Mercury: An Intimate Biography of Freddie Mercury Audiobook, by Lesley-Ann Jones Play Audiobook Sample

Mercury: An Intimate Biography of Freddie Mercury Audiobook

Mercury: An Intimate Biography of Freddie Mercury Audiobook, by Lesley-Ann Jones Play Audiobook Sample
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Read By: Jane Collingwood Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio Listen Time: at 1.0x Speed 8.17 hours at 1.5x Speed 6.13 hours at 2.0x Speed Release Date: July 2012 Format: Unabridged Audiobook ISBN: 9781442357488

Quick Stats About this Audiobook

Total Audiobook Chapters:

28

Longest Chapter Length:

43:34 minutes

Shortest Chapter Length:

59 seconds

Average Chapter Length:

26:02 minutes

Audiobooks by this Author:

3

Other Audiobooks Written by Lesley-Ann Jones: > View All...

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)

Quotes

  • “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

Overall Performance: 3.83333333333333 out of 53.83333333333333 out of 53.83333333333333 out of 53.83333333333333 out of 53.83333333333333 out of 5 (3.83)
5 Stars: 6
4 Stars: 6
3 Stars: 4
2 Stars: 1
1 Stars: 1
Narration: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5 (0.00)
5 Stars: 0
4 Stars: 0
3 Stars: 0
2 Stars: 0
1 Stars: 0
Story: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5 (0.00)
5 Stars: 0
4 Stars: 0
3 Stars: 0
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1 Stars: 0
Write a Review
  • Overall Performance: 4 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 5

    " Loved this book. Great read for all rock nerds. "

    — Margo, 2/17/2014
  • Overall Performance: 3 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 5

    " 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
  • Overall Performance: 4 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 5

    " 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
  • Overall Performance: 5 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 5

    " Lesley-Ann Jones wrote a thoughtful, engrossing book about Freddie. Highly interesting were the sections about Freddie and Barbara Valentin. "

    — Cindy, 2/1/2014
  • Overall Performance: 3 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 5

    " 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
  • Overall Performance: 3 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 5

    " 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
  • Overall Performance: 4 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 5

    " Great read, but VERY detailed so I skimmed some parts "

    — Lynn, 1/8/2014
  • Overall Performance: 3 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 5

    " I wanted to love this book. But the writing style of the author prohibited it. "

    — Tonya, 12/6/2013
  • Overall Performance: 5 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 5

    " 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
  • Overall Performance: 4 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 5

    " Superbly written and provides fascinating insight to the man and the band. "

    — Beth, 10/16/2013
  • Overall Performance: 5 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 5

    " Great Man, Great Artist, Great Voice... Sad Ending "

    — Mariam, 8/27/2013
  • Overall Performance: 4 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 5

    " 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
  • Overall Performance: 5 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 5

    " 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
  • Overall Performance: 5 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 5

    " An interesting biography about an interesting musical icon who had an interesting life. A must read for Queen fans. "

    — Ginny, 10/2/2012
  • Overall Performance: 1 out of 51 out of 51 out of 51 out of 51 out of 5

    " 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
  • Overall Performance: 2 out of 52 out of 52 out of 52 out of 52 out of 5

    " 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
  • Overall Performance: 5 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 5

    " 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
  • Overall Performance: 4 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 5

    " 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 LennonBohemian 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.