Patti Smith, Just Kids

I have never been a huge Patti Smith fan when it comes to her music.  Many people told me what a great book it was and when Emily gave it the nod I picked it up. 

Just Kids is an incredible book.  It isn't just the story of Patti and her journey to be an artist, it is a heartfelt love story between her and Robert Mapplethorp who she literally grabbed on the street one night asking him to pretend to be her boyfriend to get out of a date (actually a ticket for a meal) that went awry.  Mapplethorp and Smith became inseparable friends and lovers.  Nurturing each other in their desire to live as artists and their story is one that Patti had to tell. 

Patti is a proflic artist from books to drawing to writing music and poetry.  She comes across as a truly humble woman and my guess is she is.  Funny enough, years ago I spoke to Patti on the phone.  Her kid, Jesse, went to Little Red and I called her as we were making a major shift on how the school went about raising the money for their annual fund.  She couldn't have been nicer and more honest about her love for the school and her real ability to give something to the fund. 

Definitely a book worth reading.