Overview of Patti Smith's New Memoir
Patti Smith’s *Just Kids* was voted a best book of the 21st century. Her new memoir, Bread of Angels, chronicles her life, love, loss, and creative rebirth. It offers a deep, personal journey into her experiences.
Significant Date and Its Meaning
Smith's memoir is published on November 4, a significant date: it marks the birth of her first true love, photographer Robert Mapplethorpe, in 1946, and the death of her husband, Fred "Sonic" Smith, in 1994, both on the same day, 48 years apart.
Reflection on Time and Memory
“The hourglass overturns,” she writes, “shattering the illusion of time. Each grain a word that erupts into a thousand more, the first and last moments of every living thing.”
Literary and Artistic Journey
Her memoir spans a decade of work and is deeply personal. It reflects on her artistic relationship with Mapplethorpe, especially during their years in New York in the 1970s. Other works, like M Train and Year of the Monkey, explore her spiritual views and creative process as she reflects on life's fleeting nature.
Thematic Focus
Her book also examines the art of writing as a calling that keeps her grounded amidst her creative pursuits and personal experiences.
Author's Summary
Patti Smith's memoir is an intimate exploration of her life's pivotal moments, blending her artistic journey with reflections on love, loss, and the passage of time, revealing her profound self-awareness.