Peter's or Jim's book

Fairy 14.10.2005 07:43	Hi guys, to those of you who have read both, which one you think is better? I'm mostly interested in Freddie's thoughts and feelings rather than in lists of facts like about Queen's tours, etc. Which one should I read first? OK I know they're both worth reading! Thanks!
tia 14.10.2005 08:14	I would get both. Both books talk about Freddies thoughts and feelings but from two different kind of relationships.
Serry... 14.10.2005 08:54	Peter's. He knew Freddie for more years than Jim did -> more facts.
Fenderek 14.10.2005 09:05	Peter. More tactfull. He maybe doesn't give Freddie's thoughts exactly (as noone apart from Freddie could) but you can read between the lines reallya lot! I always thought Jim's book was a little bit... like cashing in on Freddie...? I dunno- I prefer Peter's. That's it :)
Saint Jiub 14.10.2005 23:30	Jim's - Peter's book went on and on about inconsequential stuff.
flash00. 15.10.2005 00:08	i have read both and there great books, and yes i agree they each give a different insight into freddie, peter really goes in depth of freddie's home which is good and imo a lot about they gay life in the early eightie's, jims goes in detail about there affair and a little too much on the personal side of freddie which we all know freddie wouldn't of liked he also imo goes on a lot about materialistic things which could also give a little in sight into jim etc.. but they are incredibly sad at the end and i must say there both great reads, why not read peters first then later get hold of a used copy of jims book off amazon or something, i've got loads of books from over the years, those two are the closest we will get to knowing what makes freddie tick, sorry for not pointing to one book, xx
Lisser 15.10.2005 00:21	Neither one is better than the other in my opinion, both are great. They both approach Freddie from two different angles and understandably so. Read both.
john bodega 15.10.2005 05:41	I've not read either of them. Send me both! :P
its_a_hard_life 15.10.2005 07:36	Zebonka12 wrote: I've not read either of them. Send me both! :P LOL :P
its_a_hard_life 15.10.2005 07:37	Fairy wrote: Hi guys, to those of you who have read both, which one you think is better? I'm mostly interested in Freddie's thoughts and feelings rather than in lists of facts like about Queen's tours, etc. Which one should I read first? OK I know they're both worth reading! Thanks! Read both.
Serry... 15.10.2005 07:49	Zebonka12 wrote: I've not read either of them. Send me both! :P You forgot to mention that CD with 'Face It Alone' is welcome too :-P
john bodega 15.10.2005 07:56	Hah, i thought the Face it Alone thing was common knowledge, and that I didn't have to remind anyone! Well here it is... When you send me my books, please enclose a CD of Face it Alone. Signed by Brian May.
Fairy 15.10.2005 08:29	OK thanks guys for your replies. OK I'll read both! :-) Have a great day
corades 15.10.2005 15:17	How do you, guys and gals think - would Freddie approve these books if he was alive?
Serry... 15.10.2005 16:08	They would never write such books if Freddie was alive
corades 15.10.2005 16:53	I think Freddie would kill them for writing such things about him. And I bet Peter and Jim knew what his attitude would be if they revealed such things about him. But they didn't care.
Little_Queenie 15.10.2005 17:10	I really doubt they would do something what they knew would really hurt Freddie's feelings. Don't you think it's little pretentious to claim that those men would do anything what Freddie would kill them for if he was alive? I mean, after all they actually lived with Freddie and loved him, Peter especially as they were long term friends. I really don't believe that they don't give a damn...
Rompez 15.10.2005 17:30	Little_Queenie wrote: Peter especially as they were long term friends. I really don't believe that they don't give a damn... Somehow I don't believe that Freestone was a close friend of Freddie... He was a SERVANT, and because of that he knows a lot of facts of Freddie’s private live. And so what? There was interview of Freddie’s driver witch was posted somewhere here sometime ago. And he was also acting like he was Freddie's friend... I think it's only money or attempt of "getting glory for 15 minutes" and nothing more. Feestone's book remainds me some kind of yellow press. Freinds don't write such things.
corades 15.10.2005 17:34	I think that Freddie wouldn't appreciate that someone wrote how he wet his pants when dying, or how he was about sex, or how he used drugs or had fights with his lovers. Maybe I am wrong, but while reading these books I had a strong feeling that Freddie wouldn't like the fact that his fan reads such things about him.
Rompez 15.10.2005 17:35	Exactly!
corades 15.10.2005 18:17	Just think, HOW real friends could do that to him? Knowing, that Freddie was in rage when Prenter betrayed him, for example? Knowing, that he wanted his privacy first of all? They knew pefrectly well how Freddie would react to such books, but still wrote them. Is it friendship? Is it love?
Freddie's #1 Fan Forever 15.10.2005 18:32	Hi, I have read both of the books. They will tell you a lot of things that you did not already know about Freddie. However, I sometimes felt that they did not focus enough on personality and music- related topics. Neither book really discusses Freddie the musician. The "Mercury and Me" book has a lot of long descriptions of stuff that Freddie bought on various shopping trips. There are probably more interesting things that could have filled these pages. I'm also not sure if Freddie would like it that certain very private facts are revealed. But if you are a huge Freddie fan like I am, you pretty much have to get both of them.
deleted user 16.10.2005 00:07	corades wrote: How do you, guys and gals think - would Freddie approve these books if he was alive? Freddie would probably be a little embarrased but he would soon laugh it off. When I read the Peter Freestone one I start laughing out loud because you picture Freddie doing the things it says in your head. Haha.
john bodega 16.10.2005 00:29	I can't imagine Freddie smacking his hands together going "YAY, finally everyone will know that my last words were 'Pee, Pee". It's just not pleasant stuff and I don't know that he'd approve. Having said that, there are interesting bits in both books (I don't own 'em but I've read samples). I suppose the less-flattering parts of the books (like the one I mentioned above) can be seen as ultimate proof that you really should all practise safe sex - unless you want to wind up weeing yourself and dying from pneumonia. There can be no harsher example I guess :( Especially when it's my favourite singer.
corades 16.10.2005 04:31	Actually, I prefer to have read both of these books, rather then not to have read them, because they contain a lot of interesting info about Freddie. But I thought, how sad is that these two people, who claim that they really loved Freddie, wrote the things that I think would hurt Freddie's feelings immensely. And I keep wondering- why Jim and Peter wrote their books? If they wanted to deal somehow with Freddie's death and to honor his memory, then why had they written the details that they knew would hurt Freddie? Why they couldn't do without them? I don't think their books would lose much is they left those details out. Probably they are just such kind of people who naturally can't be tactful. Imagine for a second that Freddie is alive and had just read these books. What would say to them? I don't think that Freddie didn't care about the impression and feelings of his fans.I wish there was a book that contains all the good stuff that Peter and Jim's books have, but without some details which are unpleasant to the readers and hurtful for Freddie. And I whish such a book also contained more info about Freddie as a musician. By the way, I've heard somewhere that Queen tried to sue Jim for his book. Is it true?
Fairy 16.10.2005 05:34	I think this is one of the reasons why I'm so uncertain about getting these books. Somehow I'm not sure about Peter's and Jim's good faith. Did they do it for money or out of love for Freddie? But I guess we will never know. I wonder why Mary never wrote a book on Freddie. Is she maybe more respectful to him than the others? But after all, someone should write Freddie's bio. About the intimate details they reveal, well, many fans like to hear these things. Look at how famous people, also living, have their intimate life on tabloids all the time, and how the paparazi lurk near them waiting for the right moment to take a shot of them naked, with their lover, etc. It's disgusting, but it's true...many like this stuff. About Freddie's illness in particular, I agree they should not have gone into much detail. However I think that knowing what Freddie had to go through physically and mentally, and how he reacted, can be an example for many, and therefore it may be good to read it in a book. Fairy
corades 16.10.2005 06:43	You know, Fairy, before reading these two books I had one image of Freddie in my mind, and after reading them it has changed a lot. As I went deeper into Queen music (I always liked Queen, since I remember myself,but became a fan much later for some personal reasons) I wanted to read some biography to understand Freddie's personality better in order to understand his music and lyrics better. I needed the info such as what he was like as a person, as a comoser and a singer, as a friend, a son and a brother, etc. What he liked, who were his idols, how he recorded and why when performing live he sang differently, why his voice had changed. Things like that. That's what I was expecting from a biography. I've read many biographies of other great people, but only Freddie's biograhpies made me upset. I think he deserves so much more. Freddie Mercury is bigger than life, but I and other fans had to read so much about how he shagged or pissed or used cocaine.I know that Freddie was far from being an angel, but didn't we all already know that without reading Jim's and Peter's books? Why shall we stress and concentrate on these things when there are much, much greater and meaninful things to say about Freddie Mercury? Why to picture him mostly as a victim od AIDS, as an aids-scare story? Was he just that and nothing more? I do not ask the authors to picture him a different person than he really was, I would just really appreciate some respect to a great musician and a person who left this world, but brought so much good in it with his life. This is a comment from a new fan of Queen. Someone who is not used to bear what was written about Freddie so far.
MelinaMercury 16.10.2005 08:21	I have read Jim's book 3 times and peters 2. Very good books! x
john bodega 16.10.2005 08:32	"By the way, I've heard somewhere that Queen tried to sue Jim for his book. Is it true?" How is that possible? Freddie was Queen! :P Corades, your comments are valid and interesting. But I do have one thought. I don't think you need to go into autobiographies to find out what made Freddie tick. As he admitted himself on many occasions, on stage he was putting on an act, and behind the scenes he was just a normal guy with a lot of money. To me, that's his story. And unpleasant as it is to read about his later years, they do show someone with a lot of guts and bravery. He went out on his terms - so couple that with his career, and you know all about him that you need to. You won't find definition of his character in quotes and his life story, you'll probably find it by just listening to his music! :D
Fairy 16.10.2005 09:01	Corades, I think I want to read Freddie's bios exactly for the same reasons that you did. I too would like to find a book that describes his feelings and personality from all perspectives, without focusing too much on the sensational aspects of his life that after all we already know, like his sexual life, etc, which even bore me since they're so obvious to fans. I also agree with Zebonka12 though, that we just have to listen to Freddie's music to get to know him. That is why I've never read these books, though I've loved Freddie for 13 years (for personal reasons too, like you Corades). So far I've never felt the need to read about his story because his music and spirit are enough for me. But reading these boards and seeing these books mentioned so often I'm getting curious. Oh, I did read Rick Sky's bio many years ago, but I heard he made up lots of stuff :-). He was not his close friend. I'd guess Jim and Peter would be more truthful. But again, who knows if and to what extent they're in good faith? Fairy
corades 16.10.2005 12:59	Yes, this makes a lot of sence what you guys say, I do realize that the best thing to know Freddie is to listen to his music. But I also like going deeper in the personalities of my idols, because sometimes the meaning of the lyrics (painting, poem, book) seems vague to me, and in order to understand what he really wanted to say and why, I'd read a bio. I always want to know what kind of a soul created the music I love. So that's why I wanted to read about Freddie besides just listening to him. I also read Rick Sky's book, but didn't took it too serious because he's just a journalist and we all know what the journalists are like-always clinging to scandals and such things. But Jim and Peter were his best friends, so here my feelings were different. About suing Jim-I've heard that the living members of Queen tried to sue Jim for his book and forbad to use Freddie's music in the movie that was planned to be made based on this book.
Fenderek 17.10.2005 04:23	Rick Sky's book is unfortunatelly one of the worst on this subject (if not THE wosrt)- he made up a lot (Dave Clark next to dying Freddie anyone?) and... Dunno, the worst thing I've ever read on Freddie...
Fairy 17.10.2005 12:30	Fenderek wrote: Rick Sky's book is unfortunatelly one of the worst on this subject (if not THE wosrt)- he made up a lot (Dave Clark next to dying Freddie anyone?) and... Dunno, the worst thing I've ever read on Freddie... And it's the only one I've read so far...LOL! Hi Fenderek!!
Fenderek 17.10.2005 12:38	Hallo Fairy! :)

QueenZone discussion #639002

Peter's or Jim's book