--This superb 320-page collection of writings by various authors and journalists (including Dave Marsh, Salman Rushdie, Billy Corgan, with an introduction by John Swenson). U2 began as a Dublin garage band to playing in front of one of the largest audiences in the world at the 2002 Super Bowl. Bordowitz said, "U2 is the last rock band that matters. I suspect U2 will be the last superstar rock band, because the whole music business is about to downsize." These Irish rockers were influenced by punk's raw energy, but they immediately distinguished themselves from their post punk peers with a huge, soaring sound--centered on "the Edge’s" reverb-laden guitar playing, and "Bono’s" sensuous vocals.

--John Shelton Ivany's Top 21

The U2 Reader presents the world's most popular rock band from its battle of the bands beginnings through today, in all its many facets. Editor and compiler Hank Bordowitz, who Publishers Weekly says "provides evenhanded treatment of highly charged issues," -- Library Journal adding that he "never takes sides or passes judgment. yet brilliantly illuminates," -- has gathered interviews and articles ranging from U2's first mention in a suburban Dublin newspaper to coverage of the group's appearance at the Super Bowl. The U2 Reader deals with every aspect of the band, from the way they do business to the way their music and lives convey their inherent spirituality. It includes reviews of albums, the live U2 experience, and behind-the-scenes looks at the band, including their forays into pop and politics. This is a must-read for any U2 fan.