NEW YORK — Patti Smith, acclaimed for her poignant memoirs like the renowned “Just Kids,” is ready to unveil yet another chapter of her life story. On November 4th, Smith’s new work, “Bread of Angels,” is set to hit the shelves, as recently announced by Random House.
The memoir “Just Kids,” which garnered the National Book Award in 2010, documented Smith’s early days in New York City, along with her deep bond with photographer Robert Mapplethorpe. In “Bread of Angels,” readers will find Smith revisiting her upbringing in the working-class areas of Philadelphia and South Jersey, her life with guitarist Fred “Sonic” Smith, their shared journey to Michigan’s Lake Saint Clair to start a family, and the sorrow she faced with her husband’s passing in 1994.
Significantly, the release date of the book holds special meaning for Smith as it coincides with not only Mapplethorpe’s birthday but also the anniversary of Smith’s own passing.
Crafting “Bread of Angels” was a ten-year endeavor, Smith shares, a process that involved navigating through both the joy and heartache her life has contained. “I hope that readers will discover something that resonates with them within these pages,” Smith expressed in a Random House statement.
Smith’s literary contributions also include “M Train,” “Year of the Monkey,” “Woolgathering,” and “Devotion (Why I Write).”
At age 78, Smith faced a challenge earlier this year when she collapsed on stage in Brazil, later revealing via Instagram that she experienced dizziness linked to post-migraine symptoms. Despite this incident, she has plans for a tour marking the 50th anniversary of her iconic debut album, “Horses,” where she intends to perform the album in its entirety. Her contributions were recently celebrated at Carnegie Hall, where she was joined by notable figures such as Bruce Springsteen, Michael Stipe, Scarlett Johansson, and Sean Penn.