Rating: 
Summary: Not for the casual U2 fan with ADD...but other than that...
Review: Bill did an excellent job with this book. However, it is NOT the source of answers for a person who wants a systematic explanation of the world's greatest rock band. It is written more like a prose documentary than a biography, which makes it very enthralling. If you are just a casual fan with ADD who wants some questions answered...this is not an easy read. However, if you really want an intimate look at the band...this is your source. This will be THE book that scholars and fans in the future will be reading years and years from now, especially in regard to the Zoo TV and Zooropa tours. Flanagan is obviously extrememly well-learned and versed in many areas of academia and entertainment. The man knows his stuff. Enjoy his witty, lengthy, and definitive work on the world's greatest Rock band!
Rating:
Summary: A 3-D, technicolor glimpse into U2 complete w/stereo sound.
Review: This is not a biography of facts about the band so if you're looking to find out how old Larry is, or how many kids Edge has, don't be buying this book. Bill Flanagan takes you into the minds of U2 but makes sure he passes their funny bones along the way. He has the amazing ability of adding his own witty and keen input while at the same time making it seem as if U2 are talking with you personally. By the end of the book, I was as exhausted and wrung out as if I had really just got back from the three year tour with the band. Though I read the book as a U2 fan, I would now gladly pick up anything else by Flanagan. His deceptively casual style will hook you from the first paragraph with a laugh and keep you up at four in the morning as you seek to discover "the secret of the universe" with Edge.
Rating:
Summary: simply a great, entertaining book.
Review: i'm not a huge u2 fan, but i do listen to them some, have seen them on video, know their names & personalities etc.. i think this book is great even for a casual listener like me. why? because this book is as ENTERTAINING as anything you can find. where else are you gonna hear about the Edge discovering the secret to the world while on magic mushrooms, or Bono leaving his body? my guess is this is as about a close a look at the band as you're gonna get. there's very outspoken accounts of what the band thinks of other celebrities, bono and the edge's marital problems, near-death encounters, etc. etc. but it also veers off into history (political and musical), what gives the band inspiration, just what it takes to pull off a u2 concert (a LOT!) very cool.
Rating:
Summary: BRILLIANT BILL
Review: I bought this book in 1995, saw you can write reviews, and I thought so much of this book couldn't resist. It is one of 'the books' to read on this band. I have read it twice from cover to cover as I not only enjoyed getting to know the guys on a personal level (especially Bono who I totally respect) but it is really funny, why the media portrays U2 as a band that takes themselves so seriously I would not know, they are guys with such a balanced view of the world knowing when to laugh and when to cry. Bill's writing is infectious and like other good reviews I agree 'could not put it down' read it three days.
Rating:
Summary: Honestly couldn't put it down!
Review: "U2 at the End of the World" is, I suspect, a book you would enjoy even if you were not a U2 fan, or just a casual fan. It's funny and entertaining but still manages to keep intact the integrity of all the people involved. You don't ever feel duped here, that this is some publicity stunt or you're not getting the whole story. I found it interesting to read the author's note at the end, where he seems genuinely grateful for this 3-year journey with a band that had every right and opportunity to make him feel an outsider, but instead embraced him. I came off reading it with a new appreciation for not only U2 but the music industry as well, a new appreciation for the trials and celebrations that make up their world. It's a tough life, but U2 have found their understanding of it. The book is especially helpful to Bono, as someone with only a vague idea of his public image can get a very skewed impression of him. He's a lot more human and funny than you expect- and also a lot more brave. He's still got the ego, but is redeemed by his strong beliefs, and finally he comes off as just as confused, vibrant, and driven as the rest of us. What a relief!
Rating:
Summary: You don't even need to be a U2 fan to enjoy this book!
Review: Not just a great book about music, not just a great book about the tour, not just a great book about the band! Reading this was like being in the Cameron Crowe film Almost Famous. I really do mean it when I say you don't even have to know who Bono is! But in all likelyhood if you're reading this, you probably are a fan of the greatest band in the world, so all I can say is, buy this book!
Rating:
Summary: Insight on the Inspiration
Review: I've never much been a fan of rock biography... until this book by Bill Flanagan. The book contains amazing insight on the characters of U2 and their organization that keeps them in the studio and on the road. The book shares a very human perspective on what it is like to be a powerful superstar, while reminding us that U2 are still people that can get cuts and bruises. Filled with band members' philosophy on life and music and engaging stories that take you from a Greenpeace voyage to protest nuclear waste to Hitlers Olympic Stadium to the confines of their semi-hidden studio in Dublin where the music is made, the world of U2 is explored on a very personal level. Bill is a fantastically fun writer who has a heck of a lot of wit himself, even when among some of the most ambitious of all musicians ever. "At the End of the World" is a trip, and its well worth taking.
Rating:
Summary: The Best about the Best
Review: I think this must be the best book about U2 that is out there. So much insight, so much humour... you just can't go wrong with it. Instead of reading a list on vital statistics and physical attributes of the band members, i.e. 'he was born on this day' and 'he is this tall'and 'he is dating/not dating this chick' (something I can find on EXTRA) I finally get to see the real people behind the Best Band in the World. I finally get to see what makes them tick. What a RIDE!!!! I wish I was there through it all along with Bill. Boy, was he ever a lucky guy. Even if you aren't a certifiable U2 fan, I think you would still enjoy this book; for its humour if nothing else. A wonderful read.
Rating:
Summary: Truly Delves into the souls and Minds that are U2
Review: Bill Flanagan is a GENIUS..... His writing style and flair for comedy and saying the right thing at the right time had me laughing out loud at numerous points in this book! This book is NOT for anyone who wants a Biography of the band or wants Trivia answers... it's an IN-depth Trip through 2 tours and the making of Zooropa and Achtung Baby by showing the human side to a band most people only see the Rock face of. The band and everyone that makes up U2 come alive in their journies and follies... This is a definite must read for any avid U2 fan....
Rating:
Summary: Achtung, Baby!
Review: This is simply one of the best rock n' roll biographies I've ever read. It reads like a novel, not the usual dry biographical documentary. If you like U2, or if you just want to read a really good book with interesting characters, this is the book for you!
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