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Just Kids

Patti Smith

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What Members Thought

Jul 25, 2015 El rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: artsy-fartsy, 21st-centurylit, radio-ga-ga, poetry, cultural-studies-and-other

Memorial Song, Patti Smith for Robert Mapplethorpe, 1993.

You drew me from the darkest period of my young life, sharing with me the sacred mystery of what it is to be an artist.

-Letter from Patti to Robert

This is dually an autobiography of the adult life of Patti Smith and a biography of that of Robert Mapplethorpe. The two met in New York (when New York actually meant something) in their early 20s; they didn't know they were looking for each other, but it happened, and they never separated, not really. It's basically what every young person wants in their life, even if they don't admit it. There's something really romantic here, and Patti does a wonderful job of expressing what their relationship meant to her.

For a poet and a songwriter, I actually expected more from her writing. This was not really a good example of quality writing - it was sort of disjointed in parts, and all of a sudden there are people mentioned that weren't previously. But the more I read these sorts of books (musician autobiographies, specifically), I'm beginning to realize that this is par for the course. In many cases so much time has passed and the memories may not entirely be intact; or the memories may be intact, but viewed through rose-colored lenses now; or the bad parts are downplayed to protect the innocent and/or deceased.

But as I read along, I decided that I really didn't care about any of that. I enjoyed the story. I fell in love with Smith's account of her bohemian experience in New York in the late 60s throughout the 70s. I wanted to know her and Robert Mapplethorpe, together, the way they were when they were just puppies. I for one forgot that they were seriously puppies when they first fell in love. The pictures Smith chooses to share throughout the book illustrate that very well. These are young faces.

And it's heartbreaking in a way because they are so young here, and you know they will never be together again in this way, not really. But beyond that it actually makes you realize that you will never be that young again. You will never have that feeling of being a young 20-something again when everything is so fresh and exciting and these sorts of relationships are the most magical and important things in your entire life. I don't mean this in a condescending way at all; we've all been there, and we can't go back, but it's okay because this is a good age too, whatever your age is. I'm saying all the ages have all the pros. (And cons. Let's not get too overly sentimental here, shall we?)

I loved this. I really did. I felt it all, everything Patti wanted me to feel. I am happy that she had Robert in her life, and that he had Patti. They needed each other in a not-entirely-codependent way. I mean, this sounded relatively healthy. They grew together, they grew apart-together, and no matter what happened or where they went, they continued to grow and they never stopped loving one another. There's something pretty admirable in that alone, because it ain't easy. I'm sure there are things Patti didn't share with us, and that's cool because she is the Godmother of Punk and she can do whatever the fuck she wants.

Oh, and there's some stuff about art and music too. That stuff was interesting as well. But seriously, they were the hottest. ...more

20 likes · Like · see review

Aug 20, 2012 Sera rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: own, biography-memoir, non-fiction

An interesting look at the NYC art scene in the late 1960s to early 1970s, and in particular, the relationship between Patti Smith and Robert Maplethorpe. Smith is definitely a Cool Girl, and she and Maplethorpe had a symbiotic, kindred spirit type of relationship that in my opinion, led them both to success, because of their commitment to their art and ultimately, to each other. Smith's book is actually a tribute to the best friend that she had ever had and one that she continues to miss dearly ...more

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Jan 12, 2019 Camelia Rose rated it it was amazing

Shelves: memoir-biography, music

I never read Patti Smith's poems, nor listened to her songs (except Because the Night, co-written with Bruce Springsteen whom a friend of mine is fan of). I picked up Just Kids because it's the winner of National Book Awards and I like to read books about music. I listened to the audio book first. The reading by the author herself was very affective, but soon I found myself lost in cultural references. So, I borrowed a hardcover from our library, gladly discovered many photos and illustrations, I never read Patti Smith's poems, nor listened to her songs (except Because the Night, co-written with Bruce Springsteen whom a friend of mine is fan of). I picked up Just Kids because it's the winner of National Book Awards and I like to read books about music. I listened to the audio book first. The reading by the author herself was very affective, but soon I found myself lost in cultural references. So, I borrowed a hardcover from our library, gladly discovered many photos and illustrations, and spent a lot of time Googling the names of poets, artists and musicians Patti Smith associated with in 60s and 70s New York.

Just Kids is a memoir about Patti Smith's youth and her relationship with photographer Robert Mapplethorpe. They were young lovers first("just kids", navigating through difficult early adulthood). After Robert came out gay, they remained close friends until Robert's death in 1989. Their relationship is truly remarkable. I am amazed by their deep bonding.

This book is Patti's side of story, and, as she said at the end, it is the story Robert wished her to tell. Would Robert tell a different story if he had the chance? Fred "Sonic" Smith (Patti Smith's husband) commented: "I don't know how he did it, but every photo he took of you looks like him." Did Robert see himself in Patti? Did they see their true self in each other? Perhaps they are what soulmates look like. Years later Patti commented on the cover photo Robert took for her first album Horse: "When I look at it now, I never see me. I see us."

60's and 70's America art and music scenes were infused with drugs. At front row of avant-garde music movement, Patti Smith was the rare and sober one. She never "shot out", thanks to her needle phobia. She was frightened once someone drugged her drink. She did dip into marijuana, in private, not used as a social drug. She had one LSD trip and one MDA trip, both with Robert, both not very pleasant. Her talent plus avoidance to hard drugs is what made her lasting fame while her contemporaries dropped dead. In terms of personal life, she was perhaps as traditional as you could get in 1960s.

Hotel Chelsea was an extraordinary existence, a play, a fiction, by itself. ...more

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Dec 26, 2016 Heather(Gibby) rated it really liked it

I only knew a very little about Pattie smith, and nothing about Robert Mapplethorpe before reading this book. ( I Googled his artwork while at work and come up with some very- Not Suitable for Workplace-images)
This is a very interesting story of two people;s struggle to become established as artists through their mutual support and like mindedness. I am a good ten years younger, so I can't relate to the culture that they developed their crafts in, but it certainly makes a readable tale. ...more

1 like · Like · see review