Just Kids: An Autobiography

Just Kids begins as a love story and ends as an elegy. It serves as a salute to New York City during the late sixties and seventies and to its rich and poor, its hustlers and hellions. A true fable, it is a portrait of two young artists' ascent, a prelude to fame. It was the summer Coltrane died, the summer of love and riots, and the summer when a chance encounter in Brooklyn led two young people on a path of art, devotion, and initiation. Patti Smith would evolve as a poet and performer, and Robert Mapplethorpe would direct his highly provocative style toward photography. In this milieu, two kids made a pact to take care of each other. Scrappy, romantic, committed to create, and fueled by their mutual dreams and drives, they would prod and provide for one another during the hungry years.

BUY THE BOOK

318 pages

Average rating: 7.82

93 RATINGS

|

5 REVIEWS

Community Reviews

caileytebow
Jul 17, 2024
7/10 stars
Yes, it’s very beautiful. A little boring if you don’t know any of the people that she’s constantly name dropping…. but the ending is definitely gorgeous and impactful.
Anonymous
Jul 05, 2024
10/10 stars
(First book downloaded on the nook!)
I've loved Patti since my high school days, listening to the "Horses" album over & over... OK, I'm still listening to it over & over (on the iPod now). I remember thinking what a GENIUS she was, and how she had that air of self-confident, "I could give a flying f*** what people think of me" attitude. What an eye-opener to learn that she was, really, just a kid, trying to find her way in the world in Brooklyn & NYC, and not really sure of how she was going to do it.
Loving, tender tribute to Robert Mapplethorpe and their life-long friendship. They started out as lovers and as he was struggling with his sexual identity, they became friends, and helped each other find their way creatively.
It's a great period piece about Brooklyn and New York, too. Patti lived in my neighborhood when she first arrived, right around the Pratt campus, so it was fun to hear her talking about places I know, albeit more than 40 years ago and it was definitely a different world back then!
Great read. Makes me love her even more.
OK, one thing about the nook - you don't get all those great pictures that the hard copy books have! :(
SkullyGoth
Sep 25, 2023
8/10 stars
I love Patti Smith and her writing style-always have. The amount of detail she provides about her family, love affairs, and homelessness are priceless.
E Clou
May 10, 2023
8/10 stars
More of a love letter to her former boyfriend and famous photographer Robert Maplethorpe, rather than a traditional memoir. If you're interested in learning about Patti Smith's music career, this book doesn't really get there until nearly the end, and then only briefly discusses it. Otherwise really interesting and almost spell-binding narrative about being poor and artistic in the 1970s and 1980s New York City. Smith makes the city sound gritty, glamorous, and full of possibilities all at the same time.
Zoe E.
Jan 09, 2023
10/10 stars
One of my favorite books. Patti Smith has a way with words, and what a story she tells. A story of love, friendship and absolute devotion to art. A fascinating and whirlwind tour through the late 60s and early 70s art scene in New York.

See why thousands of readers are using Bookclubs to stay connected.