Unknown Pleasures: Inside Joy Division

Unknown Pleasures: Inside Joy Division by Peter Hook

The surviving members of Joy Division have each written their story of the band. Peter Hook's was the first and one of the most popular. Stylistically it is a very much an unfiltered view of a young kids in band. This may be authentic, but it does not make for a great read. The combination of his accent and vernacular language makes it difficult to follow the audiobook. There were also numerous chronologies interspersed. These were easier to understand, but did not do much for the story. For most of the book, these were young kids messing around and gradually being able to live as musicians. 

The end covers the final days of the band and the death of Ian Curtis. It felt easier to understand. Now the inner feelings came out. The event was devastating and difficult for everybody involved. The band did regroup to form New Order. Hook seems to feel that the peak was reached with New Order. (Though there may be some revisionist history as he came to clash with his bandmates.) I had listened to an excerpts of Stephen Morris's book and found it easier on the ears. While hook is unfiltered and has a grudge, Morris is a better story.