Book Review – Patti Smith – Just Kids
One of the books I’ve most enjoyed in recent times is Patti Smith’s Just Kids, an account of Smith’s life in her twenties and her relationship with Robert Mapplethorpe.
I have long been an admirer of Patti Smith as a musician and poet, and I expected that I would enjoy her prose – although possibly not quite as much as I did. The writing is simply beautiful. Even if I had no interest in the events, places, or people concerned, I would read this for the sheer enjoyment of her style.
If, like me, you are fascinated by New York in the post-war, pre-Giulinani era, then beyond the lyrical and evocative writing, this is a must read. It is also a wonderful portrait of youth, and unlike many of her peers, Patti Smith seems to recall her experiences and emotions without distance and without any bitterness. This is a book where you feel as though the author is your friend, rather than a detached spectator of their own circumstances. I would recommend this to almost anyone.