Customer Reviews

New Order Joy Division: Dreams Never End

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I have listened to Joy Division since before Ian Curtis died, have all the original vinyl, etc., and I must say I was a little disappointed in this book. The New Order coverage is pretty good, but I picked up the book more for Joy Division. Both bands' names appear on the cover, yet the J.D. coverage ends on p.38 of a 127 page book! What information there is on Joy Division is good, although the author has a habit of interpreting lyrics and claiming to know exactly what they meant without explaining whether he's speaking his own opinion or has information to back him up. In closing, I would recommend this book only for New Order fans looking for a little more "Insight" into Joy Division. For Joy Division fans, I recommend looking at one of the other Joy Division books.

I'm not a big fan of Joy Division or New Order. However, a friend of mine who is demanded that I read this book. I can't thank him enough. From chapter one, Flowers' almost poetic prose immediately engulfs you in the angst ridden world of the doomed Curtis and his persevering cohorts. Although Flowers' passion for the two bands almost leaps of the page, he somehow manages to convey such insight into their world that you would swear he must have been one of them (rather than a Seattle music journalist according to the author's bio). I'm very much looking forward to his next book, whatever its subject.

This book contains some good factual info and some really great color and b/w photographs of both Joy Division and New Order. The book describes and reviews every New Order-related album, single, and release up until Revenge's Gun World Porn EP. For some reason, the author felt compelled to sprinkle his own personal opinions and interpretations of songs throughout the whole book (many of which are questionable at best). The conclusion seemed like it was hastily written at the last moment (kind of like the author was wrapping up a high school book report). This is the only NO/JD book I've read, so I can't compare it to any others. It's quite a good book, though, and I'm glad to have read it.

I loved the section on New Order, since I've started listening to their music last year. I wanted to know more about the group than their music. This book is great for New Order fans, especially now that the band is gone and the end result is Peter Hook with Monaco and Bernard Sumner with Electronic.