Kristen's Reviews > Anger is an Energy: My Life Uncensored

John Lydon embraces chaos and contradiction, is frequently loud and rude, and doesn't care if everyone hates him. The funny thing about him, though, is that he's actually quite likable and charming -- and pretty insightful as well. This book is a bit of a ramble, but Lydon is a natural raconteur and it's really enjoyable if you go with the flow. He delivers a solid narrative ride through the his impoverished childhood in North London, the Sex Pistols, Public Image Ltd., his bizarre emergence as a reality show star/nature show host in the 90s, and an unexpected turn to family life in the 00s. What really stood out to me in in the book (and I often find this in biographies) is the way that Lydon captures certain cultural moments in a personal way: English footfall culture and violence in the 70s; the NYC art and music scene in the 80s; and California life and culture from a Brit's perspective. There are also a few fun "interlude" type chapters -- these address everything from Lydon's love for his wife to the value of good dental hygiene learned the hard way!

And as with all books about music, you can't really get the most out of this unless you can hear it too. I made a Spotify playlist to accompany this book as I read: https://open.spotify.com/user/kristen...