Patti Smith Reveals Family Secrets in New Memoir
Music legend Patti Smith shares previously unknown family stories in her new memoir, Bread of Angels. She spoke exclusively to PEOPLE about why she chose to reveal these truths now.
An Unexpected Memoir
Patti Smith, the godmother of punk who rose to fame in the 1970s with her debut album Horses and won the National Book Award in 2010 for her memoir Just Kids, had not planned to write another nonfiction book.
"I wrote [Just Kids] for Robert [Mapplethorpe] because he asked me to, just hours before he died. And I labored on that book for a long time, and did learn how to write a book such as that, but I hadn't planned to write another," Smith told PEOPLE.
Inspiration from a Dream
Her inspiration for Bread of Angels came from a dream she had a decade ago.
"In my dream, I received a package, and it was a white book, and it had a white ribbon and photographs of dresses that I had owned in my life. My wedding dress, the dress that Robert gave me, the white dress my brother gave me that's on the cover of Wave. And they were all attached to stories about my life, and it was such a beautiful book, and when I woke up, my hands were extended."
About the Author and Editor
- Patti Smith is a groundbreaking musician and writer.
- Colleen Kratofil is Senior Editor, TV at PEOPLE.
This memoir uncovers intimate family truths, including Patti Smith's experience with adoption and the discovery of her biological father’s story through her daughter.
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