Books about U2

Here is a list of books written about U2
The information is mostly from the newsgroup called ALT.MUSIC.U2.

STORIES FOR BOYS, Dave Thomas, (Proteus Books, 1985) since revised 
	to include The Joshua Tree. An  interesting  biography. A bit brief at times.
	Colour. Includes a discography and
	a list of common bootlegs available at the time (now very outdated).

THE U2 FILE: (Hot Press, 1985). Assorted articles/interviews from the
	Irish music magazine Hot Press  Very good.  Colour.   Includes a discography.
	This book was also published in the U.S. by Harmony Books, also in
	1985, and under the title "U2: In the Name of Love." It's the same book, 
	though. Inside, it says: "Published in Irelandas 'The U2 File.'

ANOTHER TIME, ANOTHER PLACE, Bill Graham,  (Mandarin Paperbacks, 1989).Covers
	U2's early days, during 1977/78/79.   By the  man at Hot Press who
	supported U2 from the very beginning. He is an 'insider'  when it comes to U2. 
	There's some very strange photos in this book! Get it for a laugh - 
	I swear you won't recognise U2 in some of the photos. Black and white.

UNFORGETTABLE FIRE - The Story of U2, Eamon Dunphy (Viking, 1989). The official
	biography of U2. Very detailed, especially when dealing with pre-1984 U2,
	which is good because it's hard to find info about this period. 
	Some of the stuff in this has been questioned by the band as to it's 
	authenticity, but overall, a must for anybody who's really interested 
	in U2 as people. Black and white. 

TOUCH THE FLAME: Geoff Parkyn (1987). A well put together biography. Has
	a 'time line' type thing which  lists important U2 events, month by month, 
	year by year. Includes a discography along with small colour pictures of 
	many album and 7" and 12" single sleeves. Colour.  

THREE CHORDS AND THE TRUTH: Niall Stokes, (Omnibus Press, 1989). Picks up from
	where The U2 File stops.   More  interviews and articles from Hot Press.
	By another insider and U2 friend from Hot Press. Colour.

OUT OF CONTROL: A Guide To U2 Bootlegs: (Rock Bottom Press, March 1993)

RATTLE AND HUM: The Official Book of the U2 Movie, Peter Williamsand Steve
	Turner (Harmony Books, 1988) Details and background on the making of the movie.

OUTSIDE IS AMERICA: U2 in the U.S.: Carter Alan, (Faber and Faber, 1992).
	Just what it says, the story of U2 in America, from their first tour 
	in 1980 to Zoo TV Inside Broadcast. Carter, musical director of WBCN-FM 
	in Boston and a long-time U2 booster, clearly loves the band, unfortunately 
	whoever edited this book didn't bother with fact checking so there are 
	a fewblatant errors.  Worth reading.  $13.95 US. 

U2 THE EARLY DAYS,  Bill Graham,  (Dell Publishing) Tales of U2 before they had a
	recording contract. A must for fans.

BONO IN HIS OWN WORDS, Dave Thompson, (Omnibus Press) Snippets of the wisdom of
	Bono from his many interviews.  Not for the feint of heart.

BURNING DESIRE,  Sam Goodman, (Castle Communications, 1993)  Pictures and
	plenty of them, mostly in colour. U2, Mark Taylor (Orion, 1993)
	U2, Jackie Shirley (Longmeadow, 1993) Lovely pictures, godawful prose.  
	I suspect "Jackie Shirley" is a pseudonym, nobody can be shameless enough 
	to put their real name on this dreck.

U2: THE ROLLING STONE FILES, the Editors of Rolling Stone Magazine.  Want
	to read every single mention of U2 in RS but don't have time to spool 
	through endless reels of microfilm? Then this is the book for you. 
	Interviews, reviews, and new sblurbs. No pictures.

FARAWAY SO CLOSE, BP Fallon (Little, Brown, 1994) This is essentially a
	photographic record of the ZooTV tour.  Fallon writes in a hipster-style 
	that occasionally verges on self-parody but he obviously had significant 
	access to the band. Worth the money.$15.95 US.

U2 LIVE: A CONCERT DOCUMENTARY,  Pimm Jal de la Jarra of Collectormania,
	(Omnibus Press, 1994). Covers literally every U2 concert. Describes the shows,
	lists the songs played and includes quotes from on stage. The photos are fantastic. 
	$27.95 US.  ISBN 0-7119-3666-8

RACE OF ANGELS: Ireland and the Genesis of U2, Anyone can beat a dead horse; it takes 
	a rare talent to dig up the dead horse up to rebeat it. Traces the story of 
	U2 back to near Mesozoictimes.

U2 AT THE END OF THE WORLD,  Bill Flanagan, (Delacorte, 1995)  Covers the
	ZooTV tour from the recording sessions in Berlin to the final show in Japan. 

INTO THE HEART, The Stories Behind Every U2 Song, Niall Stokes (Thunder's
	Mouth Press,1996) Not necessarily an interpretation of every song but a 
	detailed description of the writing, recording and possible inspirations 
	for each song. $19.95 ISBN1-56025-134-4

THE MAKING OF U2'S THE JOSHUA TREE, Dave Thomas, (Collector's Guide Publishing,
	Inc. 1996) Finally, a book that compiles every U2 utterance on the
	subject of Joshua Tree.  We can all resteasy now. $7.95 ISBN 1-896522-30-0

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