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Skip to main content Patti Smith, "Bread of Angels" All products and services featured are independently chosen by editors. However, Billboard may receive a commission on orders placed through its retail links, and the retailer may receive certain auditable data for accounting purposes. Trending on Billboard Patti Smith’s latest memoir is a must-read for music fans, especially after the gut-punch that was her 2010 work titled Just Kids. Upon its release Nov. 4, Bread of Angels: A Memoir is already No. 1 bestseller in rock band biographies on Amazon. The book is currently available to shop on Amazon, $21.98 hardcover, $14.99 on the Kindle and $32 paperback, or Barnes & Noble for $27. Barnes & Noble also sells a signed version of the book for just $30, a great keepsake for longtime fans of Smith and her work. Rather than chronicling a specific point in time like Just Kids, Smith’s latest work goes back to the very beginning, like most traditional memoirs. The book allows the artist to look back at her early years of art, exploration and creativity that helped her become the literary and music icon she is today. ShopBillboard is a sucker for music and romance, and this memoir is chock full of it. Our favorite part? A section in which the punk poet recalls her chance meeting with husband Fred “Sonic” Smith, a guitarist for MC5, in 1976. sombr? 'More Like angr!' See How Nikki Glaser Gets the Pop Star Mad in New 'SNL' Promos Puma Just Dropped a 'Wicked' Footwear & Apparel Collection Ahead of the New Film Jins Drops Must-Have 'Chainsaw Man' Eyewear: Shop the Collection Here Patti Smith See latest videos, charts and news Bread of Angels: A Memoir Buy Now On Amazon Buy Now On barnes & Noble A memoir by Patti Smith. “That’s when I first saw him. He stood by a white radiator in a blue overcoat. I noticed the threads where a button was missing. That fleeting moment was to redirect the whole of my life. Lenny introduced us simply: Fred Smith, Patti Smith, Patti Smith, Fred Smith,” Smith wrote, describing the moment that she’d met her soon-to-be husband. The chance meeting happened amid her Horses tour, the 1975 studio album that put the singer front and center of the New York punk-rock scene. “When we first met, I had no idea who he was, but I knew instantly he would be my life,” she lovingly added. The recreation of that moment is extremely touching. Even if you aren’t a fan of the “Gloria” singer, her writing is just as impactful as her music. It paints a vivid picture of what she was feeling in that moment, a chance meeting with her soulmate. In 1988, Fred collaborated with Patti on her 1988 album, Dream of Life. Fred was also the one to encourage Patti to keep writing, with her crediting his influence on a number of the songs she released after his death in 1994 at the age of 46. He was the inspiration for Patti’s song “Frederick.” Get weekly rundowns straight to your inbox Want to know what everyone in the music business is talking about? Get in the know on Visit Billboard Pro for music business news Billboard is a part of Penske Media Corporation. © 2025 Billboard Media, LLC. All Rights Reserved. Powered by WordPress.com VIP optional screen reader Manage Account Billboard Hot 100™ Billboard 200™ Hits Of The World™ Songs Of The Summer Year-End Charts Decade-End Charts R&B/Hip-Hop Business News Record Labels View All Pro Songwriters & Producers Artist Index Royalty Calculator Market Watch Industry Events Calendar Billboard Español Cultura y Entretenimiento Crossword Puzzle GET ACCESS TODAY
