'Rock star poet. Lovable rogue…'

Publication of the abridged paperback edition of Bono's memoir brings together stellar reviews from musicians and novelists as well as critics and activists.

As well as some reviews at the time of hardback publication we've collected some endorsements of the paperback, with its new introduction.

If "Bono: Stories of Surrender" is on your summer reading list, order it now or pick it up at your local bookstore. And you can still grab your copy of the limited edition Live EP or the official poster. 

"Bono – the guy that wants to save the world. One of the Dubliners. Rock star poet. Lovable rogue. You have to appreciate his commitment to social causes – always pushing for change, always trying to fix things. Good for him. Most people don't even bother. Trying to change the world and maybe transcend it. Singing for a world too obsessed with noise to listen. Searching for redemption like all of us are – and he seems to be aware of the depths of that search. He knows the distance between the soul and the public square. He's got guts that guy. Bravo Bono." 
Bob Dylan 

"Bono tells us who he is as a friend and a family member, an artist and a true believer. The result is both electrifying and intimate, a spectacular read." 
Ann Patchett, author of Bel Canto
 
"Surrender is a rich and honest book, rich because of its honesty. If you want to know the man behind the shades, read this book. He's worth getting to know." 
Salman Rushdie 

"In Surrender, Bono delves deep within. Through the nucleus of song, he offers with unflinching honesty his memories, his musings, his many phases, his One love, his heart of hearts."  
Patti Smith

"A brilliant, very funny, very revealing, autobiography-through-music. Maybe the best book ever written about being a rock star." 
Caitlin Moran, author of How to Build a Girl

"The loss of his mother goes through Bono's book as an undercurrent . . . What is strange, and what makes much of this book so exciting and interesting, is that the sadness is overwhelmed by a desperate, frenzied desire to use life more richly since it has proved to be so fragile. Sadness is replaced here by an extraordinary and breathless zeal for friendship but also for love. And also, of course, for music."
Colm Tóibín, author of Brooklyn

"Bono has hereby flipped the saying, ‘a picture is worth a thousand words.' These words are like a thousand paintings. All worth hanging. Articulately curated. The work of a master." 
Eddie Vedder

"Readers may come to Surrender for the rock star glamour but they will stay for a beautifully written, tender, thoughtful exploration of loss and creation, of family and friendship, of faith and hope. Like a great album, this memoir has many moods, from the deeply poignant to the highly absurd and everything in between. Beating beneath them all is the pulse of an artist's restless search for meaning in the world."
Fintan O'Toole, author of We Don't Know Ourselves

"Surrender is a great ride through the life of a remarkable man, a one-of-­a-­ kind talent, and a committed activist for improving healthcare and fighting poverty across the world. Like the man himself, the book is fascinating, fast-­ paced, and fun to spend time with." ­
President Bill Clinton 

"I loved Surrender even more than I love U2's music ­ and I'm a huge fan of their music. Even though I'm lucky to call Bono a friend, a lot of the stories were new to me. So was the role that spiritual surrender plays in his life. It's a funny, profound, and moving book that stays with you long after you finish it." ­ 
Bill Gates

‘Beautifully evoked, a mixture of Joycean exuberance and Chandleresque irony . . . most revealing are the intimate personal experiences that shaped [Bono] and his chaotic creative process. Punctuating it all is the music. Each chapter uses a U2 song to pull us down memory lane.' 
Mariella Frostrup, The Sunday Times

"Quite simply the best memoir about the creative experience and the healing power of song. Surrender indeed." 
Colum McCann,  author of Apeirogon

"Bono's book is absolutely brilliant." 
Simon Schama, author and professor, Columbia University

Introspective, intimate, and irreverent in equal measure, this abridged version of "Bono: Stories of Surrender," serves as a companion to the Apple Original Film of his critically acclaimed one-man show of the same name, now streaming on Apple TV+.