U2 and Philosophy: How to Decipher an Atomic Band (Popular Culture and Philosophy) (Paperback)

by Mark A. Wrathall (Editor)
Key Phrases: imitative emotions, atheistic reaction, playboy mansion, New York, Rolling Stone, Martin Heidegger (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
Is it possible to be a committed Christian and a rock superstar? Can political activists make good music? Do hugely successful rock bands really care about AIDS and poverty in Africa, or is it just another image-enhancing schtick? U2 and Philosophy ponders these and other seeming dichotomies in the career of the Irish supergroup. For over two decades, U2 has been one of the biggest acts in rock music. They’ve produced over a dozen platinum and multiplatinum records and won 15 Grammy Awards. Critics everywhere have praised the band’s thoughtful, complex lyrics and the artistry of their music. At the same time, Bono, the group’s lead singer, has dedicated himself to political and social causes, blurring the line between rock star and respected statesman. Offering fresh insight into the band’s music and activism, these thought-provoking essays allows fans to discover philosophy through the eyes of U2, and rediscover U2 through the eyes of philosophers.

Product Details

• Paperback: 288 pages
• Publisher: Open Court (November 8, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0812695992
• ISBN-13: 978-0812695991
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #660,635 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Best!, December 6, 2008

By	A reader reader (Divided Kingdom) - See all my reviews

This is probably the best book in the entire "X and Philosophy" series. (The Matrix and Philosophy is excellent too.) Indeed, it has so many major Heidegger scholars in it that it could have been called "U2 and Heidegger." If you like U2 and want to read some real philosophy (not the watered down stuff typical of most of these volumes), this is the book for you!

5 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A top pick for fans of the group, February 5, 2007

By	Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

U2 AND PHILOSOPHY: HOW TO DECIPHER AN ATOMIC BAND is a top pick for fans of the group, introducing philosophy in the context of a popular music venue review to make it more understandable to modern audiences. What does U2 have to do with Plato, existentialism, and Nietzsche, among others? This is the perfect pick for a high school collection wishing to introduce students to philosophy without appearing dry or dull in the process!

Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch

3 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Great idea poorly executed, March 15, 2007

By	writergeek313 (upstate NY) - See all my reviews

This could've been a great collection, but many of the pieces just aren't very well written. The writers use very few actual examples from U2's songs, and most of the chapters jump all over the place, with subtitles seemingly inserted at random. There are stylistic and spelling inconsistencies, as well as some factual errors (it lists The Unforgettable Fire as released in 1990, when in fact it came out in 1984, for example). While it's not a bad introduction to some key philosophical ideas, students would be better off seeking out a textbook or the original texts, and I don't think the scant references to U2 made any of the essays better. In fact, most of them felt convoluted because they didn't provide enough proof to back up what they were trying to argue.

That said, the chapter on the Joshua Tree and place was fantastic. If the whole book had been that way, I'd be writing a much different review. As it is, though, that chapter just made the others in the book look bad.

Good for those somewhat interested in philosophy, but U2 fans will be disappointed. Those interested in learning more about U2 would be better off searching out U2 at the End of the World or U2 By U2, or simply just listening to U2's music and thinking about it on their own.