Rating: 
Summary: Not a lot of information, but new perspective
Review: When I bought this book I was expecting to find out more about the band I love so much. I was disappointed. There is very little information in here that the real U2 fan doesn't already know (like which member isn't a Christian, why The Edge almost quit, etc.). However, by the time I finished the book, I was surprised at how my disappointment changed to enlightenment.Stockman provided me with a whole new perspective on a lot of U2's songs that I didn't even realize had Christian messages (and I'm not talking about the easy ones like Mysterious Ways or Please). More than that, however, was the new perspective I have on the band. Bono's worldview is really inspiring. I always respected his involvement in Jubilee and Amnesty, but it's his day-to-day attitude that makes you want to be a better person. I love the quote that says something to the effect of how if you don't help the poor or the sick, and in general try to make your world better, what is your religion worth? So, in summary, I think this book is a good read for even a moderate U2 fan. However, be advised that it is not an extremely well-written book (Stockman's points don't flow that smoothly and he jumps around a lot considering he tries to cover U2's career chronologically), and you're not going to learn a lot of new facts about U2. It's the message that you take away that makes me recommend this book.
Rating: 
Summary: Intriguing book, full of surprises...
Review: U2 has been a formidable group for two decades, and have always had something worthwhile to say, as Steve Stockman skillfully reminds us. I do remember at age 20 (in 1987) being deeply touched by their songs "With or Without You" and "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For." But then my passion for Bob Dylan's songs kicked in, and I forgot about this great group. In recent years I've realized how extensive Dylan & Bono's history is (in 1984, Bono interviewed Dylan, and sang onstage with him; in 1987-1988 they wrote & recorded together; Dylan joined U2 onstage in 1987; in 1997, Dylan invited Bono to participate in his tribute album to Jimmie Rodgers; and Bono joined Dylan onstage in 1989 & 1999). But Steve Stockman points out the wide range of figures that have influenced Bono and U2--from Dylan to Joey Ramone, from Martin Luther King to C.S. Lewis! Also helpful was his chapter on the band's roots in Dublin and how they shaped the band's direction. I recently watched MTV's 20 year annniversary retrospective and was amazed at the diversity of artists who paid their respects to U2 (Red Hot Chili Peppers, Marilyn Manson and Smashing Pumpkins, if I recall correctly!) Although Stockman is a believer in Jesus, he doesn't force-feed the reader his beliefs, but instead, asks probing questions both about the Church, and those who happen not to believe--and all in the larger context of U2's art and career. I got an education on things I was unaware of... In chapter 1, Stockman writes: "The Christian press and Christians in general have been the doubters [to U2's faith]. There seems to have been a keen enthusiasm to denounce the band's Christian members as lost...in the very early days when the band did speak to Christian magazines, they were often misquoted and felt used and abused. The evangelical Christian world seemed to claim U2 as its property, and therefore, U2's members found their faith defined and explained by magazines rather than by the members themselves. Aligning themselves with the Christian press would have pigeonholed their faith and their art, squeezed them into the mold of other people's expectations, and narrowed the focus of the band's influence and scope." No point in questioning Stockman's research, he cites many interviews (mostly Bono quotes) which is helpful in the context of the spiritual story he is telling. Here are two examples: "For many years the band members said that their faith--not their rock 'n' roll lifestyle--was the real rebellion."..."For a long time, Bono and the rest of the U2 guys were amused by the absurdity and obscenity of how important rock stardom had become." Huh? This flew in the face of the stereotype of Bono as narcissistic. Stockman reminds us that Bono spoke at Harvard University's commencement ceremony (June 2001) and railed against materialism & narcissism. The book covers the entire career of U2 (albums, tours, interviews) and ends with their release, All That You Can't Leave Behind (2000). Stockman quotes one of its songs, "Grace," where Bono clearly alludes to the biblical concept of the song: "Grace / She carries the world on her hips / No champagne flute on her lips / No twirls or skips between her fingertips / She carries a world in perfect condition." Stockman further comments about the song, "In a world where the Eastern religions get a great deal more acceptance on the scale of cool than Christianity usually receives, Bono pulls a subtle little punch for the Christian belief in salvation by singing 'She travels outside of karma / She travels outside of karma'." (This reminded me of a not-so-subtle punch Bob Dylan delivered during one of his gospel concerts (May 7, 1980): "God's waiting to set you free. I know you don't hear much about God these days. We're gonna talk about Him all night. We're not gonna be talking about no mysticism, no meditation, none of them Eastern religions. We're just gonna be talking about Jesus. Demons don't like that name. I'll tell you right now, if you got demons inside you, they're not gonna like it.") A bizarre moment in the book occurred when Stockman recounted a story Bono told to Joe Jackson about a Zoo TV concert: "[Bono:] One night I was doing my Elvis-devil dance on stage with a young girl in Wales, and she said, 'Are you still a believer? If so, what are you doing dressed up as the Devil?' I said, 'Have you read the Screwtape Letters, a book by C.S. Lewis that a lot of intense Christians are plugged into? They are letters from the Devil. That's where I got the whole philosophy of mock-the-devil-and-he-will-flee-from-you.' She said, 'Yes,' and I said, 'So you know what I am doing.' Then she relaxed." This anecdote pointed up the fact that Bono is a thinker and is getting people (believers & non-believers) to ponder profound topics. Provocative were the last 3 sentences of the book: "The Church could almost pack up its contemporary music stall that it has resourced for 40 years and head back home because on the Elevation tour, U2 has done what that industry has aimed to do--involve Jesus in the conversation of a generation. As the band's concerts finish with communal choruses of 'hallelujah' just as they used to finish with [Psalm]'40' (off 1983's War album), concert halls are taking on the spiritual feel and emotion of cathedrals and churches. God is in the house, and the world is there to meet with Him." Stockman's book is informative, entertaining, and challenging. It's made me want to revisit those albums I heard as a young adult--and encounter those U2 records I've missed since...and read C.S. Lewis's book, The Screwtape Letters.
Rating:
Summary: A Must Read
Review: I've read through this book once, and am about to read it again - this time with my highlighter ready to go. Not only is this a book that really deals with the Christianity of U2, it is also a book that gets into theological areas that are important for any Christian non-U2 fan to read. (or even for any Non-Christian U2 fans!) I've always loved U2 and always felt their spiritual nature, but this book helped me explore not only their beliefs, but expand on my own. It left me with some answers to questions about U2 and about my own faith, but even more importantly, it left me with hefty questions that I now must search for answers for. I will never listen to U2's music quite the same again.
Rating:
Summary: For Christians and/or U2 fans, an interesting must-read
Review: This is the VH-1 "BEHIND THE MUSIC" that should have been done!
U2 are just like all of us-- struggling to live what we believe, struggling with how our life doesn't measure up to what we believe. This book is a great read and very detailed in its exploration of the guys' beliefs. What you write and sing is molded by what you believe, so if you are interested in the meaning of it all... buy this book NOW!
Rating: 
Summary: Leaves More Questions
Review: I read this book, searching for answers about the spiritual beliefs and motivations of U2, but now I have more questions than ever. Doesn't a truly good book always make us ask more probing questions, especially about ourselves?
Thats why I can recommend this book. If you read it with an open mind, you will have engaged in a discourse that digs deep beneath the surface of spiritual and cultural trash that is fed to us in 21st century media, churches and universities.
The only reason that I rate it 4 stars instead of 5 is because I really wanted to read more interviews with the people that know U2 more personally, perhaps even the band members themselves.
Rating:
Summary: george
Review: The book was ok, but it was only based on opinions buy the author. I don't beleive that u2 had anything even to do with this book. I was just looking for something direct to come out of the group members mouth.. but that was not the case
Rating:
Summary: It was there all along
Review: Steve Stockman tells the story that we all knew was there. He does it with clarity and he does it with one eye on the Bible and one eye in the world of living out a Christian faith. And he walks the reader through the times in Bono's story, when those eyes became crossed. Stockman has the history with the band to see their progress and the good fortune of not releasing the book until after Sept.11 to be able to see a band that has been probing, expressive, and now more than ever, inspiring for anyone who sees more in this life than this life offers. At the center of their music and from the core of Bono's soul this band has been on display for all to enjoy, critique, and wonder about. Stockman's contribution to their story is a great resource in seeing "beyond the veil" of this remarkable band.
Rating:
Summary: what can I say? this book is great!
Review: As the title of this review indicates, I think this is a great book. It outlines the spiritual journey of U2 like no other book has done. Instead of a book soaked in spiritual fluff, or worse, written by someone who is an obsessed fan, "Walk On..." explores the band's roots and their lives in a realistic manner. This book has insight. It has depth. It's real. And honestly, in light of the current movement of spirituality in our world today, it really is relevant to our lives.
Rating:
Summary: A spiritual interpretation of the life and career of U2
Review: I have followed the career of U2 almost from the beginning, and they have been one of my top two or three bands of all time for many years. As a Christian, discovering their spiritual underpinnings was exhilerating to me, and a source of great joy, which later led to puzzlement when their lifestyles seemed to turn decadent. The basic question remained: Are they still Christians? This book answers that question with a resounding YES! All this time there has been a method to the madness of U2, even with their seeming slide into the typical rock lifestyle during the 1990's. As they invented and reinvented themselves, they were still sending out a peculiarly Christian message for those with ears to hear. This book draws on many interviews over the years with the band, particularly frontman Bono, and Bono shows a depth of spirituality that may be surprising to many. Look past the smoking, drinking, and cursing (which seems to have fallen off somewhat with the onset of the new millennium) and you find a band (or at least a frontman, more about that later) that is in love with God and humankind, and expresses its faith in artistic ways that often confound the more literal-minded. Where this book falls short, in my opinion, is that it seems to be mostly the spiritual journey of Bono. What about the rest of the band? We hear a little from The Edge, and virtually nothing from the other Christian in the band, Larry Mullen. Even the token non-Christian, Adam Clayton, would have had things to share about being in a band with three Christians. Surely he has not spent all this time with them and gone totally untouched spiritually. Bono is simply the most visible member, but I'm sure the others would have something to say as well. If anyone is unsure whether, as a Christian, you "should" like and support U2 or not, this book has the answer. As for me, I think I'll run out and fill in the gaps in my U2 CD collection.
Rating:
Summary: Clears up confusion about U2's Christianity
Review: I'm a Christian, and started liking U2 at a young age. I didn't
know they were a Christian group at the time, but the more I
heard their songs, the more I could see scriptural references,
and Christian beliefs being shown. Sometimes, I'd wonder, though,
if they "were" Christian, based on songs like "Wake up Dead Man",
"The First Time" etc.
This book explains just what Bono was writing, and why he
wrote it. I felt the book challenged MY Christianity. Such an
instant is when Rev. Stockman points out what U2 was doing, how
the Church perceived that, why they perceived that as 'wrong'-
because the Church wasn't used to seeing people going out into
the sinful world and spreading the Word of God to those who needed
to hear it! -That's what Jesus did.
One verse that stuck in my mind, that wasn't mentioned in
the book, was Matthew 9:12 Jesus said "It is not the healthy
who need a doctor, but the sick."
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