I bought the book last week and couldn't put it down. It's only short but fascinating insight into the tragically short life of Ian Curtis, written by his wife. I've only got the compilation Permanent on CD by Joy Division (1995) but will probably end up buying the box set now. I think I dismissed it at the time but now feel myself drawn towards their songs and the accompanying lyrics.

Has anyone else read the book ? Looking at some of the reviews on Amazon, it says the book is one sided and Deborah comes in for some criticism. Should I therefore buy "Torn Part : The Life of Ian Curtis", which was released last year ? Or will this go too much the other way ? Also, did anyone out there ever get to see Joy Division ?

Also read it from cover to cover in one go - on a long plane journey back in 1996, and saw the movie Control a couple of years ago. Thought that the later was well done but, together with the highly-entertaining 24 Hour Party People, gave little evidence of how four seemingly naive and inarticulate northern lads were able to produce such magnificent (and timeless) music - other than to show that Martin Hannett was as crucial to them as George Martin was to The Beatles.

The book and movie gave heart-breaking accounts of the health and personal issues that lead to Curtis' suicide - but where did that music come from? I didn't catch them live because, despite the rave reviews, I didn't get to hear any of their music until John Peel's Festive 50 in 1980 when just about every Top 20 entry came from Unknown Pleasures or Closer. Of course, they were all so brilliant that I got the albums, and singles, straight away but by then Curtis was dead.