Bono, the famous singer of the group U2, has just published “Surrender”, a book compiling his memoirs, from his childhood in Dublin to the present day. A first for the artist, who until then had seen numerous books dedicated to him… without ever deciding to take up the pen. Surrender is Bono’s first foray into songwriting. An unprecedented experience in which the singer reveals himself and looks back on his life as a young Dubliner, right up to his success.
The eagerly-awaited Surrender was released on November 1, 2022 by Penguin Random House (and Fayard in France). And it’s already shaping up to be a huge commercial success.
This fascinating book begins with the Dublin childhood of Paul David Hewson, the man who would later become Bono. His father, an Irish Catholic, married his mother, a staunch Protestant, in an Ireland marked by poverty and tensions between identity and community.
At the time, Bono lived every day with innocence… until the loss of his mother at the age of 14.
He talks about his early days in the music business, his trials and tribulations, and the success of U2, from their first albums to the present day.
An exciting, vibrant and rock’n’roll account, in which Bono writes in a style that is frank, humorous and introspective. A pleasant read, in which the Irish star opens up about her career, her activism in the fight against AIDS and poverty…
And there’s a lot to talk about!
He also talks about his deep faith in God, his family, his relationship and his friends… On why the band never split up, despite over 40 years of career, occasional disagreements and misunderstandings…
The singer also makes a mea culpa about certain behaviors in his career. He admits to having an“ego that’s much bigger than his self-esteem“, finding it hard to control his tantrums, or his volcanic creative impulses. He admits to having done his best, even if his failures were sometimes difficult to overcome.
He also cries out his love for his wife Ali, the keystone of his success and happiness in life. Without her, he would never have become the man he is today.
At the same time, he devotes a great deal of thought to the waste of human potential: a subject that is close to his heart, and which takes on an almost philosophical dimension throughout the pages.
The icing on the cake: the book also includes 40 drawings, signed by Bono himself. The book’s 40 chapters are punctuated by a series of rhythmic beats, giving it an even more personal touch.
In short, Surrender is an auto-biography that takes you by surprise. Nuanced, both light-hearted and sometimes more serious, it takes a critical and wise look at Bono’s 100% rock’n’roll and imperfect life. An introspection that reveals a Paul David Hewson with convictions and cracks. All of which adds further depth to the global figure he has become!
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