Touching From a Distance

by Deborah Curtis

The only in-depth biographical account of the legendary lead singer of Joy Division, written by his widow. Includes a foreword by Jon Savage and an introduction by Joy Division drummer, Steven Morris.

Revered by his peers and idolized by his fans, Ian Curtis left behind a legacy rich in artistic genius. Mesmerizing on stage but introverted and prone to desperate mood swings in his private life, Curtis died by his own hand on 18 May 1980.

Touching from a Distance documents how, with a wife, child and impending international fame, Curtis was seduced by the glory of an early grave. Regarded as the essential book on the essential icon of the post-punk era, Touching from a Distance includes a full set of Curtis's lyrics and a discography and gig list.

• ISBN10: 0571313604
• ISBN13: 9780571313600
• Publish Date: 2 October 2014 (first published 6 September 1995)
• Publish Status: Active
• Publish Country: GB
• Imprint: Faber & Faber
• Edition: Main
• Format: Paperback
• Pages: 240
• Language: English

Reviews

[thepunktheory]

You find out how Deborah and Ian first met, how they fell in love and how Ian got famous. His wife wrote about how torn Ian was. Of course this book is a bit one-sided as you see everything through Deborah's eyes but still this book gives you an inside on how hard it could be to life with him, how much Deborah was suffering when Ian fell in love with Annik Honoré. You can also see how hard it was for Ian and how he finally ended it all with committing suicide.This is an amazing book that helps you to understand the great artist Ian Curtis (it's kind of an emotion-rollercoaster). I recommend reading this book especially if you want to watch the movie "Control" that is based on it. It' definitely easier to follow the movie when you read the book before. I also recommend you watching the movie because it shows you also more of the other sides (Ian's, Annik's etc.) and helps you to complete the picture.