an ‘honorable correspondent’ for the Deuxieme Bureau, so begining a journey which will take her from the Red Cross Shelters of Paris, to the cruel deserts of North Africa. She finds love with her charismatic spy-master, and enduring friendships but she also faces dangers which threaten not only her life but all she holds dear.
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A very apt book depicting the life of Josephine Baker. This was a good read and extremely thought-provoking. This was a fab read and definitely one I would recommend.
Josephine Baker is a fascinating woman who had the chutzpah to rise far above her raising and become not only a famous singer and dancer but a true to life hero. I was familiar with her story so when the opportunity arose to read this book, I was truly excited and the author did not disappoint. Written in a clear and easy format, there is no mistaking what the author has to say. She pulled few punches. Ms. McGinness’s description of Josephine’s early life was enough to just about make you ill. Life as one of the disenfranchised, poverty-stricken Black Americans in the early 1900s was horrific. No wonder Josephine wanted out! When she took a chance and moved to France where they were much more open-minded with their motto of Liberty, Equality, and Fraternity, she truly came into her own. The author did a spectacular job, however, of showing that it was not all sunshine and roses. The final straw was the response of the hate-filled Nazi soldiers to the fact that she was not part of the Arian race that I believe fueled her decision to join the French Intelligence Service. Some of her experiences were real nail-biters and the author kept me on the edge of my seat throughout this significant portion of the book. In the end, I was truly glad I had read it.
Is this a book for everyone? Absolutely not. Semi nudity and very loose morals are depicted plus although it did indeed happen, not everyone is up for the depictions of the atrocities committed by the KKK or the Nazis so choose wisely. Would I recommend it as a fantastic example of the strength of the human spirit, a powerful woman who did her part to change the world and an excellent piece of literature? Absolutely! Thank you, Ms. McGinness, for a wonderful book!
5
Disclaimer
I receive complimentary books from publishers, publicists, and/or authors, including NetGalley. I am not required to write positive reviews. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.
JOSEPHINE: SINGER DANCER SOLDIER SPY is an amazing Historical Fiction Novel about the inimitable Josephine Baker.
I knew very little about her amazing life and this fictional story about real life events really opened my eyes to the life of this wonderful and brave woman. The bravery she showed during the second World War and for the French Resistance really left me in awe.
Josephine Baker grew up in America at a time when the country was racially segregated and KKK activities were rampant. As a child, where an infected foot where an amputation was threatened, she could have had a different course in her life. But that was not in her future. She was meant to do so much more. Josephine moves to France where she becomes a very rich and famous entertainer in the midst of the roaring twenties. Her popularity was put to use to aid her adopted country during the time Hitler is rising into power.
McGinness wrote with such detail in this well researched historical fiction novel. I was taken back in time with her rich and vivid detail of the time and of Josephine Baker’s heroic feats of courage and bravery for an important cause. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book that had me hooked from the very first page. Well done in this amazing story of a woman everyone should read about.
biography, France, historical-fiction, historical-figures, historical-places-events, historical-research, dance, spies
Josephine’s beginnings are brought out in disgusting clarity portraying the horrors that irrationally frightened men do to others and make it exceptionally clear that it was not just fame and fortune that pushed her to leave the US, but a desire for freedom that she could not find in the country of her birth. Of course, her need to dance and aspects of her career are clearly presented, but not as the only important part of her legacy. Time is spent on how well she was treated in her adopted country and how that impacted her need to work to protect France from the evils of Nazism in any way possible and at any personal cost, including capture, torture, and death as a spy. As this is fictionalized biographical history, there is significant time spent on her private life and is appropriate to the story. I knew that she had been decorated as a war hero by France and that she had been a spy for the Resistance, but this book made it more real. Not a book to be missed!
I requested and received a free ebook copy from BooksGoSocial via NetGalley. Thank you!
Josephine Baker, nee McDonald was born into a large family in the early 1900’s. She was born into a United States that was still heavy with racism and nearing a War. Being the first born, she was soon put to work to help support her family, Josephine knew she did not want this type of lifestyle and was born for greater things. She often dreams of theater, song and dance.
Josephine was also often treated differently, she was not as dark colored as her siblings and there had been times when she was treated with a little higher of a standard than what she should have been. Back then no one ever said anything, and her mother always quickly shut her up when she inquired about her being different.
Josephine loses a good job as a domestic to a family that has treated her well and her mother has about had it with her, and soon she is married off to a man, meanwhile she is hardly on the brink of womanhood. Through this marriage she soon starts with a family band and begins the start of her career.
As a young marriage often does, it fell apart and not too long after she marries a Baker, and from here on her fame grows. She decides to take up an opportunity that sounds too good to be true and heads to France. France feels like home, she is not segregated, looked down on, called names, made to feel worthless. Here she really feels and understands what true freedom is, no matter the color of your skin.
Josephine becomes a huge household name, and people flock to see her preform. But her biggest performances will be yet to come and not any performance Josephine could have ever imagined. It is suggested to her that she become a spy and gain intelligent information, if anyone can do it, it can be her. She has charm, and charisma that every man wants a piece of.
Josephine becomes entangled into a tumultuous affair, and learns just how quickly she loves the feel of being a spy. Being able to gain information that will help save people makes her feel more useful than when she preforms. Not too long ago she was one of those who was ostracized, and because of that she is the perfect person to complete these missions.
She learned to use her control over men to help benefit those who were being persecuted for their religious belief during WWII. Knowing how that felt to be singled out, she did everything in her power to complete every mission mentioned to her, yet was still in the spotlight and no one had a clue as to her secret work. What an amazing woman!
Thank you to Eilidh McGinness and HFVBT for the opportunity to read and review Josephine! I loved learning about another heroin who helped win the war, meanwhile being front and center and no one knew- very interesting read!
Thank you HFVBT and the author for a complimentary copy. I voluntarily reviewed this book. All opinions expressed are my own.
Josephine: Singer Dancer Soldier Spy
By: Eilidh McGinness
*REVIEW*
Josephine Baker is a name many will recognize, but what of the persona, the women, behind the name? Who was Josephine, and what was her role within historical context? In her latest work, Eilidh McGinness weaves fact and fiction together to create a cohesive portrait of the life of Josephine Baker. Born into poverty, segregation and despair, Josephine escaped this hopeless life and fled to France where she found a place among society and a true calling. Josephine was not afraid of the risque, of pushing the limits, of daring to be exactly whom she wanted to be, and ultimately, of fighting for a cause worthy of life itself, joining the French resistance as WWII unfolded in Europe. I began this story knowing very little about Josephine Baker. She was a courageous, controversial woman ahead of her time, and this depiction of her life is compelling, insightful, informative and astonishing. A must read for historical fiction enthusiasts!