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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 (305 ratings)

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Surrender

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

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

What listeners say about Surrender

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Eloquent with purpose and beauty

U2 has always been a vital part of growing and learning and feeling for me. The word “fan” conjures an idea that falls short.

Bono is an artist in the purest sense of the word. This book is a gift of art. The audiobook is an experience that must be had. His voice in both song and spoken word is beautiful and connective with the timing, tempo and intention of his written word. Bono is a beautiful human who reflects with humbled awareness, the connection of all things in life and all that drives him: love, purpose, humanity, important conversations moved to action, important feelings moved to thoughts and the search for knowing.

The format to this book is in itself, a creative and purposeful connection between song and life; chapters as song. Everything in a life woven both vertically to God and horizontally with arms embracing the world, as alluded go in his words of the cross. There are multiple entry points and nothing is linear, it just makes sense in it’s composition and design.

The audiobook is such a gift to be cherished. The integration of song and sound, his voice and voices carry the narrative in a compelling format that is essentially an extension of how Bono seems to breathe the world.

I want to hear Bono’s voice more. The vulnerability and confidence, the ability to give and receive.

Thank you Bono, U2 and thank you Ali.

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A work of art—and the highest standard for audio books

It couldn’t get any better—an Irish story teller with a phenomenal story to tell. I actually think I came away a better person for listening to this. Deep gratitude for the live you’ve lived, and deeper gratitude for the sharing of it.

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Wow! Wow! Wow! A Work of Art!

Loved it! Spellbinding and authentic to the end. Thank you, Bono for taking the time this creative pursuit deserved. What a life...so far, and yes it only gets better!

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An Experience Not To Be Missed

As Bono shares his story, he can't help but let his musicality and love of music permeate his narrative. I can't imagine limiting myself to reading this--it's an auditory experience.

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Bono in his own voice

Not to be missed. Shining a light on a remarkable life and a band that shaped us.

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Bono and U2

I absolutely love this and I love listening to Bono telling the story. He has a great flare for storytelling.

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Perfect

This was my first audio book and I loved that Bono read it to me. That’s how I’m choosing to review this…that he and I are sitting at a table over a drink and he’s telling me the story of him, the band I love so much, and trouble he’d get himself into. I loved the melody of Bono’s voice, the passion he has for his family, his art, this fellow man and this planet as a whole. As I am nearing the end I’m wishing it was a longer story, just so I can sit with this man a while longer.

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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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Was great to hear his perspective on many things

It was long but good. Don't be in a rush. So many interesting stories.

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  • SAS
  • 2023-04-14

Incredibly powerful

His heartfelt words, his life work, his philosophies - brilliant told (that voice!!), whatever you take from it - you will find it inspiring and touching. Will be listening again alongside the book this time.

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  • Josh
  • 2022-11-04

Fantastic!

Hands down the best audiobook I’ve ever listened to. It’s more like a radio play than a book. Bono’s narration is superb, the music and sound effects add to the atmosphere, and the story is compelling. Highly, highly recommended!

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32 people found this helpful

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  • D. Reyes
  • 2022-11-04

It’s a Spoken Journey

Hands down one of the best audio books narrated/spoken by its author. I’m a U2 fan going back 30 years (right before Achtung Baby came out) so there’s still a lot I’m surprised to learn about Bono. This book chronicles his life before the band, through his musical and charitable achievements and the highs and lows of both. I like that the book has bits and pieces of U2 songs, which are now reworked, throughout the chapters. Throughout the 40 chapters we learn more about Bono’s faith and his devotion to his wife, as well as his early struggles losing a parent at a young age and another parent now as an adult. Overall I feel this would be a good listen to old and new fans and possibly even non-fans.

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  • David
  • 2022-11-02

Best Sermon I’ve Ever Heard!

20 hours of poetry disguised as prose. Totally Brilliant!! The best audiobook I’ve heard. Thank you Bono.

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  • H E.
  • 2022-11-03

Wow, so much more than I was looking for

I wasn’t expecting to be drawn in for a listening marathon. But the narrative was so compelling that I finished it into days! The intermingling of music and other recordings made this such an incredible experience.
Advocacy can be an amazing tool to assist those in need. I am an advocate for my rare disease. Bono Shows each of us how to learn from each other and to reach out to those that can help us through that single open door.
Merci beaucoup. Le Gra, Eric

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  • J. Cooney
  • 2022-11-03

Bono is my ketamine therapy guru

Receiving ketamine treatment for depression and I can’t imagine a better spirit animal to guide me toward the unicorn oasis of mental health than Bono. He’s like a Cheshire Cat in my ear giving me a tour of his wonderful brain while the scaffolding in mine is rearranged.

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  • DarleneL
  • 2022-11-03

Engrossing

I don't even know what to say. .
I knew this book would be something special, and I wasn't disappointed. Laughed a lot..cried a little..and learned so much. Thanks Bono!

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  • Joel Kyle
  • 2022-11-06

Ordinary Love

I’m 37. For the last 25 years I have had 6 parents. My Mum and Dad, as well as these other lads…

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  • Rick Tyler
  • 2022-11-04

Phenomenal

A work of art. Bono keeps it real while delivering a masterful audio performance. He speak into a man’s heart or to anyone wanting to understand a man’s heart.

I’ve always said to never meet your heroes, they will only disappoint you but in at least this encounter, Bono doesn’t disappoint. He is insightful, honest, expressive, and vulnerable - a master storyteller and what a story.

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  • LT Cooks
  • 2022-11-19

Best band, dude, and audiobook EVER

I wish I could tell Bono thank you for this amazing memoir. What an wonderful, informative, enlightening experience listening to Bono narrate his life story and life's work. I became a U2 fan in high school and always felt a strange connection to Bono and the band. Learning about Bono's childhood and the early days of the band brought back so many memories of my own life in the early 1980's... Crazy how much I related to Bono's story, despite our worlds being so very different. Listeners are treated to deep insights on Bono and the band, the music industry, politics, religion, and best of all - love and family. What an incredible life Bono has led and I am truly appreciative of the gifts he has given us through his music and now through this audiobook! I laughed and cried, cried and laughed. I also learned a ton, which was a bonus. It took me a long time to complete this audiobook because I kept looking up information and getting sidetracked. Not to mention all the pauses I made in order to play various songs - U2, David Bowie, Frank Sinatra, INXS... plus several bands I had never heard of before. I was actually sad when this one ended, despite it being quite a long listen. I'm sure I'll listen to it again, if not just to hear Bono's hilarious voice imitations! I enjoyed every minute of this story and consider it to be my all-time favorite audiobook.

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  • John A.
  • 2022-11-01

A wonderful book

A fantastic memoir that I found to be developmental and maturative for a young man coming of age such as myself. I found this book to be really intelligent and I really found to story entertaining. I found great relation with the protagonist and I further highly recommend this book. I would like to fly to U-2 in all of its variants one day…

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8 people found this helpful