M Train by Patti Smith is a memoir that offers a glimpse into the private and unique world of the author. Through a meandering collection of dreams, stories, memories, and reflections on her life with her husband Fred Sonic Smith, the book invites readers to wander through Smith's mind and experiences. The writing ranges from straightforward to poetically intense, with a gentle sadness permeating every mention of Fred's name. Smith's writing style is described as dreamy, impressionistic, and nonlinear, painting a rich and poignant picture of her life and inner thoughts.
The book is a mix of vignettes from Smith's travels and her daily life, providing insights into the inner workings of an artistic genius. The narrative is filled with references to influential writers, poets, and artists that have inspired Smith, showcasing her poetic heart and beautifully constructed sentences. Smith's writing is described as optimistic yet sorrowful, diving into themes of loss, memory, and love, all while offering a fluid and engaging account of her experiences and musings.
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From The Publisher:
From the National Book Award-winning author of Just Kids: a "sublime collection of true stories … and wild imaginings that take us to the very heart of who Patti Smith is" (Vanity Fair), told through the cafés and haunts she has worked in around the world. Patti Smith calls this bestselling work "a roadmap to my life."
M Train begins in the tiny Greenwich Village café where Smith goes every morning for black coffee, ruminates on the world as it is and the world as it was, and writes in her notebook. Through prose that shifts fluidly between dreams and reality, past and present, we travel to Frida Kahlo's Casa Azul in Mexico; to the fertile moon terrain of Iceland; to a ramshackle seaside bungalow in New York's Far Rockaway that Smith acquires just before Hurricane Sandy hits; to the West 4th Street subway station, filled with the sounds of the Velvet Underground after the death of Lou Reed; and to the graves of Genet, Plath, Rimbaud, and Mishima.
Woven throughout are reflections on the writer's craft and on artistic creation. Here, too, are singular memories of Smith's life in Michigan and the irremediable loss of her husband, Fred Sonic Smith.
Braiding despair with hope and consolation, illustrated with her signature Polaroids, M Train is a meditation on travel, detective shows, literature, and coffee. It is a powerful, deeply moving book by one of the most remarkable multiplatform artists at work today.
Featuring a postscript with five new photos from Patti Smith
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1 comment(s)
I don't like books that are in essay format. This was in that format. Also listened to this on audio and it was just very mono toned.
What can you read after
M Train?
About the Author:
PATTI SMITH is the author of Just Kids, which won the National Book Award in 2010, and of M Train, as well as numerous collections of poetry and essays. Her seminal album Horses has been hailed as one of the top 100 albums of all time….
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