U2 by U2 Paperback – Illustrated, December 1, 2009

U2 by U2 is the ultimate book for any die-hard U2 fans. With more than 150 hours of interviews, U2 by U2 describes the music, the relationships and the evolution of the band in their own words. Set in a beautiful, large coffee table style book, U2 by U2 can be enjoyed again and again--first by looking at the photos, then by reading conversations among the band. If you are a U2 fan, buy this book.If you know a U2 fan, give them this book as a gift. You will not be disappointed.Pros:Presented in an attractive coffee table bookLots and lots of great U2 pictures from the 1970s to todayMore than 150 hours of interviews with U2 on their lives from the 1970s to todayWell organized in chronological orderCons:No con unless you don't like U2 - then you shouldn't buy this bookDescription:U2 by U2 is the first book by the whole band in their own words and pictures.U2 by U2 starts with childhood stories from the 1960s and continues on through the Vertigo tour.I am a U2 fan. When I first picked up U2 by U2, I felt slightly giddy. I took my time opening the heavy cover and flipping through the thick shiny pages full of pictures. I glanced at enlarged bold quotes, previewing the details that were waiting for my closer reading.U2 by U2 is not a quick memoir on the band that could be read in a weekend. It is not a magazine article, or even a compilation of articles. No, U2 by U2 is as dense as one of the band's albums. Like the music, it can be enjoyed on a superficial level--sitting on the coffee table, ready to entertain you for a few minutes time. But this is a book that can also be savored.Listen to Boy as you read about their early years. Or flip to the section that corresponds with whatever U2 CD is already playing in your car. Bono, The Edge, Adam Clayton and Larry Mullen, Jr. offer revealing, witty insight into the music and the moments around its creation. Reading U2 by U2 will only make your listening experience more enjoyable....

To be completely honest I really liked this book. Some people may find the format of the book (basically interview format throughout) to be hard to read. There is a lot of information here and if you plan on a little light reading I wouldn't recommend it. It takes quite some time to read from cover to cover. For the these reasons I would rcommend this book to an audience of mostly fans of u2, bono, or rock history.One wonderful strong point of this book is that it is ABSOLUTLEY BRIMMING with wonderful photographs and the graphic design of the book makes the book itself a piece of art. The material itself is really great if you want to know as much as you can about the band. They give acounts of early gigs and many ineresting info about songs and people involved with U2.One thing that I had a problem with in this book is the language. There are quite a few profane/swear words. To some people this may not be a bad thing, after all U2 arae a rock band, it's basically excpected. I however didn't like the colourful language.All in all this book was a good purchase. Just be prepared for an overload of U2!!!!, and very large pages of radiant photography and interview directly from the memebrs of the band themselves (and paul McGuinness at times).

I have loved U2 since their inception. This book, written by the band and their manager, is so truthful! Why do I love it so much?1. The details are real. The images of what the men are talking about are from their own lives.2. The way all 5 people, (Edge/Bono/Adam/Larry/Paul) talk about things that are so intimate, the way that they describe the songs, the experiences, their emotions is riveting!!!3. Being a Lead guitarist/songwriter, I find Edge's comments so revealing. That being said, Bono gives his keen insights into the world of politics, troubles, and how committed he is to working to find solutions. Larry is the most reserved and reticent. Still, his words are the bedrock of U2. And Adam is a very well-spoken gentleman who really lays bare his soul.4. If you are interested in how songs were put together, the difficulties and elations that these 4 men went through to bring U2 to the world, "That" is what makes this book outstanding!!!!5-Star+ for sure. Probably the very finest autobiography by a band that I have ever read in my life.

So much info in here...enjoying it very much!

This is a must own for both U2 fans or fans of music in general. Bono, The Edge, Adam Clayton & Larry Mullen Jr all give an inside look at how U2 got started and all the big moments of their careers up to 2006 when the book was published. One of the biggest music acts in the world now, it is incredibly interesting to see how it all came together when they were in high school, and how their success just seemed to happen slowly and organically. It wasn't until their 3rd album, "War" that they began to take off, and with the help of "Under a Blood Red Sky", started their rise as a top Live act. Get the book though to read the whole story, its a good one. And the book is well presented with lots of pictures, as well as chapters that fit the theme of the albums. (Example, "How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb" era uses the red & black stripes/circles found on the album cover and booklet).