booksiloved.com - Book reviews of books the reviewer really liked

A review of U2 At the End of the World

by Bill Flanagan

The most intimate and appreciative biography of the mega rock band U2 to date--by the author to whom the band gave complete access.

Reviewed by: Michelle Detwiler
About Michelle Detwiler

U2 At the End of the World I really, really liked U2 before I read this book, but now that I'm done with it, I LOVE them. What an amazing group of guys. Not only have they managed to remain one of the top bands of the last 20 years, but they've also stayed together without fighting, drug/drinking problems or losing their sense of purpose. All of these truths are illustrated in Flanagan's book.

Flanagan had the rare privilege to follow Ireland's greatest export for 3 years during the ZooTV and Zooropa tours in the early '90s, when the band was fresh from the Grammy-winning "The Joshua Tree" and the critically panned "Rattle and Hum." He earned the confidence and trust of all the band members, who shared their most troubling, intellectual, deep thoughts with him during the journey. The book is about more than Bono's love of himself, or Larry Mullen's fierce integrity, or Edge's lingering family problems or Adam's partying ways. There's marital strife, descriptions of life on the road and why it's so difficult to go back to the "real world" once a tour is done, love affairs that blossomed during the three years, interviews with the fathers of the members of the world's greatest, most humble and truly conscientious band, and even philosophical discussions. Appearances by Salman Rushdie, Frank Sinatra, An American trapped in Kosovo and of course, models.

This is the first book on U2 that really offers a true glimpse into each member's life outside the band. Flanagan and Bono talk about Bono's marriage and children; Edge talks about his ending marriage, its affect on his kids, and a new romance that begins on the road. Larry talks about his longtime girlfriend and exhibits his toughness, and Adam's relationship with Naomi Campbell is even explored. Plus, there's some good pictures. Of Larry. Muscles and all...

I would highly recommend this book to anyone who loves U2 but knows nothing about their personal lives, or even to anyone who just wants to know why rock stars become the eccentric characters that they do. This is a fascinating, hard to put down read, and one of the best and most engaging books written about a rock band; second only to "The Dirt," about Motley Crue's misadventures.

Click here to buy this book, or read more about it at Amazon.com: U2 At the End of the World

Copyright © by Michelle Detwiler, 2003

Reviewed by Michelle Miller Detwiler:
-- And I Don't Want To Live This Life - by Deborah Spungen
-- A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius - by Dave Eggers
-- England's Dreaming - by Jon Savage
-- I'm With the Band - by Pamela Des Barres
-- Our Band Could Be Your Life - by Michael Azerrad
-- Maus: A Survivor's Tale - by Art Spiegelman
-- Psychotic Reactions and Carburetor Dung - by Lester Bangs
-- Healing Digestive Disorders - by Andrew Gaeddert
-- U2 At the End of the World - by Bill Flanagan









Home ------- All the Reviews