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  • Surrender

  • Bono Autobiography: 40 Songs, One Story
  • By: Bono
  • Narrated by: Bono
  • Length: 20 hrs and 25 mins
  • 4.8 out of 5 stars (1,535 ratings)
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Surrender cover art

Surrender

By: Bono
Narrated by: Bono
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Summary

Brought to you by Penguin.

Bono—artist, activist and the lead singer of Irish rock band U2—has written a memoir: honest and irreverent, intimate and profound, Surrender is the story of the remarkable life he’s lived, the challenges he’s faced and the friends and family who have shaped and sustained him.

Narrated by the author, Surrender is an intimate, immersive listening experience, telling stories from Bono’s early days in Dublin, to joining a band and playing sold out stadiums around the world with U2, plus his more than 20 years of activism.

Throughout a remarkable life, music has always been a constant for Bono and in the audiobook, his distinctive voice is interwoven with a very personal soundtrack adding atmosphere and texture to each and every scene. From moments of classic U2 hits to snippets by The Clash, Patti Smith, Verdi, Johnny Cash and Mozart, Surrender also exclusively features clips of newly recorded reimagined versions of U2 songs including ‘Sunday Bloody Sunday’, ‘With Or Without You’, ‘One’, ‘Beautiful Day’ and more, glimpsed for the first time on Surrender: 40 Songs, One Story.

As one of the music world’s most iconic artists and the cofounder of organizations ONE and (RED), Bono’s career has been written about extensively. But in Surrender, it’s Bono who picks up the pen, writing for the first time about his remarkable life and those he has shared it with. In his unique voice, Bono takes us from his early days growing up in Dublin, including the sudden loss of his mother when he was 14, to U2’s unlikely journey to become one of the world’s most influential rock bands, to his more than 20 years of activism dedicated to the fight against AIDS and extreme poverty. Writing with candor, self-reflection, and humor, Bono opens the aperture on his life—and the family, friends and faith that have sustained, challenged and shaped him.

Surrender’s subtitle, '40 Songs, One Story,' is a nod to the book’s 40 chapters, which are each named after a U2 song.

©2022 Bono (P)2022 Penguin Audio

What listeners say about Surrender

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  • Overall
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    5 out of 5 stars

He’d hate label ‘easy listening’ 🤣

But it’s exactly what it is, he talks like a fella telling a story that’s only 90 seconds long but is 20 hours, I’m 1 hour in & loving it 👍🏻

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Magnificent

Such an interesting story interlaced with songs. Bono reading it in such a soothing voice is an added bonus.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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Amazing

Loved it. Terrific story telling. Poetic, beautiful. The mix of music and narrative is superb.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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Compulsive Reading

Who knew the insightful depth of Bono’s intellect, unveiled in this introspective and beautiful articulation of his amazing, life, marriage, family and band.

I would highly recommend this book to anybody wanting to cut the noise of life to find the beauty of silence and the ability to reflect on who we are and why we are here.

Not that he needs or would necessarily thank us for another gong but this work is worthy of the highest literary acclaim. I cannot recommend it highly enough.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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Superb

Bono has that rare quality of being a world class song writer and performer as well as possessing a deep sensitivity to spirituality and traditional values. The golden nuggets and diamonds scattered throughout this book are needed more than ever in a world that seems to have lost its core values.

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Excellent

If you have made it to here you are likely a fan of U2 and/or Bono in which case buy this audiobook. It is the best audiobook i have listened to. Like most things he doesn't dial it in. The audiobook format has been considered and delivered upon here, whether it be musical additions or audio clips everything is enhanced. Narration is excellent as well and adds hugely to what would be in the book, for example "I was that man" in text could be read as a proud statement, being delivered apologetically or any other number of meanings. Only when heard in the author's own voice do you know you have the correct meaning.

The book is very heavy on Bono and less so on U2 (as the title suggests). This was a little disappointing from what i wanted from it but that's my issue and i can go back to U2 by U2 i guess.

I was fortunate enough to see the stage show which accompanied the book release and it was at least as good as any U2 concert i've seen. Highly recommend if you get the chance.

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That was Special, the audiobook is a must

Fantastic stuff from the frontman of the biggest band in the world. Plenty of tales from life and issues addressed. The audio really adds to it, actually rings through to the man, he could have just read it but this is full effects, music and him playing around. One of the best Audiobooks I've listened to and FROM THE NORTH SIDE OF DUBLIN.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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This is an absolute work of art…

…from the first to the very last second.
Bono shows his talent both for performance and for critical thought throughout his journey. I have so much admiration for him as a person whose fame and fortune could have got the better of him, but it didn’t.
The story took me on a personal journey of rediscovery from the Joshua Tree which has accompanied me since I was 14, until newer less familiar music, reinforcing my respect for, and connection with U2.
This is no ordinary audiobook.

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Amazing

A truly amazing human and storyteller a life lived to the fullest thank you

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A biased review

I loved this book. As a lifelong fan of U2 I think I was always going to say that.

Listening to this story being read by the writer was a fantastic choice, possibly the best choice. The addition of the music and effects just made it better. I learned so much about Bono and his life. Worth every penny, but I would say that. If you're a fan then this book is a must. If you're not a fan this could change that.

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