Bono’s book is more than a memoir. While music fans won’t be disappointed at the excess of U2’s history and behind-the-scenes anecdotes (with plenty of name-dropping), there’s a more personal side to this book.
Bono has experienced the unusual phenomenon of constant criticism and scrutiny during his life, and whether you agree with his politics and causes or not, you have to admire him for forging ahead with his desires in the face of so much negativity. I suppose it is having withstood so much of the resistance that makes his writing so vulnerable—even if he wanted to hide something, he knows he can’t.
If you find Bono’s lyrics poetic and stimulating, you’ll be pleased that his prose is very often the same with strong metaphors and possibly over-dramatic description. Just as with his lyrics, there were times when I had to stop and appreciate the powerful consequence of his word choice. He is one of the last poet/lyricists.
Underneath the progression of his personal history, his evolution as a human manifests more subtly, just as it is for most of us in life. The title, “Surrender”, begins to mean something different at the end than at the beginning. I’m not saying it’s surprising, because the author’s intelligence is obvious to anyone familiar with his work, but it added a layer of sophistication and a plunge of depth to this memoir.
While I was reading this book, I told others. Not one person had a favorable opinion of Bono. Bono seems to be aware of those who dislike him, but I don’t think he cares (and that’s healthy—good for him). Even so, after reading “Surrender”, his journey through life so far is quite remarkable taking into consideration where he began and the unique choices he made. He is sometimes criticized for arrogance, which he acknowledges several times. It doesn’t feel like arrogance, though. He is a determined person who makes no apologies for what he wants. Love or despise him for it, he has his accomplishments and failures just like the rest of us.
