U2's success and significance are due, in large part, to finding inventive, creative solutions for overcoming obstacles and moving past conventional boundaries. As it has embraced change and transformation over and over again, its fans and critics have come to value and expect this element of U2. These new essays from the disciplines of organizational communication, music theory, literary studies, religion, and cultural studies offer perspectives on several ways U2's dynamic of change has been a constant theme throughout its career. The eight essays here come from the U2 Conference 2013, which explores the music, work, and influence of U2, furthering the scholarship on U2.

Determined to find more to life than sitting behind a desk pushing paper, Matt Hamilton leaves Ottawa, Canada, with only a pack on his back, a one-way ticket to Glasgow, Scotland, and a goal-to find not only himself, but also a country more conducive to his mentality and lifestyle.

Having never travelled anywhere on his own, let alone outside of North America, Hamilton is determined to leave behind his uneventful days in Canada and dives headfirst into a spontaneous voyage around the planet. As he journeys from Glasgow to Ireland to the Netherlands, he fully anticipates facing insurmountable challenges, valuable lessons, and eye-opening experiences along the way. Little does he know that pursuing his quest will include witnessing the behavior of heroin addicts, living in brothels, and working for gangsters.

Candid and witty, this fascinating travel journal shares the escapades, philosophies, and confessions of a young man who chose to say good-bye to everything he knew and embrace the vast world outside his comfort zone with the enthusiasm of a true adventurer.