JOSEPHINE The Dazzling Life of Josephine Baker

"She shimmied. She shook. Sparks flew.” Like Josephine Baker herself, Lizan Mitchell's narration dazzles with verve and vivacity. The story of Baker's uninhibited rags-to-riches life is told in poetic, often staccato, sentences that Mitchell delivers with gusto, punctuating the action in a volcanic life that "erupted into the Roaring Twenties." Though Baker’s life was often tumultuous and was marred by the practice of segregation, this upbeat presentation is matched by Mitchell’s theatrical performance. A haven from segregation, Paris was pivotal in Baker's life, and the frequent use of French phrases poses no problem for Mitchell, who delivers them flawlessly. The concluding Artist’s Note will leave listeners yearning for a look at the brightly illustrated companion book. L.T. 2015 Audies Finalist © AudioFile 2014, Portland, Maine [Published: JULY 2014]