Book Review - Surrender by Bono.
Discovering
A podcast interview of Bono about his memoir caught my ear. Topics of discussion covered religion, his actions to improve the world, but what drew my attention most of all was something he said about being an artist. It struck a nerve in me. Improving and developing my own process and skills, has been a struggle for me
Maybe because of my own struggles to come to terms with whatever creative talents might be hiding within my DNA, or the under current fear of the imposter syndrome. It does come down to what we believe about ourselves, doesn’t it?
Days later I remembered to put it on my list of books to check out at the library. Unfortunately, a lot of people were doing the same thing. Libraries had it in print and ebook but they all had wait lists were well over forty weeks long. Not knowing if this was going to be a keeper book, I signed up to wait on the shortest hold list of the libraries I frequent.
When the notice arrived the ebook was available for check out, I had almost forgotten about it. The hold-list had moved a little quicker than I calculated (a few months) and could be checked out for the twenty day limit (hold-list book limit). In the first few days I realized this was a keeper book for me. Quotes I wanted to underline and notes to make in the margin. By the end of the first week a print version of my own was secured; my checked out copy was released that day. Wonder if others were finding they too wanted their own copy and that was why the waitlist moved faster than expected. When I returned it the wait list was as long as when I had first put it on hold myself.
BOOK REVIEW
An interview about a memoir on a podcast captured my interest, prompting me to jot the title down. Reading the first few chapters, I understood why the hold list was so long. I wanted to linger, read and reflect. Reading the life story of an artist, for me was intriguing. Especially this artist, and the way he shared his memories.
Let me set you straight, this memoir doesn’t require you to be a mega fan to find the stories endearing or meaningful. You don’t have to know the music that Bono and U2 produced. This is more than just a retelling of how their hits came to be; it is about moments and memories of an era, if you have been alive for any time at all in the last sixty years, you experienced the world events covered within.
It is layered. The layers Bono shares are of being a singer, songwriter, political activist on the outside and a soul, son, brother, husband, father inside. It unravels not only his life story, but the environment we have grown older in as well. Sharing his poignant experiences and the world events of the time had me considering events and people that were a part of my life, a very rich and unusual effect of a memoir.
Music is able to be meaningful to everyone. Significant world and personal events become associated with music popular at the time. Emotions and memories held within the notes and lyrics beyond what the composers and performers initially intended. Opening up to that, I wondered about the songs that will be written during my grandchildren’s and what they associate with it. How will they look back upon the music we hear today?
This book opens up to the reader a glimpse of the process of being creative. Bono’s memoir provides a reassurance about find your own way. Our paths are unique as each of us are. Most of all, this memoir left me with hope, for me and for the world.