Patti Smith Receives National Book Award

Patti Smith was recently honored with the National Book Award for her memoir Just Kids.

Just Kids chronicles her friendship with photographer Robert Mapplethorpe and their time spent together in New York City in the ‘60s and ’70s. It’s her first book, but in her acceptance speech, Smith said she’s wanted to write one ever since she worked at Scribner’s book shop as a young woman. “I dreamed of having a book of my own, of writing one that I could put on a shelf,” she said. “When I would have to unpack and put up the National Book Award winners, I used to wonder what it would feel like to be a National Book Award winner, so thank you for letting me find out.”

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