Peter Clenott

A beautifully illustrated biography of the iconic lead singer of the British rock band, Queen. The music of Queen and powerhouse lead singer Freddie Mercury are best experienced with the volume turned all the way up. Alfonso Casas’s Freddie Mercury delivers a sonorous homage to the formidable singer and the turning points that produced a game-changing body of music that continues to inspire fans around the globe. First published in Spain and now available worldwide, this luminous work covers Freddie’s three “births:” his birth as Farrokh Bulsara in Zanzibar; his adoption of the last name of Mercury and the launch of Queen with Brian May and Roger Taylor; and the emergence of the lasting legend after Freddie’s death at the age of forty-five. Casas’s evocative illustrations highlight the key moments in the singer’s transformation from child prodigy to superstar, bringing to life the bold innovator who broke free of his conventional upbringing. Chronicling events from Freddie’s marriage to Mary Austin and early fame in London’s 1970s glam scene, to the making of multiple megahits (including the six-minute chart-topper “Bohemian Rhapsody”), to his final years in a lasting relationship with Jim Hutton, Freddie Mercury is an exhilarating, poignant portrait of a creative genius who lived life to the hilt. “Through Casas’ evocative and vibrant illustrations, [Freddie Mercury] tells the story of Freddie Mercury’s three “births:” from his childhood, growing up as Farrokh Bulsara in Tanzania, to Queen’s launch to his death at 45.” —Alcalde “A beautifully illustrated biography of Freddie Mercury . . . Casas lovingly presents a creative take on the life of Freddie Mercury through the use of dozens of vibrant drawings.” —OutWord Magazine “[Freddie Mercury] is an appealingly modest book: Casas aims to let Mercury shine, but his striking illustrations shine in their own right as well.” —The Current