Breaking Through by Grace – The Bono Story – Book Review 

For my first book review aimed at children, I’m reviewing Breaking Through by Grace – The Bono Story, a book I got at a Take a Book, Leave a Book Exchange at church. I’m a huge fan of Bono and his band, U2’s, music and charity work, and so I found a book about his faith would be an intriguing read.

The book had many details about the highlights and struggles in his life. The reader learns about how growing up in a home with one Catholic and one Protestant parent, in Ireland where those two groups were often at odds with each other, prepared him for a lifetime of interest in many different people.

The book covered some pivotal moments religion had in his life from how he coped with his mom’s death when he was young to his a tumutous relationship with his dad and how he coped with his dad’s death. At times he was at odds with religion such as when a religious leader  told him money earned from band’s music wound not be welcomed, and after giving it thought he decided to not continue with that religious organization.

At other times his faith shaped the course of his life greatly including his work with Live Aid and AIDS charities. He worked with Democrat and Republican leaders at different times to increase financial help to his charitable causes.

However, when his band was offered millions to use “When the Streets Have No Name” in a car commercial they turned it down so as not to be thought of as that song from the car commercial, even though the money would have benefited charities in great ways.

I learned a lot about Bono especially his faith. Yet, I feel a lot of details were missing that would have been great additions. We hear nothing about if his parents, his wife, and his kids are religious and as a mom to be I would have been very interested in that.

I also would have liked more information on what inspired some of his songs and how his faith may have shaped them  such as “All I Want is You”, which I walked down the aisle to, and “Stuck in the Moment” which is reported to be about his response of what he wished he had said to his friend Michael Hutchens who died by suicide, a topic I as a Volunteer Crisis Counselor, an especially interested in.

Overall, I enjoyed the book greatly and it would be a good book to use to share faith with young kids. The last few pages of the book are advertisements for similar books with the stories of faith of others including Ben Carson and Tim Tebow.

Rating – four baby booties out of five