Just Kids

memoir by Smith

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July 20, 2026

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Just Kids is a memoir by Patti Smith, published in 2010. It focuses on her relationship with photographer Robert Mapplethorpe and their experiences as young artists in New York City during the late 1960s and 1970s. The book details their struggles, artistic development, and deep connection as they navigated the vibrant downtown arts scene. Just Kids received critical acclaim and won the National Book Award for nonfiction. It is considered a significant work in Smith's literary career, which also includes poetry collections and other memoirs.12

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Patti Smith
Memoirs and other literary ventures
…2010 Smith published the memoir Just Kids, which focuses on her relationship with Mapplethorpe and their development as young artists making their way in New York City. The critically acclaimed work won the National Book Award for nonfiction. Her other memoirs include M Train (2015), about her travels and her…
Read More
…2010 Smith published the memoir Just Kids, which focuses on her relationship with Mapplethorpe and their development as young artists making their way in New York City. The critically acclaimed work won the National Book Award for nonfiction. Her other memoirs include M Train (2015), about her travels and her…
Read More