U2: Walk On Rocks!

[Cute Irish Bono]

Hey, U2: Walk On The Spiritual Journey Of U2 is wonderful! It is a book of the faith of U2, lots of it talks about Bono's faith. It shows U2 struggle with Christanity. But it also had lots of happy stuff like how faith has helped U2. When I read this it helps me out with my faith and I start to admire Bono's faith to the extreme! Anyways, it also shows that U2 still has to keep running, their spiritual is not over yet! The still have lots of questions! Anyways, post what you think about this U2 book.

 

[spanisheyes]

Hello Cute Irish Bono...when this forum first started, it was this book that was partly the reason for the incarnation of this forum...we tried to get post started about this book, but they never seemed to go anywhere...I will go back and read the book again, and give you my thoughts on the book...welcome to the forum, and feel free to give you thoughts on this awesome book on U2's spiritual journey and struggles with their faith.

 

[spanisheyes]

In Stockman's book, he mentions Bono songwriting when he writes, "When it comes to songwriting, Bono would admit that he didn't discover the art until the group's 1987 release, The Joshua Tree.

I would almost beg to differ, though if Bono said it, then one has to believe that for him, that was his reality. However, I look at U2's 1984 release, The Unforgettable Fire as just as pivotal a release in Bono discovering not only the art, but the gift in his songwriting.

Such lyrics, as "The wind will crack in winter time
This bomb-blast lightning waltz
No spoken words, just a scream..." and

"If you should ask then maybe they'd
Tell you what I would say
True colors fly in blue and black
Bruised silken sky and burning flag
Colors crash, collide in blood shot eyes" begin for Bono a poetic ambiguity to his lyrics that ring with so much passion, that one couldn't help but realize that a deep human emotion was attached to these lyrics.

I truly believe that we have no Joshua Tree without Bono discovery of his true gift and songwriting ability that we find on The Unforgettable Fire, and possibly, not so much Lanois, but Eno who pushes Bono to look deeper inside himself than he ever had before to find this gift, even if it wasn't painted on the canvas in clear, distinct colors.

 

[u2_girlie_2002]

this was the second U2 book, I ever read. I think its wonderful. Its a lovely intimate portrayal of them and their faith.

Have you read this other one? Bono has his own chapter along with Destiny's Child and others. It has some parts of that book in it as well as some updated info from the Oprah interview and Africa. lol, my book is upstairs and I can't remember the title of it...Its good. I'm trying to search and remember the title...lol

 

[~*Buffalo*~]

I didn't like it the first time I read it, but the second time it was much better. I still didn't really like the way it was written - the author's style annoyed me - but the content was very good. I love reading anything and everything about U2's faith ... so it was a great starting point.

 

[psalm40]

I just read this book this past week, and I enjoyed it thoroughly. I'm glad Stockman didn't condemn U2 for their activities, such as drinking and cursing...

 

[Cute Irish Bono]

Thumb's up!

 

[oktobergirl]

i thought it was interesting but I wasn't blown away by the style of writing at all.

 

[Liesje]

Steve Stockman came to my school last year, but I didn't feel like trying to get in to see him since in all honestly I wasn't impressed with this book. I'm glad some of you guys were though. For me it just seemed really elementary. He didn't seem to have any real contact with Bono or U2 and I thought a lot of his interpretations of the lyrics were either self-explanatory or he was reading too much into them. I think if you're going to write a book about someone else's spirituality, you need to be a lot closer to that person to do it justice. Maybe Stockman does know Bono, but from this book it didn't really seem like it.

 

[biff]

"Maybe Stockman does know Bono, but from this book it didn't really seem like it."

Stockman makes clear in the book that he has never met Bono. He even speculates in the first chapter about what he would say to him if he ever did get to meet him.
I liked the book for the most part, but there were many flaws: 1) The book was derived from a number of articles that Stockman had written over the years, both for his website and his radio show. They were poorly re-edited and not updated for the book format, with some really glaring and sloppy errors (eg., the "14-year marriage", which by the time the book was released, was closer to 19 or 20). 2) Stockman's writing style, as others have mentioned, is aggravating. It is very slapdash, with very little effort made to choose the best word or phrase. This guy really needs to polish! 3) The book's greatest weakness is also probably its greatest strength: Stockman is obviously a fan, so he makes some almost embarrasingly passionate remarks, about Bono in particular. This can get a bit sticky. But it is also great to read the thoughts of someone (in particular a Protestant minister)who feels so passionately about a band we love so much.

 

[TheWho4Life]

Its a book? Man, I need to know more about U2 lol. How many books are out there? I really need to get them.

 

[biff]

Who4Life, there are not quite a bejillion books, but loads, for sure. What type of book are you interested in? Biography, life on the road, music /concert focus, picture book, what exactly? Where do you think you would like to start?

 

[TheWho4Life]

Maybe.... Picture Books.

 

[biff]

Don't you wish there were U2 pop up books? What a great idea that would be, especially if they had tied it in with Pop. As for existing books with lots of pictures, I guess you could go with Into the Heart or Pim's U2 Tour book, just out in a new edition. These should be both widely available.
Must stop now, as we are veering wildly off topic and might get moved!!

 

[TheWho4Life]

That would be great if there were pop up books! But, Ive looked for any U2 books in stores and there isnt any I dont know where else to look. I suppose the internet, but you need a credit card for that, and my parents wont use it on me... so.... I guess Ill just keep lookin in stores.

 

[biff]

Try used book stores, or even your Public Library. Happy hunting!

 

[TheWho4Life]

Hey, the library is a good Idea, although I've think Ive looked there for books of them and had no luck. But Im gonna look everywhere!

 

[Cute Irish Bono]

I don't like the way the guy who wrote "The End Of the World" wrote. It's like I need ten dictionary to figure out one sentence! I think Stockman's writing is not sloppy, a little descripitive, but a little simple.

 

[Liesje]

I don't like the way the guy who wrote "The End Of the World" wrote. It's like I need ten dictionary to figure out one sentence!

You're 14 right? I think once you're older and you've been reading/studying English longer you'll better understand and thus better appreciate Flanagan's book. He describes EVERYTHING U2. He doesn't glaze it over so they look like saints. He talks about Bono being hung over and answering the door half naked, Bono going to parties full of drugs where girls bluntly offer to have sex with him..... and after reading it multiple times, it hasn't diminshed my opinion of Bono and U2 one bit. Stockman only speculates and I disagree with most of his conclusions. Flanagan spent YEARS following the band around and interviewing them and the people they work with. Heck, even BP Fallon in his ever tainted state of reality wrote a better book on who Bono really is.

 

[Katey]

He describes EVERYTHING U2. He doesn't glaze it over so they look like saints

yep I really like this book for it's open look at U2 although he obviously didnt include everything he could have he gave ya a glimpse and it show's U2 as they are ..

 

[biff]

Flanagan's is the best U2 book, for sure. Well worth reading and re-reading!

 

[starsgoblue]

I just finished reading Walk On myself. I appreciate at a good starting point to exploration of U2's spirituality....kinda like U2 Spirituality For Dummies if you will (*doesn't mean that's a bad thing!!We all gotta start somewhere right? ) I've begun explaining it to my mother...who is now as a result really gaining an appreciation of what U2 has really done. How can that be bad!!