Intimate and intriguing, Patti Smith's memoir offers new revelations

Intimate and Intriguing, Patti Smith's Memoir Offers New Revelations

The punk rock star has authored several books blending reflections on her recent projects with memories and photos of her lost lovers and friends. Bread of Angels stands out as her most autobiographical work.

Patti Smith chose the publication date of Bread of Angels with deep significance: November 4 marks both the death of her husband Fred "Sonic" Smith in 1994 and the birthday of her close artistic partner Robert Mapplethorpe, born in 1946. Both men passed away in their 40s, described by Smith as "the love of my life and the artist of my life."

The love of my life and the artist of my life.

This memoir tracks Smith’s journey from a working-class upbringing in Pennsylvania and southern New Jersey into her stage and recording career, which paused during her marriage and revived after she was widowed. The title Bread of Angels symbolizes the "unpremeditated gestures of kindness" she encountered, reflecting her fundamentally optimistic outlook on life.

Over the past 15 years, Smith has crafted a concise collection of small books intertwining thoughts on her current work with recollections and images of cherished friends and lovers she has lost.

Her most acclaimed work remains the National Book Award-winning Just Kids (2010), a deeply affecting memoir of her relationship with Mapplethorpe.

An extraordinarily resonant record of her relationship with Mapplethorpe.

Author’s summary: Patti Smith’s memoir Bread of Angels intimately reveals her life’s journey, marked by love, loss, and kindness, illuminating her resilient and hopeful spirit.

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NPR NPR — 2025-11-07

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