How Should I Cast My Soul? Patti Smith’s Intimate Memoir
Patti Smith’s new memoir, Bread of Angels, arrives on a date filled with profound personal meaning. November 4 marks both the birth of her artistic soulmate, photographer Robert Mapplethorpe (1946), and the death of her beloved husband and musician, Fred “Sonic” Smith (1994).
A Life Chronicled Through Love and Loss
This memoir, a decade in the making, offers an intimate and comprehensive reflection on Smith’s life, intertwining themes of deep love, unbearable loss, and creative renewal. It coincides closely with the 50th anniversary of her debut album, Horses.
“The hourglass overturns. Each grain a word that erupts into a thousand more, the first and last moments of every living thing.”
Legacy of Artistic Partnerships
Smith’s earlier memoir, Just Kids, voted a New York Times reader favorite and one of the best books of the 21st century, celebrated her extraordinary relationship with Mapplethorpe as they built their artistic careers in 1970s New York.
Exploring Time and Creativity
Her other works, M Train and Year of the Monkey, delve into her spiritual views and creative processes, reflecting on time’s passage during her travels. Devotion highlights writing as an active, purposeful effort that prevents being overwhelmed by others’ work.
Author’s Summary
Patti Smith’s memoir illuminates her journey of love, loss, and artistic rebirth, capturing a life devoted to creative passion and spiritual reflection.