Just Kids by Patti Smith

Winner of the 2010 Non-Fiction National Book Award, Patti Smith's acclaimed memoir is an evocative, honest, and deeply moving coming-of-age story centred on her extraordinary relationship with the artist Robert Mapplethorpe.

"Sharp, elegiac and finely crafted" - Sunday Times

"Terrifically evocative ... The most spellbinding and diverting portrait of funky-but-chic New York in the late '60s and '70s that any alumnus has committed to print" - New York Times

"Render, harrowing, often hilarious" - Vogue

In 1967, a chance encounter between two young individuals blossomed into a romance and a lifelong friendship, propelling them both to levels of international success they could scarcely have imagined. Their story unfolds against the vibrant backdrop of Brooklyn, the Chelsea Hotel, Max's Kansas City, Scribner's Bookstore, Coney Island, Warhol's Factory, and the entire resplendent city. Their circle of friends included literary luminaries, musicians, and artists such as Harry Smith, Bobby Neuwirth, Allen Ginsberg, Sandy Daley, Sam Shepherd, and William Burroughs.

It was a period of heightened political and cultural ferment, with the art and music scenes explosively colliding and evolving. Amidst this dynamic landscape, two young people forged a pact to always look out for one another. Scrappy, romantic, and fiercely committed to creating art, they spurred each other on, providing unwavering faith and confidence during their lean early years – days often sustained by little more than couscous and lettuce soup.

Just Kids begins as a tender love story and gently transitions into a poignant elegy. Beautifully written, this is a profound portrayal of two young artists, frequently hungry but ultimately nourished by art and lived experience. It is also an unforgettable portrait of New York City itself, with its stark contrasts of rich and poor, its hustlers and rebels, those who achieved their dreams and those whose memory still lingers in the city's fabric.