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  • Surrender

  • 40 Songs, One Story
  • Written by: Bono
  • Narrated by: Bono
  • Length: 20 hrs and 25 mins
  • 4.9 out of 5 stars (330 ratings)

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Surrender

Written by: Bono
Narrated by: Bono
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Publisher's Summary

***WINNER OF THE 2024 AUDIE AWARD FOR AUDIOBOOK OF THE YEAR***

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.

©2022 Bono (P)2022 Random House Audio
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What the critics say

A VOGUE BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR

“Honest and direct . . . [Surrender] is defined largely by humility. This is an introspective story written by a man whose spirit is never far removed from the sadness and grief of his childhood; the hunger, literal and figurative, of a teen wannabe rocker; and the gratitude of one who worked his butt off and made it to the top . . . This is the rare rock star memoir written by a rock star who, you get the impression, could have been a writer . . . Bono has a gift for making even the unattainable seem relatable . . . He’s humble, even self-effacing. He might be fun to have a beer with. He is very much of this Earth, even if on occasion he might seem to float above the water.”—The L.A. Times

“Compelling . . . Surrender is more introspective than salacious or score-settling, and proof that the tunesmith who wrote it also speaks fluent prose.”—The Washington Post

Surrender soars whenever the spotlight comes on. Bono is never more powerful, on the page or the stage, than when he strives for the transcendence that only music can offer . . . [Bono] is open and honest, with language that can be witty and distinctive, addressing his competitive relationship with his father or growing up against the backdrop of Ireland’s political violence.”—The New York Times

What listeners say about Surrender

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Very entertaining.

Excellent, brilliant. Listened to it 4 times in a row. I loved his phrasing in his story telling. I enjoyed this so much I am going to buy the hard copy.

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Lyric woven with story and song.

The ONLY was to experience this book is read by Bono himself. Stunning work of story thru lyric. Absolutely phenomenal.

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Surrender

Brilliant prose , Bono writes with humour, humility and raw emotion. He takes on journey of a boy from Ireland who travelled the globe seeking the greater good, but never left hair roots.

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  • Overall
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A must listen if you’ve ever liked a U2 song

I have this book in hardcover, but I just had to listen to Bono telling his own story. It is absolutely lovely.

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Bono’s memoir is excellent

I love U2 and Bono. He has always inspired me with his drive to improve the world and grow as an artist. The Audible version is told by Bono in his lovely Irish. lilt - honest, searching, and thoughtful.

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A deep and profound recounting graced with beauty and meaning.

My first audio book experience. I don’t think simply reading Surrender gives as much of a rich experience as both listening and reading! The soundtrack of songs and audio bytes along with Bono’s voice have multiplied the enjoyment I had with Surrender.

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Simply extraordinary

We knew Bono for his voice, on the music stage, as well as in the World stage, much loved and admired. Bono now reveals his talent as a raconteur, delighting us with deeply personal and heartfelt stories, clips of life and philosophical thoughts (did I mention the excellent impersonations?). Bono, the poet, is also a Sherpa.
p.s. this recording brings the audiobook to the next level, where the music and sounds complete the story.

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Great Insight

Bono’s voice and all of his impersonations were a wonderful surprise. Loved all the music that accompanies the story.

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I learned so much. Thank you

The combination of text, song, audio effects, make this audio book work so well. A man living his purpose, well surrounded by love, inspiration and partnership.

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A must listen to!

An inspirational story about family and love and life. Interspersed with Bono musical interludes. You’ll want to listen to it multiple times.

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