Just Kids is an amazing book. When I found out today that Patti Smith has been nominated for a National Book Award for this memoir, I felt like I was witnessing something auspicious, something worth sharing with people. Just Kids is not an easy book. Be warned that it deals with loss and suffering and a New York both beautiful and treacherous for the young people who love and trust its magic. And Just Kids is a love story. It’s a snapshot of a pivotal time in the history of a city and a culture. On Patti Smith’s website, there’s a sentence on the index page that reads: “The miracle is love.” Ultimately that’s her story, but you gotta read the book to understand who this woman is and what loves formed her. Read it as memoir, read it as art tome, read it as history of New York, but read it.