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Mercury: An Intimate Biography of Freddie Mercury Audiobook
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(3.04) - 413 listener ratings
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Publisher Description
As lead vocalist for the iconic rock band Queen, Freddie Mercury's unmatched skills as a songwriter and his flamboyant showmanship made him a superstar and Queen a household name. But despite his worldwide fame, few people ever really glimpsed the man behind the glittering façade.
Now, more than twenty years after his death, those closest to Mercury are finally opening up about this pivotal figure in rock 'n' roll. Based on more than a hundred interviews with key figures in his life, Mercury offers the definitive account of one man's legendary life in the spotlight and behind the scenes. Rock journalist Lesley-Ann Jones gained unprecedented access to Mercury's tribe, and she details Queen's slow but steady rise to fame and Mercury's descent into dangerous, pleasure-seeking excesses— this was, after all, a man who once declared, "Darling, I'm doing everything with everyone."
In her journey to understand Mercury, Jones traveled to London, Zanzibar, and India—talking with everyone from Mercury's closest friends to the sound engineer at Band Aid (who was responsible for making Queen even louder than the other bands) to second cousins halfway around the world. In the process, an intimate and complicated portrait emerges. Meticulously researched, sympathetic yet not sensational, Mercury offers an unvarnished look at the extreme highs and lows of life in the fast lane. At the heart of this story is a man—and the music he loved.
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"A well written biography on Freddie Mercury that spans his life/career without being sensationalistic or gossipy. A pretty well rounded depiction of his persona with great insights from many who were close to him."
— Margarita (4 out of 5 stars)
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“Jones documents the band's rise to international superstardom and digs deep into Mercury’s past via 100 new interviews with those closest to Mercury…A must-read for any Mercury, Queen or rock fan…a truly intimate portrait.”
— Hollywood Reporter -
“Mercury goes beyond the glittering façade to get an unvarnished look at Queen’s rise to fame, the loves of Mercury’s life and his fraught relationship with his conservative past, creating a complete portrait of this magnetic musician.”
— MetroSource -
“In Mercury, Lesley-Ann has gone out of her way to make sure the full array of Freddie is captured in the book with honesty, accuracy and impartiality. You get the good and the bad, just like Freddie wanted.”
— High Voltage
Mercury Listener Reviews
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" Loved this book. Great read for all rock nerds. "
— Margo, 2/17/2014 -
" Iets te veel opdreunen van feiten, namen en gebeurtenissen, maar zonder meer een boeiend verhaal over een boeiend icoon uit de rock/pop-geschiedenis. "
— Inge, 2/12/2014 -
" A little hard to keep track of dates and a lot of names to remember, but otherwise a brilliant book and a very touching account of Freddie's life. "
— Katy, 2/10/2014 -
" Lesley-Ann Jones wrote a thoughtful, engrossing book about Freddie. Highly interesting were the sections about Freddie and Barbara Valentin. "
— Cindy, 2/1/2014 -
" interesting new biography of the lead singer of queen by interviewing members of the band and people who knew the man and also from old interviews from freddie mercury himself "
— Stephen, 1/18/2014 -
" Wanted to know more about Freddie Mercury, and this book satisfied that demand. Very little insight as to his musical genius, though. Most of the book is made of up quotations and accounts of the varying relationships Mr. Mercury carried on and maintained. "
— Andrew, 1/14/2014 -
" Great read, but VERY detailed so I skimmed some parts "
— Lynn, 1/8/2014 -
" I wanted to love this book. But the writing style of the author prohibited it. "
— Tonya, 12/6/2013 -
" Was able to get my hands on this yesterday at my local Barnes and Noble and it is the best biography about Freddie Mercury to date! "
— Laurel, 10/21/2013 -
" Superbly written and provides fascinating insight to the man and the band. "
— Beth, 10/16/2013 -
" Great Man, Great Artist, Great Voice... Sad Ending "
— Mariam, 8/27/2013 -
" I love Queen, but didn't know too much about them. Very interesting life Freddie lead. I was surprised by most of it. "
— Kendra, 1/10/2013 -
" A fascinating, richly detailed biography on Freddie Mercury. If you've even been a fan of Queen, or Freddie Mercury, this is a must read with a lot of small tidbits about both that I bet you never knew. "
— Linda, 10/27/2012 -
" An interesting biography about an interesting musical icon who had an interesting life. A must read for Queen fans. "
— Ginny, 10/2/2012 -
" Felt like a casual acquaintance posing as an intimate. Also, considering there were so many people quoted in the text, some source notes would be expected. "
— Walter, 8/13/2012 -
" So-so biography. There was very little new information, and way too much of the author's thoughts, emotions, etc. I would've preferred more of Freddie, less of Lesley-Ann. As it is, a quick, fluffy read. "
— Amy, 7/16/2012 -
" How could anyone go wrong when the subject of their book is the charismatic Freddie Mercury? Tears in the eyes when the end of his life came - have recommended it to many. "
— Amber, 7/7/2012 -
" An insightful, completely engrossing portrait of the Queen frontman and quintessential rock star. "
— Edward, 6/28/2012
About Lesley-Ann Jones
Lesley-Ann Jones is a British biographer, novelist, broadcaster, and keynote speaker. She honed her craft as a newspaper journalist on London’s Fleet Street. She is the author of The Search for John Lennon; Bohemian Rhapsody: The Definitive Biography of Freddie Mercury; and Hero: David Bowie, among others. She has interviewed many of the world’s most-loved artists, including Mick Jagger, Paul McCartney, Madonna, and Prince, often forming lifelong friendships with her subjects.
About Jane Collingwood
Jane Collingwood is an actress, voice-over artist, and audiobook narratior.