Mercury and me

Freddie Mercury was and continues to be a great man, his legacy is not his private life. What he shared through his music, his art, and his life are what should endure. He cared for the people around him, it is sad certain people he left behind felt they needed to share sad last moments that should have remained private. Mercury and Queen are more than a dream, they achieved and will always be immortal, the clingers need to fade away and shut up.

I'm always satisfied with anything that I buy from the store. I've been a Queen fan for years and just got done reading the new biography that was put out in hard cover. In the book that I read, it mentioned Jim Hutton's book, so I a did search and ordered it. It came quickly and I finished it in two nights. Looking forward to finding more books on Freddie

The book seems genuine and shows the love that Jim and Freddie had for each other. Very touching and heartfelt! Jim is so unpretentious and humble, you feel that he is telling the truth. I highly recommend it!

First of all, as a long-standing Queen and Freddie Mercury fan, I apologize for having read this pathetic, whiny bit of drivel. It is to my bordering-on-ridiculous fault of believing that I ought to finish whatever I start that I blame for continuing to read this self-serving, mean-spirited, catty farce. Poor perfect Jim! Oh how virtuous he was for living off the generous-to-a-fault Freddie Mercury -- enjoying all the free tickets, glamorous vacations, free meals, unlimited booze & drugs, and luxurious roof over head whilst still receiving a hefty gardener's salary-- but oh how dare anyone think of him as "just the gardener"! He -- and only he -- was the long-suffering love of Freddie's life! BALONEY. Of course, he also complains throughout how Freddie ran around on him all the time. Hmmm, but he was the only one Freddie truly loved. He was only doing the gardening because he loved to garden, not because Freddie expected him too. Oh and the ideas that he came up with for Freddie and Queen! It makes you wonder how Freddie carried on so magnificently before he met Jim Hutton (insert sarcastic tone here). Some highly naive romantics might enjoy reading this bit of blubbery, feel-sorry-for-me rubbish but it didn't ring true to me. I don't doubt that Freddie might have had a brief fling with this petty, greedy man (as with Joe the cook, Freddie often gave jobs to former lovers) but there's no getting around the fact that Freddie left his house and most of his fortune to the one true friend he felt that he had -- Mary, the love of his life who stood by him for over 20 years. His lover for six years in the early years of his fame, this woman did not forsake him when he told her that he was gay. Instead, she stood by him and encouraged him to be true to himself. Mary was with him before the fame, during the fame and up to his death. And unlike this bozo Hutton, she never betrayed him by spewing rubbish about his private life. Hutton brays like a spoiled, greedy brat that he and the other live-in employees are only given 3 months to remain at Garden Lodge after Freddie's death while conveniently neglecting to mention that this was because the estate was in probate and Mary and Jim Beach, the Estate Manager, had no choice in the matter. Freddie Mercury left each those three staff members £500,000 and their own homes after his death. That was pretty generous considering that he gave them very satisfactory wages, free room and board, expensive gifts, and took them along on fabulous vacations all over the world while he was alive. And this jerk is mad because he's not allowed to live free forever in Freddie's mansion Garden Lodge for the rest of his life???? What an ungrateful jerk! For goodness sake, the man bought him a home in Ireland and left him all that money! And for those who would say that Freddie would have wanted Jim, Joe and Peter (his staff) to remain there free of charge, then why wasn't that spelled out in the will? Everything else was. Freddie Mercury did not die unexpectedly. He knew he was dying years before he finally succumbed to HIV/AIDS. He left his home and fortune to the one person he could trust; the one person who had always supported him through it all and had NEVER betrayed him; the real love of his life, Mary Austin. Throughout his career, he always said that she was the only true friend he had and that he considered her his common law wife. Apparently, he meant what he said. Freddie was a very private person. This salacious and bitter book would have broken his heart. Apparently, he knew his friends well, though. Out of the four living in Garden Lodge, only Mary has kept his secrets private and honored Freddie's wishes. No tell-tale book from her. Freddie was a wise man. He knew who to entrust his fortune and legacy to. Good for him. May he rest in peace.

This book is fabulous. Well written and full of interesting information, not based on speculation or hype. For gossip and "dirt" on this celebrity, this is not the book you want. I'm reading this for the second time. I've purchased five books on Freddie Mercury and this one surpasses all others. Some of the books skip from one time period to another making you confused and not clear to whom they are referring. Even the second time around I still have trouble putting it down. Freddie had a wonderful incredible life but paid dearly for it.

Having a Kindle version of this now is an absolute gift to the world!
That being said, if one prefers "professionally" researched bios by those who did not live with Freddie and might possibly be more objective (or subjective in their own way), this might not be a "gift" you'd enjoy. It is a sentimental memoir focusing on the last few year of FM's life, not a bio in a traditional sense. Kindle version offers a sample option. I had an eye on this book for a while but before "kindle" version it was rare and pricey and I was cautious to invest in it based on many negative reviews. Having read it now: just like Freddie, this book is clearly unique and not to everyone's taste. It reminds me of Dan Brown's novels effect: Dan clearly stated he wrote fiction based on some historical not-so-well known/embraced facts yet FICTION. Well, tons of people still took an offense to his novels because the subject matter was so untouchable and sacred to them. Not to offend anyone as I am not equating Freddie to sacred Christian figures in Brown's books, but the reaction of many reviewers/fans reminded me of that - let's face it, Mercury has been worshiped by many and people react strongly to any disillusioning information. I was not disillusioned yet can see how it could be taken that way.

Memoir is full of personal details of Freddie's life (many unvarifiable) and would not have been written if he were alive. The book left me feeling that Jim genuinely loved Freddie and wanted to share a wonderful private Freddie with the world. I believe Jim's heart was in the right place. I really hope potential readers can overlook negative reviews. How people perceive things really depends on one's own experience, preferences and stage of our personal journey, so opinions on this book are likely to vary. We typically read reviews to get people's opinion whether reading/buying something is worth our resources (including time) and I think making this book available to be borrowed for free makes it "safe" in that regard. Just be aware that if you already have a strong opinion of Freddie (and Mary) this might cost you either anger or disillusion. It was sad to read negative reviews so full of judgement and anger which spoke more about internal state of people who wrote them than of this memoir itself

While sample might not be long enough to get the feel for the whole memoir it is a safe way to see whether you'd like the overall writing style. I keep stressing the book is a "memoir": it is woven with highly subjective personal accounts. The author writes like someone still grieving and in such a need to share with the world a very personal side of Freddie and special relationship between them. The writing style is exactly like telling the story and to me felt like a novel. Someone mentioned a feel of a diary. Sometimes it goes day by day but mostly event by event and includes mundane details that might not mean much to the outsiders/some readers but meant a lot to Jim. Jim is gone and cannot defend or clarify this memoir. I do not see strong reasons to believe anything was made up or has a purely selfish agenda - Jim sounds like a simple sentimental man, human like the rest of us.

Story seems so sweet and envy provoking that critics raise the question of how much of it is true. Well, why would a person with an HIV (and soon lung cancer) with few year to live and not looking for fame and fortune make up a memoir abundant in private and controversial detail? I think it takes a personal or work experience with medically impaired/terminally ill people to understand author's frame of mind as well as details of Freddie's functioning at the end. We all are at risk of embellishing memories or misinterpreting experiences yet: the flow of the story and an overwhelming amount of details minimize likelihood it is a fabricated/imagined story. If he could make up or imagine to this extent Jim would not need a professional writer helping him. There are lots of photographs to support many anecdotes and stories Jim shared. Many photos of him with FM, especially in Japan, would not make sense if he was "just" a gardener with rich imagination. I am curious of the source of someone saying members of the Queen reported some things differently. I guess you never know. In archetypal terms this is a story of true love between an odd couple against all odds; they both died but with this book such love is live forever. It is also a story of Freddie as a romantic consistent with FM's own quotes on being a softy, especially for love.

Jim's opinions and insights about people in Freddie's circle vary. Was Freddie the best judge of people and were him and Mary free of weaknesses? This book put doubts in my mind. Mary was undoubtedly the most special and long-term female friend of FM and he spoke about that eloquently and idealized her (his 1st and most lasting female love). He also innocently put her in a position of financial/business order keeper (a monumental task) and a cover-up for his lifestyle. Is it probable that she too might have had feelings of jealousy and resentment of FM's other lovers and attention/money he poured on them? What about the fact that the love of her life (FM) did not love her back in a way she needed, even preferred having cats to fathering a child with her (going by "FM: His life in His own words")? Was she relieved and empowered to finally have FM's world (Garden Lodge) all to herself? To me it is as probable as stories in this book, yet, we'll never know for a fact. This and other accounts state Mary was very cautious and reserved and rarely shared much about Freddie. Yet she made a point to share with the press details of his final days which were inconsistent with accounts of doctors and others involved. She might not have been as outspoken as Jim but: in the same spirit she could not resist to ensure everyone SHE was the most special to FM and was by his side as he was dying.

The first 2/3 of the book is enjoyable and about enormous fun Freddie and Jim had. Some readers might not enjoy reading how FM's life came to an end. The issues Jim, Joe (personal chef) and Phoebe (personal aid) had to deal with in the weeks FM decided to go off the AIDs meds are heartbreaking. Not everyone likes to hear of human suffering and know every detail. To me this part made the story true to the end: the book is rich in details and stays like that to the end. The unpleasant details at the end were essential to giving a true feel of the physical process of dying and how helpless and dependent terminally ill become, how their ability to take care of their needs, eat and communicate become all but lost, how dependent and vulnerable they become. Details of Jim's story are the best testimony that Jim was actually doing care-giving and was very close with FM. Last two weeks of FM life's details are also an important contribution to AIDs awareness which I hope will have life changing effect on FM's young fans. They speak an ugly but necessary truth that living a rock-star life-style and having anything and anyone you want seems like a dream but dying from aids (at the age of 45!) is a genuine nightmare. This book revealed Freddie as very human and who died from one of the worst human diseases. Those who believe FM himself would be against the world knowing the ugly truth and details of his physical challenges at the end might be very offended and disenchanted in the end. This story is true to the flow of Freddie's life: it was eccentric and fun for most of its run but eventually all the fun came to an end in a disabling and very tragic way, for all involved. I appreciate Jim sharing what happened to FM's close circle within a year after his death

Making this book available on Kindle on 11/24/13 made Freddie even more accessible to his fans. This book is flattering to Freddie's image as a human being and a lover. The way he handled relationships in his life, per Jim Hutton, is very touching. Jim described variety of people and personal relationships FM had in his life and showcased Freddie's soft side and his big heart. Being a memoir it naturally focuses on personal memories of an author and the feelings he had. This was a wonderful insight into how gay men love and feel. Also, a good example of someone who wants their grief and truth to be heard. Memoir that speaks volumes of love and admiration for a deceased celebrity is so enriching to the story of Mercury's life. RIP Jim, Joe and Freddie, thank you for your gifts to the world!

I had heard of Queen and Freddie Mercury (what kid growing up in the 80s hasn't?) but didn't know a ton about them. This was a really well written and sweet look at who the man Freddie Mercury was- rather than the super star. I would highly recommend this book.

Starting reading this book it seemed really interesting - what the reader can't understand is how, since the author keeps mentioning how Freddie Mercury cherised his privacy, the book is full of detailed descriptions of the most private actions of Mercury! This doesn't show that much respect to his memory... Since Hutton knew how much Freddie liked to keep his privacy he should have respected this wish of his eventhough he has been dead six years now. Also, many people including the surviving members of Queen, mention that the book contains lots of mistakes and false events - especially concerning Mary Austin's, Freddie's lifelong friend, behaviour.A book for the author to get money as it seems, unfortunately, unless of course there are things we don't know.

This is a very insightful and horrifyingly real look at the plague that is AIDS. Yet at the same time it is a wonderfully tender love story. I walked away with newfound appreciation for not only Freddie Mercury's incredible talent, but also his strength of character as he gracefully fought this terrible disease.

I enjoyed the book. Although, there are some intimate details I would not have revealed about their relationship, knowing how much Freddie valued his privacy. I love Freddie, and something I've always wanted to know about him is the type of sense of humor he had. I enjoyed reading about things that made him happy, and wished he went into more detail about them. I could've done without knowing about the moments in the bedroom. I feel bad for how Jim was treated when the book came out. They shared a life together, I think Jim had the right to talk about some of his life with Freddie.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading Jim's book despite having previously read some less than kind reviews online. The thing about it is that these are his memories of Freddie and he is very candid. He doesn't place the man upon a pedestal, he says it like it is. He was loving, overly generous and it is crystal clear that they loved each other, but Jim speaks of the Freddie he knew, loved and lived with...the man who loved life and not the stage persona we are familiar with.

Some say he should never have written some of the things detailed in this book, but in all honesty I don't see why not. Freddie was a private person, but that doesn't mean that it is unkind for someone to share their memories of him, even the bad ones. I think he tries to put across that Freddie was a strong man, but he also tries to convey how much hurt he suffered watching Freddie die and knowing there was nothing he could do to prevent it alongside his own fate. Freddie wanted someone to love and he found that in Jim Hutton, it is awful that it was ripped away from them both.

As for Mary Austin, Jim is very respectful towards her, but honest at the same time. True, she didn't kick anyone out on the street, but Garden Lodge was Jim's home with Freddie and was full of beautiful memories and she did rip those away from him along with the cats they shared. She could have been more sympathetic. Tbh, I think she hated the fact that Freddie didn't love her in the same way she loved him and Jim paid the price for that. In the end, Freddie gave her everything he had and she was completely disrespectful to him by turning Jim and his friends out. She made it clear that she didn't like Jim and he speaks of someone causing problems by having words in Freddie's ear...who did he listen to most!! She doesn't strike me as a very nice person at all.

I truly believe Jim was the love of Freddie's life and hopefully the book conveys that to other readers. Enjoy.

This is a personal, intimate recounting of Freddie's life...more than any documentaries or biographies could present. I did not find Jim's memories to be irresponsible with regard to Freddie's dignity.

Freddie fans will love this work, kindly authored by his husband. It's the tale of a musical genius, a creator with alarming energy, and a generous soul capable of astonishing charity. He was perhaps the greatest entertainer of our time: a musical genius with a voice that was the envy of all vocalist. Sadly at times, a haunted and lonely man.

The world grew dimmer when Freddie Mercury died. And I miss him still.

This was a very touching tribute to a talented man who was taken from us too soon. The love throughout this story is easily felt....and experienced. I got to know the real Freddy Mercury...and I am glad. He was a complex but warm caring man...and lover. This is a love story as well...it made me cry. I envy what they shared. Love like this is rare indeed .... and I can only hope I get to experience it too. Queen fans will read this in one sitting!!!.

Of all the books written about Freddie Mercury's life, of which I have many, I regard this one as perhaps the most heartfelt. Some might say Jim betrayed Freddie's trust in him by writing this, but I don't see it that way. You could tell Jim's love for Freddie ran very deep, and he made it blatantly clear it was Freddie's personality he was attracted to, not his fortune and/or fame. They enjoyed a wonderful 7 years together at Garden Lodge filled with the fondest of memories, which Jim chronicles in this book. This is not a tell-all book to exploit a rock star's memory for monetary gain. It's a very sincere account by a man who truly loved Freddie Mercury the person, not Freddie Mercury the rock star. I too found myself wondering why Mary Austin suddenly turned on Jim and the rest of the Garden Lodge staff and promptly kicked them out. My theory is that Mary harbored resentment towards Jim because Freddie's final years were spend loving him instead of her. I think she never got over being a jilted lover, as it were. At any rate, back to the book. Not to sound cliche, but I laughed, I cried, and I thoroughly enjoyed reading it from cover to cover. It's a shame this book is no longer in print, because it's such a wonderful read and a must-have for even the most casual of Freddie Mercury fans. Some might say it's a modern-day Cinderella story -- the wealthy rock star and the humble gentlemen's barber, but it runs a lot deeper than that. It's a story about two people who loved each other heart and soul regardless of their backgrounds. In sickness and health, in the best and worst of times, Jim was right by Freddie's side, and his devotion never wavered even once. If that's not true love, then I don't know what is!

At times this book seems a bit disjointed yet somehow that lends to it's charm. It's like Hutton poured out his memories into a tape recorder and let someone else compile them. That makes it feel very sincere. I deeply loved this book! It was wonderful and brought me many smiles as well as tears. I only wish it was longer and more complete. There are many "so what happened with that?" questions at the end of the book. Overall I'm ever so glad I got a chance to read it and recommend it to Freddie fans. There are some wonderful stories in this book as well as some tragic ones. It should be back in print and more affordable. I found it at a reasonable price (considering how much it's going for!) and found it worth every penny.

This book had very many inaccurate statements. First off they actually have diagrams in the book that don't match the caption. They tried stating that in NT4 users profiles exist in \winnt35\system32\config. Some of the diagrams are not even correct. I paid good mony for this book and it has done nothing less than waste my time and money. Also the author thinks that in NT4 profiles are %username%.user, I wonder if he has ever heard of the NTuser.dat file? This book is basically a NT 3.51 book that the authors attemted to patch into a 4.0 book. Did not work!

This book was both heart warming and heartbreaking at the same time, and for those who were, and still are, true Freddie fans, that wanted to know the REAL man behind closed doors, then this is a must for all to read, because away from the camera and the spotlight, this tells exactly what sort of person he was and proves beyond a shadow of a doubt just how much in love Freddie and Jim were. Had I listened to the sceptics I probably wouldn't have read this book, but am so glad I chose to follow my heart, as this was by far the best, and truest insight into Freddie's REAL life and TRUE LOVE. The book is a beautiful story of a loving relationship - written by a man who loved Freddie so much, he was able to take the infidelity, being hidden at times for the public image Freddie wanted, and surviving the pain of his death along with the awful cruelty of Mary Austin, the woman who Freddie supposedly was so fond of.
Mercury and Me

Finally a revealing side of Freddie that isn't polished and "starry-eyed".I've been a Queen fan for years and have always been captivated by his stage persona.This is the first and only time I have read about Freddie in the context of an everyday life.This book shows the personality behind the voice.A man that is flawed and driven. Insecure yet in control.No true Queen fan could resist this one!

Finally we got a book about Freddie Mercury. The true Freddie. I have read many books about Freddie, and they were not nearly as good as this one. If you love Freddie you MUST read this book. you will love it. Do not give up on Freddie books, unless you have read this and hated it, but that won't happen.

I just wonder one thing..... all of you people who thinks this book is good and that it gives a true account of what really happened, don't you think it's quite telling that the only one who has NOT written a book on Freddie is Mary Austin? She is the only one who has actually kept the secrecy he wanted and not tried to cash in. I first thought that it might be intresting to read this book because I am a big fan, but I later realised that if I truly admire his music and his creativity, I don't need to know everything about his private life. And if you truly love someone, you don't have to go and write a book about them splashing out all horrible details about them. Jim did obviously not like the fact that the house went to Mary and that the place of his burial was left only to her, but he must have known that she would be the only one to honour his wishes and she has, his other "friends" and lovers more than ready to share everything intimate.

In your reviews, I realized I already know much of what you wrote about. I have Peter Freestone's book, but I haven't read it yet. I have concentration and focus issues, that have recently been resolved. I can't wait to read Peter's book. Also, from reading you reviews of "Freddie and Me", I'm not so sure I want to order it. I already know a lot of what, is supposedly in that book.
I appreciate all the opinions you all wrote on this book. I only chose one star because I haven't it. But I can't post this without closing a star.

I don't think that Freddie Mercury would have liked the fact that one of his lovers would write a book about him in shocking detail. Freddie was a very private person and would have been furious if people all over the world knew the private details of his life and last moments. I find the whole idea of even writing a book about him completely disrespectful. It is because of his beautiful art and powerful voice that we should remember him and hold him dear to our hearts. Freddie deserves respect in death, and I think his former lover did him a disservice writing this piece of obvious trash. I will not be buying this book, and if you are a true fan, you won't either.