"Your as good as the arguments you get".

Today I finished reading "Bono; in conversation with Michka Assayas". The book is written as a series of conversations that Bono had with French music journalist and friend Michka Assyaas. It's a very quick read, basically just an extended magazine article. They talk about Bono's young life, the death of his mother, his views on celebrity, his humanitarian work and any other tangent that Bono seemed to find a way to throw in. Bono is a personal hero of mine because of his work outside of the music industry. To me he is a celebrity who gets it. What I found most interesting about him is just how deeply his Christian faith plays a role in his life. There was rarely a time in the book when three pages went by without the mention of God, prayer, or faith. I personally am not of that persuasion but to see it work in a genuine way is refreshing. Bono swears, he drinks, he fights for the underprivileged and disadvantaged; he took all the right lessons of the faith and has been a great champion for them. This book is one that gives more insight into a public figure who some people may have preconceived notions about or feel they know what his story is. But I assure you that after reading this book you will find a complicated and deeply profound human being who realizes that celebrity and fame is fleeting and that there are more important causes then selling out arenas worldwide.

When discussing fairly basic topics he would say the most profound things without planning to or trying to make himself look good. He is a natural thinker and philosopher. For example, when asked about being an aging rock star he said "Some people die at seventeen and put their funeral off until they're seventy-seven. And I see a lot of dead young people, I see a lot of alive old people."

So if your looking for a quick summer read and an unconventional autobiography I recommend this book highly. I was already a fan of Bono's but his candid conversation has made him more of a man then the myth of cataclysmic rock star...which is how he always wanted it in the first place.