JUST KIDS
A review of Patti Smith’s masterpiece in the world of contemporary literature.
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Talk about a non-fictitious read that definitely feels like it’s beyond this mundane reality leaving you with the thrills. Coming of age for any artist is a horrific story in equal measure, enthralling. The twist and turns that we all encounter in whatever form of expression we choose to explore, can be profound to both our audiences and to us.
The journey of rock and roll or should I say purist goth duo, Patti Smith and Robert Mapplethorpe as some of the icons in a community of misfit musicians, photographers and writers, has to be an inspiration to anyone as it is to me. (Full disclosure, when I picked up the book, I didn’t expect it to be a memoir and I’m glad that it didn’t feel like it until I was 110 pages in!). I fell in love with all characters on such a terrific journey and literally shed a tear when Robert went to San Fran, leaving his beloved Patti zombie-walking through her loneliness and distraught. He lost the both of us that night if I’m being honest. Regardless, the flowy, intense and shocking sea of emotional influence the entire text has (in its own way especially when Robert and then Sam fell ill), has a finesse in the craft that is worth taking note of coming from a breakthrough creative. The exploration of various media like photography, sketching, painting and decoupage is significant in educating those with doubts about their strengths in creating art or those who limit their talented selves to a definitive medium therefore missing out on the chaotic beauty of multidisciplinary artistic expression.
Patti’s rock and roll adventure is reminiscent of The Sound of Metal in little ways, and I find myself slightly filling up with regret as to why I never dared to pick up an instrument to fiddle with. There are so many lessons I picked up as a young artist who has fought against my impulses for so long an yes, like every tragedy in life, there are red flags in all relationships that she delicately explores including the sacred relationship with oneself and still definitely worth picking up and giving it a chance.
I give it an 8/10 and strongly suggest this 237 page book for any “stuck” human trying to claw their way into a meaningful life….
