Mercury and Me

By: Jim Hutton, Tim Wapshott

Narrated by: Patrick Moy

Length: 7 hrs and 39 mins

Publisher's summary

The relationship between Freddie Mercury and Jim Hutton evolved over several months in 1984 and 1985. Even when they first slept together, Hutton had no idea who Mercury was, and, when the star told him his name, it meant nothing to him. Hutton worked as a barber at the Savoy Hotel and retained his job and his lodgings in Sutton, Surrey, for two years after moving in with Mercury, and then worked as his gardener. He was never fully assimilated into Mercury's jet-setting lifestyle, nor did he want to be, but, from 1985 until Mercury's death in 1991, he was closer to him than anyone and knew all Mercury's closest friends: the other members of Queen, Elton John, David Bowie, and Phil Collins, to name a few.

Ever present at the countless Sunday lunch gatherings and opulent parties, Hutton has a wealth of anecdotes as well as a deep understanding of Mercury's life. He also nursed Mercury through his terminal illness, often held him throughout the night in his final weeks, and was with him as he died. No one can tell the story of the last few years of Mercury's private life‚ the ecstasies and the agonies‚ more accurately or honestly than Jim Hutton.

©2019 Dreamscape Media, LLC (P)2019 Dreamscape Media, LLC

Best Freddie bio!

I enjoyed this book so much. Jim’s perspective of his and Freddie’s life together was very emotionally written. I actually listened to it twice. Back to back!

Beautiful and Heartbreaking

This is the story of one of the greatest loves, how it started, how it ended, and the betrayal that came after the end.

Excellent reading, marvelous Love story

It was a joy to know the story between Jim & Freddy. It was all about love & companion.

Jim and freddie's relationship

loved the book, jim was a very loyal loving husband to freddie .and I think Mary austin turned out to be a fake. according to jims story, mary lied to freddie about the way she ended up treating him phobe,joe,and all the rest who she promised freddie could live there as long as they wished. that is what freddie wanted n she broke that promise right away! shame on her! she broke all her promises to freddie! poor jim, poor phobe. what a wonderful love story between freddie and Jim. I'm so happy they both found each other. rip in peace freddie mercury u are a legend! rip jim hutton, now u are back together again.

I love Freddie n Jim💜🕊💜

I absolutely loved this book! Wonderfully written and performance very well done! I do miss Freddie💛
(In my opinion, very very
disappointed in Mary.)

Crazy Little Thing Called Love

This is such a refreshing audiobook. Actually, this was my first audiobook ever. I saw this book advertised so I joined Audible. Definitely brought me back to the time period.

good insight

I enjoyed this insight into Freddie Mercury as told by Jim Hutton. it was sad to hear how Jim was treated by Mary after Freddie's. so unfair on Mary's part. perhaps it was jealousy.

Loved it

No more needs to be said. Just loved it !!!!!
I am also glad they do not need to hide their love anymore

Well I just still miss Freddie

I read a couple of other books about Freddie along with this one. I thought this one might give me some additional insight. It did a little. He certainly was bigger than life and had a dynamic personality. This is one of the saddest stories every told about one of the most talented people on earth. I hope he knows I think about him everyday. Sincerely.

Ending Wasn't One I - or Freddie - Would've Wanted

...by that I mean while the book's ending was extremely well done, Freddie would likely be livid with Mary's betrayal of those to whom he was closest, especially Jim.

I absolutely LOVED this book. There was just enough detail to envision every scene, from the fabulous ones through the final, devastating ones. The thought of Jim playing with the kitties while locked outside Garden Lodge in the dark, for many nights after Freddie died, broke my heart.

The narrator was the best I've heard for any audiobook I've ever had. His voice was so gentle, just how I'd imagine Jim's, and Freddie's was spot on. When he spoke in an American accent like Joe in the Pruning chapter I actually got to wondering: "What IS this narrator's TRUE accent?!" It was Irish, of course, but the accents were so hauntingly real, I was beside myself. I hope this narrator is an actor in real life; that is some exceptional talent.

Mary was one spiteful shrew, and her treatment of Jim implies not only a deep-seeded jealousy, but a betrayal of what Freddie would've wanted. It seemed like some torturous way to shoo away the things about Freddie that he valued so dearly, yet she resented. She did not do justice to his wishes, and karma will take care of that. Freddie, however, should've been more specific in his will.

This book was a fascinating look inside the private life of a flamboyant playboy, through the eyes of his real true love. I'd only have wished they'd have met sooner so that Jim could've shared more time with Freddie. Jim seemed so humble, almost meek, yet clearly accepting of what Freddie would've wanted at practically all times. I'm thankful the true ending of Freddie's life was both documented and shared. I hope Jim was compensated well for its rights in 1995, though he was long past his own expiry date when this book was made public in 2019, as a true glimpse inside the last 7 years of Freddie's life - released while the movie Bohemian Rhapsody was hitting theaters. Another way to take advantage of such a close, personal relationship between Freddie and Jim.

I HIGHLY recommend this book - whether you're seeking insight into Freddie's final years - through the eyes of his truest lover, a Queen or Mercury fan, or researching the devastating effects and certain death of HIV once it becomes AIDS - before anyone understood the importance of t-cell counts and what we know now.

Listen to this audiobook; I don't believe that reading it would've nearly done to it the justice of which the narrator was able to portray. Heartbreaking yet spectacular.