Offering a unique analysis and discussion of her life, career, and work, this is the true story of Patti Smith. Widely acknowledged as one of the most significant American artists of the rock age, an acclaimed poet, and a figurehead for many liberal political causes, Patti Smith went from an ugly-duckling childhood in postwar New Jersey to become queen of the 1970s New York art scene. Not a tell-all biography, this measured, accurate, and enthusiastic account of Smith’s career is written for her loyal fans as well as for neophytes hungry for a great rock 'n' roll story. Guided by interviews with those who have known her—including Ivan Kral, Tom Verlaine, Richard Lloyd, John Cale, and Jim Carroll—it relies most of all on Patti’s own words.

“Dave Thompson made me love and understand Patti more than any other writer ever did, including Patti herself.  But then again, he did it by using mostly her own words.  Brilliant!” —Cherry Vanilla, author of Lick Me

Dave Thompson is a rock journalist who has contributed to Alternative Press, Mojo, Q, Record Collector, Rolling Stone, and Spin. He is the author of numerous music biographies of artists such as David Bowie, Cream, Red Hot Chili Peppers, and U2, as well as the bestselling Kurt Cobain biography, Never Fade Away, and the story of 1970s punk, London's Burning. He lives in Newark, Delaware.