Beyonc? Is Life: A Superfan's Guide to All Things We Love about Beyonc? (Modern Icons)

Confirm your Beyhive superfan status with this gorgeously illustrated, all-encompassing guide to all things Beyoncé.

All hail the queen! From her first solo at St. John’s United Methodist Church to becoming a part of Destiny’s Child, shaping the R&B scene, and becoming a pop icon, Beyoncé has taken the world by storm. Gathering her incredible life story, music, and fan culture all in one place, Beyoncé Is Life is the reference you need. Did you know that Beyoncé was supposed to star in the movie A Star Is Born, instead of Lada Gaga? Or that she became the first female artist to have the No. 1 album (Dangerously in Love) and the No. 1 single (“Crazy in Love”) in the US and the UK at the same time? Or that in 2025, Beyoncé became the first Black woman to ever win a Grammy for Best Country Album (Cowboy Carter)?

Get to know her musical family, her talented friends who have helped launch her career, her husband and children who are her inspiration, and the artists who have helped shape her vision. Beyoncé Is Life takes it a step further and sheds light on the deep and rich symbolism always present in her music and videos, along with many more Easter eggs and facts. 

A comprehensive guide, this book includes: 

• A full discography, including commentary on cover art, muses, and the inside scoop on her exciting new venture, Cowboy Carter
• A “Bey-tionary” (dictionary) of terminology, including definitions for terms Beyoncé has personally coined, from “put a ring on it” to “Becky with the good hair”
• The A-Bey-Cs of Beyoncé, from her most impressive A cappella moments to the zodiac signs found in her music 
• Symbols and Easter eggs throughout Beyoncé's music, from a crystal spider web to the Tiffany Diamond
• How Jay-Z contributed to her modern sound
• Bey's lasting impact on pop culture, feminism, economics, art, film, and music
• Her collection of fine art that influences her music and videos
• Bey's ongoing work to help education initiatives, disaster relief efforts, COVID-19 relief work, and Black-owned small business

So, grab your best glitter corset and let biographer Kathleen Perricone take you on a journey to everything you need to know to be part of the Beyhive!

The Modern Icons series takes you on a journey through the lives and legacies of cultural icons who have shaped our world, from fashion to music to media. With original illustrations and meticulously crafted prose, this series captivates and enlightens, offering a glimpse into the personalities whose unparalleled charm and authenticity have left an indelible mark on popular culture.

The series includes: Taylor Swift Is Life, Harry Styles Is Life, Rihanna Is Life, Zendaya Is Life, Lady Gaga Is Life, Adele Is Life, Timothee Chalamet Is Life, and Billie Eilish Is LIfe.

Kathleen Perricone is a freelance writer of long-form magazines (bookazines) with published titles about Marilyn Monroe, John F. Kennedy, Anne Frank, Barack Obama, Taylor Swift, Beyoncé, and dozens more. Over the past two decades, Kathleen has also worked as a celebrity news editor in New York City as well as for Yahoo!, Ryan Seacrest Productions, and a reality TV family who shall remain nameless. She lives in Los Angeles.