Magnifico! The A to Z of Queen

by Mark Blake

“An engaging mix of humor and detailed critical analysis…great fun.” —Mojo

From the award-winning author of Bring It On Home: Peter Grant, Led Zeppelin, and Beyond and Comfortably Numb: The Inside Story of Pink Floyd comes this deeply researched alphabetical biography of Queen and each of its dynamic members.

Addressing the phenomenal success of the movie Bohemian Rhapsody, acclaimed music journalist Mark Blake builds on the legend of Queen and their enduring audience appeal.

Providing a fresh, unparalleled take on Queen’s music, story, and legacy, Blake’s complete portrait covers not only the major hits and bestselling albums, but also the inside stories behind the music.

Via a series of essays, interviews, and biographies, the author shares a wealth of lesser-known details—gained from over thirty years of original material—and explores what the songs of Queen say about their creators.

“You want it all? There’s not much missing here.” —Classic Rock

Genres: Music, Nonfiction

413 pages, Hardcover

Published November 1, 2021

Reviews

[Marnie (Enchanted Bibliophile)]

Informative and full of interesting titbits, but I learned that I prefer chronological narrative.

[Donnie]

Tabloid journalism at its worst. If you want to enjoy a book about Queen (by people that were actually there) then read some of the books that Mark Blake gets his information from.

[Judy & Marianne from Long and Short Reviews]

Queen facts, Queen stories and Queen tidbits. How can you go wrong?

I picked up this book because of the band. Queen. I’ve been a fan for years and wanted to learn a little more. This book does that and more.

If you’re a fan of Queen, some of these stories are going to be old hat. There are legendary stories that go along with the band. But there are a few nuggets of info I didn’t know, which was good. The book is formatted as it states, in an A-Z manner, with everything according to their letter. I liked that it was like that because it made it easy to read, but also not necessarily chronological, which was different.

If you’re a fan of Queen, this book is a must. If you’re a casual fan and want to know more, then check this book out. I recommend it.

[Maja Azic]

Nešto novo pročitano. Pošto volim biografije ovu knjigu sam uzela odmah. Obožavam grupu Queen tako da sam stvarno uživala do zadnje stranice.
Knjiga je o glazbi i o naslijeđu grupe Queen. Osim glazbe u knjizi ima i unutrašnjih priča nevezanih za glazbu.
Esejima, intevjuima i biografijama autor dijeli sa nama obilje manje poznatih detalja te istražuje što pjesme govore o onima koji su ih stvorili.

[Alexie]

3.75

Definitely a read for a Queen fan, as I gained so much titbits or facts I hadn't heard of before which was enjoyable.

I'm unsure if I'll like the A-Z style as I sometimes found it confusing to be jumping 10 years (forward/back) within the same chapter. I felt from this that I couldn't clear picture what key events had happened before or after the events being discussed.

[Suzie_b_reads]

An original look at Queen, the good and the bad, arranged alphabetically by subject. I learnt a lot about the band that I didn’t know. There does seem to be quite a lot of derision towards John Deacon and I wonder if that is author bias or if it is general sentiment.

[Allan Heron]

I wasn't convinced about the format of this book, but Mark Blake is a fine writer.

And most enjoyably entertaining it is too. The focus on specific themes and stories allows for a level of detail that you wouldn't get in a more conventional biography.

[Caroline]

Absolutely brilliant. A great insight into my favourite band, with some hilarious anecdotes. A must read for fans of Queen and the legend that is Freddie Mercury.

[Richard]

Good overview of queen's history, in the a-z style.

[Sophie Crane]

Magnificent book just as the story of Queen is magnificent.
The history of the band from its beginnings. Very good book

[Courtney]

Good read! Love Queen 💕

[Aisling Mcsweeney]

I listened to this as an audiobook and quite enjoyed it. Because of the a to z arrangement it's quite bitty, going from serious to frivolous and back again. It's not a deep investigative work either, but if you like Queen and enjoyed Bohemian Rhapsody (the film) you will probably enjoy this too.

[Charlie]

I have loved Queen for about 2 years now. I found this book in the works for £3 and when I started reading I just could not stop reading