Josephine Baker was everything shy and quiet and I love it. I think because there were no cellphones and social media around during Baker’s era, I just assumed that many of the pioneers were timid, mindful and kept to themselves. Though there are many that were like that, there were also many who were not like that. Josephine traveled the world, met many people, danced on many stages, and lived many lives. It was refreshing to hear that the hardships was not always hard. There was some glory and happiness in the midst of the storm. Paris seemed like a perfect place for many black people during this time and I’m glad that Josephine was able to live her life happily there.

What an incredibly powerful book! I feel strangely reassured by the realization that everything we're dealing in the world rn is in fact nothing new, and has been going on since generations, and still people manage to endure and persist and even thrive at times. Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for giving me exactly what I needed rn.

I received a copy of the book, "Fearless and Free" By Josephine Baker from Netgalley. This book comes from over 20 of interviews she had with a french interviewer. She speaks with this man talking of her life. She was born in the USA in St Louis Mo. she was very poor. Learned to dance. she experienced racism in the USA and went to France when she was in her twenties. Over twenty years she talks with same man describing her love of Paris and traveling all over Europe entertaining. she talks of her experiences in each country both good and bad. She talks of her year during world War 2 and her health problems. She went back to the USA in the later 1940s only to go back to the racism that was still here and the horrible treatment she endured. She talks some of her performances. She was famous for dancing and the charleston. She talks of some of the famous people she has met. It was nice to read this book and learn more about Josephine Baker in her own words.

I was fortunate to be able to see Siren of the Tropics on the big screen at the Ebertfest Film Festival, with music added by the Alloy Orchestra. The film had its flaws and was a product of its time, but what I left the theater thinking, was that you could not take your eyes off Josephine Baker from start to finish. She is magnetic, beautiful, and an enormously talented dancer.

After reading her memoir, I enjoyed reading some behind the scenes information about filiming the movie, and hearing about her perspective. I am so impressed with her service during WWII, her travels, and her command of so many languages as well as love of animals. She is a tremendous person who was not appreciated in the US as much as in France. I learned a lot from reading her memoirs and really enjoyed getting a fuller perspective of Josephine Baker.