F.A.Q.s
1. When will the book be published?
The book should be on store shelves in Fall, 2008.
2. Don’t you already have a U2 timeline on @U2? Why turn it into a book when it’s already on the web?
We did have a section on @U2 called “This Date in U2 History,” which is currently offline for two reasons — the second of which is this book. That material provided a very early foundation for U2 - A Diary, and much of it will be included in the book.
However, as my research quickly proved, that section of @U2 is very incomplete. “This Date in U2 History” runs about 50,000-60,000 words. The manuscript I submitted was almost 204,000 words. The book, as you can see, will include a lot more than what was on @U2. It’ll have much more information, not to mention many expanded “back stories” and behind-the-scenes information culled from interviews I’ve done (and will continue to do) that have never been published before.
3. Isn’t there already a book that covers U2 on a day-by-day basis?
You might be thinking of the terrific book, U2 Live - A Concert Documentary. That book details every concert U2 has played in chronological order. While U2 - A Diary will, by default, include references to U2’s concert dates, it will not go into the detail on every show like U2 Live does. U2 - A Diary will cover all of U2’s history — not just live shows, but all the events and dates that played an important role in the band’s development.
4. Why bother writing a book about U2’s history when they already put out their own official history book?
I bought U2 by U2 as soon as it was published, and I think it’s a terrific book. But ultimately, that book is U2’s own version of events. There are many events and stories that were either left out completely, or not told as thoroughly as I believe they could have been told. The band might not feel these stories and events are important, but U2 fans do. I believe U2 - A Diary will fit very comfortably on your bookshelf as a complement to U2 by U2 and the other terrific U2 books that have been written.
