Beloved African American entertainer, Josephine Baker, thrilled Paris with her evocative dance performances during the roaring 20s and 30s. Her famous (and infamous) life has been well documented through books, film and music.

But Ean Wood’s latest book, “The Josephine Baker Story,” makes every attempt, literally, to cloud Baker’s ambience.

Actually, the book is induced with unnecessary information and it’s riddled with grammatical errors that would throw a third grade teacher into a euphoric fury. Commas, quotations, periods and dangling modifiers are visually spotted and often (in and) out of alignment.

It’s clearly revealing that Wood is an Englishman since he used flamboyant words and phrases. Nonetheless, Sanctuary Publishing Limited, published a book that has the characteristics of a rough draft.

Born Freda Josephine McDonald, in St. Louis, June 3,1906, Baker graced the stage with the Dixie Steppers at the age of 14. In the first chapter, Wood began explaining Baker’s upbringing in St. Louis, and then he drifts into the physical make-up of the city.

After experiencing success with the steppers, she performed in productions such as “Chocolate Dandies” and “Shuffle Along.”

In 1925, Baker left the U.S. for France with the black vaudevillesque “La Revue Negre.” She never turned back.

In Paris, Baker won the hearts of Parisians with her animalistic dancing and extravagant personality. She performed at the Les Folies Bergere and wore exotic costumes that catered to her movement. In essence, Baker had a natural way of liberating her sexuality. Wood either dismissed this important subject in Baker’s career or he failed to research and expand the matter.

For her valiant efforts during World War II, Baker was awarded the Legion of Merit and Medal of Resistance for obtaining information for the French Military Intelligence. Again, Wood provides sketchy details about Baker’s military issues and humanitarian actions (La Baker adopted 12 children from different racial and religious backgrounds).

There are some disturbing items in the book about Baker, especially her struggles in dealing with social barriers that plagued her racially.

She was either too ‘light-skinned’ for her mother or too black to perform in ‘white clubs’ in America.

At least Wood’s book is physically attractive and it has a provocative photo of Baker (that is a little too risque for the State Hornet). Content-wise, it?s a rhetoric disaster and not worth collecting dust on a bookshelf.