The only in-depth biographical account of the lead singer of Joy Division, written by his widow.

Revered by his peers--Bono described his voice as "holy"--and idolized by his fans, musician Ian Curtis left behind a legacy rich in artistic genius. He was a mesmerizing performer on stage, yet also introverted and prone to mood swings. Enigmatic to the last, Ian Curtis died by his own hand on May 18, 1980.

Touching from a Distance describes Curtis's life from his early teenage years to his premature death on the eve of Joy Division's first American music tour. It tells how,...