A Legend Is Born
By Marcelo Comparini and Rosario Montiel
Illustrated by Francisco Javier Olea
In this book, we'll learn about the (or one of the) moments when twenty-two key musicians in the history of popular music discovered that music was going to be the driving force of their lives. These stories are based on real events, but are literary creations built around them. Some scenes are documented in biographies (like Mick and Keith's meeting on the platform), while others are based on historical circumstances but are pure fiction (like Sting's bus ride). The other artists featured in this book are: Madonna, David Bowie, Charly García, Elvis Presley, Freddie Mercury, Aretha Franklin, John Lennon, Violeta Parra, Kurt Cobain, Lou Reed, Lady Gaga, Bob Dylan, Elton John, Adele, Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton, Stevie Nicks, Ed Sheeran, Prince and Bono. Marcelo Comparini and Rosario Montiel, with Olea's extraordinary illustrations as an essential complement, ground the great stories of musicians we love — moments that might have seemed tiny, but that helped define them, turning them into the figures who inspired the adoration of millions across the world.
FORMAT
Recommended for ages 12+
Design: Gold-ink cover
Binding: Hardcover
Size: 21.7 x 28 cm
Pages: 60
Year: 2020
ISBN: 978-956-364-126-4
Also available as an ebook
REVIEWS
With a bit of imagination and language accessible to anyone, the anecdotes in this book help us understand where the drive came from that turned these artists into who they are or who they were. And along the way, they even offer an exploration route for those just starting out on this long and winding road of musical appreciation and fandom, if they follow the clues the authors have left along the way. In short: heartfelt stories, essential figures, indispensable songs. Stories to start learning from and enjoying. Music for a lifetime.
Iván Valenzuela, journalist.
Young fans of popular music will enjoy this book dedicated to contemporary stars in the genre — some no longer with us, others still making the world vibrate from the stage. The biographical snippets about these legends, where fiction and reality go hand in hand, reveal the pivotal moment in their lives when they discovered they would dedicate themselves to this passion.
From very diverse backgrounds, and spanning different musical genres — though the vast majority are English-speaking rockers — the chosen artists are: Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Sting, Madonna, David Bowie, Elvis Presley, Freddie Mercury, Aretha Franklin, John Lennon, Kurt Cobain, Lou Reed, Lady Gaga, Bob Dylan, Elton John, Adele, Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton, Stevie Nicks, Ed Sheeran, Prince and Bono. Two Latin American musicians, Violeta Parra and Charly García, round out the list. This hardcover, sixty-page publication, edited by Amanuta for readers age twelve and up, will also delight teenagers and the audience some radio jockey once dubbed "young adults." It features magnificent illustrations by Francisco Javier Olea and closes with a timeline and "the essential albums" of these idols.
Marilú Ortiz de Rozas, La Panera