Spirit Rising: My Life, My Music

Grammy Award-winning singer Anglique Kidjo is known for her electrifying voice and fearless advocacy work In this intimate memoir she reveals how she escaped Communist Africa to make her dreams a reality and how shes prompting others all around the world to reach for theirs as wellBorn in the West African nation of Benin Anglique Kidjo grew up surrounded by the rich sounds rhythms and storytelling of traditional Beninese culture When the Communists took over they silenced her dynamic culture and demanded that she sing in praise of them In Spirit Rising My Life My Music Anglique reveals the details of her dangerous escape into France and how she rose from poverty to become a Grammy Awardwinning artist and an international sensation at the top of Billboards World Albums chart She also explains why its important to give back by sharing stories from her work as a UNICEF ambassador and as founder of the Batonga Foundation which gives African girls access to educationDesmond Tutu has contributed the foreword to this remarkable volume Alicia Keys has provided an introduction Her eloquent inspiring narrative is paired with more than one hundred colorful photographs documenting Angliques life and experiences as well as a sampling of recipes that has sustained her on her remarkable odyssey.