This November will mark twenty-seven years since the death of Farrokh Bulsara (1946–1991), known by his stage name of Freddie Mercury. On November 2, 2018, moviegoers will be able to see the anticipated biopic Bohemian Rhapsody starring Rami Malek as Mercury.  The film is on my list of those to view before the year is over. I do not know what to expect from the film but I certainly do hope that the filmmakers accurately portray the events in Mercury’s short but extraordinary life.  When he died on November 24, 1991, the music world mourned the loss of one of its true greats.  Today, if you hear a song by Queen on the radio, you can rest assured that at least several people will be happily singing along, knowing every word to the classic tune.  The longevity of his music is a testament to his genius as a songwriter and the talents of his band.  The world has yet to see another artist that possesses the aura that Mercury did.   Incredibly, for all of his public antics,  the singer was highly private and in fact, the world only learned of his battle with AIDS less than twenty-four hours before his death, through a carefully prepared statement.  In his final moments, he was surrounded by those closest to him, including his partner at the time, Jim Hutton.  Contained within the pages of this book is Hutton’s story of his time with Mercury and life after his death.  Hutton died on died January 1, 2010, from the effects of lung cancer and will not be able to see the film about his former partner when it is released.  But I believe he can rest in peace knowing that even today, Freddie’s fans are still as fascinated by him as they were when Queen was tearing up music charts.

I instantly loved the book once it began and I think the reason for that is Hutton does not talk extensively about Queen or the music business.  On occasion he does mention a new song that Freddie was writing or a hit that was released, but the primary focus is his relationship with Mercury and what made him tick.   Readers uncomfortable with homosexual subject matter might decide to take a pass on the book.  While there are no descriptions of sexual acts, the story is about a gay couple.  Lovers, ex-lovers, domestic issues and the like appear in the book showing the human side of the man deemed by many to be a music God.  Hutton is very direct in his words, possibly because of his Irish roots and Freddie, like most musical genius is not a simple character but multi-dimensional and composed of many traits, some interesting and others amusing. But from Hutton’s words, we can see that to know him was to love him.

If you have decided to read this book or consider reading it, then I take it to mean that you are a fan of Queen or interested in Mercury’s life.  Whichever applies to you, I believe that this book will appreciated.  In comparison with publicity photos and recorded video, this side of Mercury is not from a script but a reality of his very private side filled with shopping sprees, property in multiple countries, lavish parties, the gay scene, a long-term relationship and a love of cats.   To say his life was unorthodox would be an understatement.   Mercury lived on his own terms and every day was a new adventure. The thrills are high and the pace fast but there does come a point in the book where the inevitable appears and it is the part the reader might dread the most.  Roughly about halfway through the book, Mercury’s health begins to become an issue. Hutton,  was not oblivious to Freddie’s lifestyle before they met and even after they became an item.  And during era in which AIDS wreaked havoc on the gay community, mortality became a dark cloud over daily events.  As Mercury makes his descent towards the end, Hutton is there with him and his recollections of those times highlight the devastating effects of AIDS on the human body in the days before advanced drugs kept the virus in the stage of HIV only.  But through it all, Freddie remained stoic, accepting his fate and embracing death as the next phase in his life.  And there to support him was the partner whom he could always trust, his beloved Jim.

If you like this book and have more questions about Mercury’s life, I highly recommend Somebody to Love: The Life, Death and Legacy of Freddie Mercury by Matt Richards and Mark Langthorne.  It will not let you down.

ASIN: B00U8IVOVI