HEART ON FIRE. THE TURBULENT LIFE OF JOSEPHINE BAKER - ELŻBIETA SIERADZIŃSKA

Discover the fascinating story of Josephine Baker, an icon of the 20th century, in a captivating biography by Elżbieta Sieradzińska. This book is not only a story about the life of an artist, but also about her fight for equality, freedom and justice. Immerse yourself in the kaleidoscope of worlds, eras and identities that shaped this extraordinary woman.

• A full-blooded story about an artist who made life an art of struggle, provocation and love.
• A biography of an icon who became a symbol of artistic freedom, courage and empathy.
• A kaleidoscope of worlds, eras and identities that shaped Josephine Baker.
• A story about a woman who was rebellious, plagued by contradictions, and yet always true to herself.
• An inspiring story about the fight for equality, freedom and justice.
• A meeting with figures such as Charles de Gaulle, Jackie Kennedy, Grace Kelly, Charlie Chaplin, Fidel Castro and Frida Kahlo.

Elżbieta Sieradzińska, the author of biographies of extraordinary women, passionately pays tribute to Baker's complexity. She shows her as a child of the slums of St. Louis who rose to fame as a revue dancer and singer, the first black celebrity of global reach. We meet her as a stage scandal in Paris and a muse of masters of the avant-garde such as Picasso or Le Corbusier.

However, behind the stage glitter there was also a fighting woman: a member of the French resistance movement, an agent of counterintelligence, an officer of Free France, an anti-racist activist, an idealist who deeply believed in the brotherhood of people regardless of race or religion. Her life is a constant struggle for a better world in which diversity does not divide, but enriches.

Baker's biography is also a story about her "rainbow family" - twelve adopted children of different nationalities, which became a living manifesto of human equality. She passionately collected exotic animals and even larger crowds of admirers. This book is a study of a fascinating and strong woman who shapes her life with determination, courage and passion.

Heart on Fire is a portrait of a fascinating, complicated woman and the times in which she lived. Elżbieta Sieradzińska paints it so that you can almost touch Josephine. This is a must-read for anyone who appreciates inspiring stories about people who have changed the world.

The book has 592 pages and is published in 168x236 mm format with a paperback cover by Marginesy Publishing House in 2025.