A Book of Days by Patti Smith is a unique blend of photography and lyrical prose. The book contains 366 images, one for each day of a leap year, showcasing Smith's talent as a photographer alongside her deep, thoughtful captions. Each entry often highlights significant birthdays or events, offering a glimpse into Smith's life and the influencers of her artistic journey. Readers can appreciate both the visual splendor of her black-and-white polaroids and her reflective writing, which fosters a connection to moments both personal and historical.
The writing style in A Book of Days is concise and poetic, designed for thoughtful contemplation. Each short entry is packed with insights and serves as inspiration, encouraging readers to engage with their own creativity. Smith’s ability to weave in quotes from other artists further enriches the reading experience. Overall, the book resonates with a sense of intimacy and beauty, making it a delightful coffee table book as well as a source of daily inspiration.
From The Publisher:
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER
A deeply moving and brilliantly idiosyncratic visual book of days by the National Book Award-winning author of Just Kids and M Train, featuring more than 365 images and reflections that chart Smith's singular aesthetic-inspired by her wildly popular Instagram.
ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR: Variety, Pitchfork, PopSugar
In 2018, without any plan or agenda for what might happen next, Patti Smith posted her first Instagram photo: her hand with the simple message "Hello Everybody!" Known for shooting with her beloved Land Camera 250, Smith started posting images from her phone including portraits of her kids, her radiator, her boots, and her Abyssinian cat, Cairo. Followers felt an immediate affinity with these miniature windows into Smith's world, photographs of her daily coffee, the books she's reading, the graves of beloved heroes-William Blake, Dylan Thomas, Sylvia Plath, Simone Weil, Albert Camus. Over time, a coherent story of a life devoted to art took shape, and more than a million followers responded to Smith's unique aesthetic in images that chart her passions, devotions, obsessions, and whims. Original to this book are vintage photographs: anniversary pearls, a mother's keychain, and a husband's Mosrite guitar. Here, too, are photos from Smith's archives of life on and off the road, train stations, obscure cafés, a notebook always nearby. In wide-ranging yet intimate daily notations, Smith shares dispatches from her travels around the world.
With over 365 photographs taking you through a single year, A Book of Days is a new way to experience the expansive mind of the visionary poet, writer, and performer. Hopeful, elegiac, playful-and complete with an introduction by Smith that explores her documentary process- A Book of Days is a timeless offering for deeply uncertain times, an inspirational map of an artist's life.
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