October is Women’s History Month in Canada, so I have been saving this book. Josephine Baker is one of the most impressive figures of the twentieth century. In addition to helping aid the French Resistance during the Second World War, she was the first black woman to have a leading role in a major motion picture and was named a Chevalier of the French Legion of Honour. Agent Josephine by Damien Lewis is a new biography that looks at Baker and how many incredible things she accomplished.
Thank you to NetGalley for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
Agent Josephine: American Beauty, French Hero, British Spy, Damien Lewis
Prior to World War II, Josephine Baker was a music-hall diva renowned for her singing and dancing, her beauty and sexuality; she was the highest-paid female performer in Europe. When the Nazis seized her adopted city, Paris, she was banned from the stage, along with all “negroes and Jews.” Yet instead of returning to America, she vowed to stay and to fight the Nazi evil. Overnight, she went from performer to Resistance spy.
In Agent Josephine, bestselling author Damien Lewis uncovers this little-known history of the famous singer’s life. During the war years, as a member of the French Nurse paratroopers—a cover for her spying work—Baker participated in numerous clandestine activities and emerged as a formidable spy. In turn, she was a hero of the three countries in whose name she served—the US, France, and Britain.
Drawing on a plethora of new historical material and rigorous research, including previously undisclosed letters and journals, Lewis upends the conventional story of Josephine Baker, explaining why she fully deserves her unique place in the French Panthéon.
Why You Should Read This…
I admit, my knowledge of Josephine Baker was largely limited to her theatre work. However, while her work in the theatre and entertainment business is impressive in its own right, her life was so much more than that. As someone who doesn’t read a lot on the Second World War (or any wars, If I am being honest), I was entirely unaware of how much she did to help the French Resistance. (Much like Christian Dior’s sister, Catherine Dior.)
Lewis’ research is solid, and he has clearly gone into the archives. A lot of popular history relies on other studies and biographies, which is not inherently bad, but I appreciate that Lewis put so much time into archival research. And there is nothing to worry on the readability front- I was not able to put this one down!
Is Agent Josephine on your to-read list?
Cheers,
The Historian
Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Pinterest
