By the time ABBA split up, no one was in any doubt that behind the gliiter there was a dark side, and behind the smiling group were four troubled individuals. But even as a whole new generation of fans discover ABBA's great music, Anni-Frid, Agnetha, Benny, and Björn have continued to remain rather shadowy, secretive figures. Their marriages, personal break-ups, and superficial biographical details are well-known... but who exactly were ABBA? How did Norwegian Ann-Frid, the illegitimate daughter of a German soldier, become a real-life princess? How did folksy Benny and Björn reinvent themselves as an international pop force to rival Lennon & McCartney? And what actually happened to blonde Agnetha who smiled a lot but never really looked happy? The author answers these and many more questions about the hit group that no one took seriously... until everyone did. Each page is a revelation and Palm's acute understanding of the culture of his native Sweden makes these sometimes dark personal stories understandable in a unique way.