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mattyvreads's review against another edition
dark
emotional
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
4.75
This was a really haunting and beautiful book. It took us through the life and death and eternal life of a friendship and relationship. Reading through the book didn’t make me cry, but thinking about it now is making me tear up.
The relational aspect of the book is much much more interesting to me than simply reading a book about Patti Smith’s rise to fame. This is such a unique and gorgeous read. The writing is superb.
Frankly, I am drawn to Patti Smith more as an author than as a poet or singer. Her prose is vulnerable and magnetizing.
The most successful element of this book for me is the way that she captures — in snapshots — her relationship with Robert. The least successful element of the book for me was the name droppy bits, where she would be like “and then Leonard Cohen used my napkin!”. Not that, but that.
Definitely want to read it again.
The relational aspect of the book is much much more interesting to me than simply reading a book about Patti Smith’s rise to fame. This is such a unique and gorgeous read. The writing is superb.
Frankly, I am drawn to Patti Smith more as an author than as a poet or singer. Her prose is vulnerable and magnetizing.
The most successful element of this book for me is the way that she captures — in snapshots — her relationship with Robert. The least successful element of the book for me was the name droppy bits, where she would be like “and then Leonard Cohen used my napkin!”. Not that, but that.
Definitely want to read it again.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia, Death, Suicide, Drug abuse, Chronic illness, Addiction, Medical trauma, and Mental illness
marinagodleyfisher's review against another edition
emotional
informative
inspiring
medium-paced
4.0
Content Warnings
Minor: Suicide, Drug use, Addiction, and Drug abuse
bookwomyn's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
fast-paced
5.0
I saw Patti Smith in Brooklyn right after Christmas 2023 and was blown away at her stage presence and how great her voice still is, so I was hoping Just Kids would be as wonderful. It did not disappoint. I understand why it won a National Book Award. Anyone interested in late 60s-early 70s rockers and the New York art scene during that same time period should read it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Drug abuse, and Sexual content
pernillelsk's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Drug abuse, Death, Terminal illness, and Drug use
Moderate: Grief, Addiction, and Pregnancy
Minor: Suicide
amelody's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
relaxing
sad
medium-paced
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Drug abuse, Grief, Alcohol, Addiction, Sexual content, Chronic illness, Terminal illness, and Death
thefemale_nickmiller's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Drug abuse, Suicide, Religious bigotry, Addiction, Death, Drug use, and Infidelity
page_28's review against another edition
emotional
funny
reflective
sad
medium-paced
5.0
A gift
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief, Death, and Drug abuse
Moderate: Suicide
siebensommer's review against another edition
adventurous
reflective
medium-paced
3.5
das geht gar nicht. das ist wie schlagzeugspielen - wenn man den einen beat auslässt, erzeugt man einen neuen.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Drug abuse, Drug use, and Addiction
Moderate: Suicide and Eating disorder
Minor: Abortion and Pregnancy
reverie_and_books's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Just Kids by Patti Smith - Review (🇬🇧 + 🇩🇪)
Smith writes about her life in the seventies and eighties as well as her shared experiences with Robert Mapplethorpe: two artists who were each others muses.
From lovers to friends with a sibling-like bond. From poor AF dreamers to acknowledged artists. Their story gives an open account on life itself and the art scene in New York City.
Starting this book the reader knows about the lack of a happy ending. But it’s rich in hopes, dreams, memories and the acceptance of a thing called being alive. It’s a great read for everyone who has a heart for modern art, rock music, poetry or an alternative NYC. Her writing impressed me a lot!
_____
🇩🇪 Just Kids von Patti Smith
Smith beschreibt ihren Lebensweg in den 70ern und 80ern, der untrennbar mit dem von Robert Mapplethorpe verbunden war: Zwei Kunstschaffende, die sich gegenseitig ihre Musen waren.
Von Liebenden zu Freunden mit geschwisterlicher Verbundenheit. Von bettelarmen Träumern zu anerkannten Künstlern. Ihre gemeinsame Geschichte lässt tief blicken in das Leben als solches und das Treiben in New York.
Von Seite 1 ist klar, dass es kein Happy End geben wird. Aber es ist reich an Hoffnung, Erinnerungen und der schlichten Akzeptanz des Seins. Sehr lesenswert für alle, die sich mit modernerer Kunst, Rock, Poesie oder dem alternativen New York irgendwie verbunden fühlen. Ich war von ihrer Art zu schreiben sehr beeindruckt!
Smith writes about her life in the seventies and eighties as well as her shared experiences with Robert Mapplethorpe: two artists who were each others muses.
From lovers to friends with a sibling-like bond. From poor AF dreamers to acknowledged artists. Their story gives an open account on life itself and the art scene in New York City.
Starting this book the reader knows about the lack of a happy ending. But it’s rich in hopes, dreams, memories and the acceptance of a thing called being alive. It’s a great read for everyone who has a heart for modern art, rock music, poetry or an alternative NYC. Her writing impressed me a lot!
_____
🇩🇪 Just Kids von Patti Smith
Smith beschreibt ihren Lebensweg in den 70ern und 80ern, der untrennbar mit dem von Robert Mapplethorpe verbunden war: Zwei Kunstschaffende, die sich gegenseitig ihre Musen waren.
Von Liebenden zu Freunden mit geschwisterlicher Verbundenheit. Von bettelarmen Träumern zu anerkannten Künstlern. Ihre gemeinsame Geschichte lässt tief blicken in das Leben als solches und das Treiben in New York.
Von Seite 1 ist klar, dass es kein Happy End geben wird. Aber es ist reich an Hoffnung, Erinnerungen und der schlichten Akzeptanz des Seins. Sehr lesenswert für alle, die sich mit modernerer Kunst, Rock, Poesie oder dem alternativen New York irgendwie verbunden fühlen. Ich war von ihrer Art zu schreiben sehr beeindruckt!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Drug abuse, Drug use, Addiction, and Chronic illness
emtay's review against another edition
emotional
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
4.75
"Why can't I write something that would awake the dead?" (279)
This may not be Smith's endeavor in Just Kids, having accepted that the immortality of art does not extend to its creators. She instead embarks on a Homeric elegy to her dearest friend and lover Robert Mapplethorpe as well as the New York City of their formative artistic years. However, I experienced a personal rebirth. I am renewed in my artistic aspirations, inspired by Smith's succinct candor towards embracing her weaknesses, inspirations, and varied experiences as a young woman. I identified with her and found the hindsight with which she speaks aspirational. When she falls into "trouble" as a teenager:
"I had relieved the boy of responsibility... It is impossibke to exaggerate the sudden calm I felt. An overwhleming sense of mission eclipsed my fears" (18)
or when contracting a venereal disease from her dearest friend. She is loving and loyal. Creatively subversive while adhering to binaries of good and evil, life and death, God and sin.
The only weakness is in the myriad of unexplained allusions to people in the scene, at some point, there are too many people whose eclectic influence on her life and not enough page. You have to accept the unknowing.
I am reminded of me and Jack. Of a love so deep I am not afraid of losing it. And when the love was young and ripe, I see me and Wes.
The only weakness is in the myriad of unexplained allusions to people in the scene, at some point, there are too many people whose eclectic influence on her life and not enough page. You have to accept the unknowing.
I am reminded of me and Jack. Of a love so deep I am not afraid of losing it. And when the love was young and ripe, I see me and Wes.
"I was there for these moments, but was so young and preoccupied with my own thoughts that I hardly recognized them as moments" (159).
This is in part my plague. I love my own thoughts to the point of idolization, may this never stop me from living. May I walk alongside them, knowing they are there as a constant companion.
"It seemed being an actor was like being a soldier: you had to sacrifice yourself to the greater good. You had to believe in the cause. I just couldn't surrender myself enough to be an actor" (165).
This is why I have always maintained that the actor does not create the art, they are the conduit. The brush. The paint. They must be a little stupid.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Drug abuse, Terminal illness, Drug use, Death, and Medical content
Minor: Suicide