‘How should I cast my soul?’ Patti Smith’s intimate new memoir is a quest for her true self

How Should I Cast My Soul? Patti Smith’s Intimate New Memoir

Patti Smith’s Just Kids was named one of the best books of the 21st century. Her latest memoir, Bread of Angels, spans her entire life, exploring themes of deep love, profound loss, and creative rebirth.

Significant Date of Publication

Bread of Angels was released on November 4, a date layered with personal meaning. On November 4, 1946, Smith’s artistic soulmate and first true love, the late photographer Robert Mapplethorpe, was born. Exactly 48 years later, her beloved husband and fellow musician, Fred “Sonic” Smith, died of a heart attack on the same day. The memoir’s launch coincides closely with the nearly 50th anniversary of her debut album, Horses.

“The hourglass overturns,” she writes. “Each grain a word that erupts into a thousand more, the first and last moments of every living thing.”

A Journey Through Life and Art

Smith’s memoir blends poetic insight with profound life reflections. Her previous works, such as Just Kids, recount her extraordinary partnership with Mapplethorpe as they built their artistic careers in 1970s New York. Other writings like M Train and Year of the Monkey reveal her spiritual views and creative process, meditating on the passage of time amid her global travels.

Devotion delves into the craft of writing as a vital, active pursuit that prevents the overshadowing influence of others’ work.

Author’s Summary

Bread of Angels is a deeply personal and artistic memoir that reveals Patti Smith’s lifelong quest for selfhood through love, loss, and creativity.

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The Conversation — 2025-11-04