Clubbing

Our book club is a little over two years old. We knew it was going to be a success when Nicole chose Midnight's Children, a book that has broken many similar institutions, and we all made it through. While my (not-in-the-group) friends have described it as "militant" I like to think it's quite a democratic organisation. At the end of each monthly meeting our names are put in to a hat and the person chosen gets to pick the next book and hosts the gathering at their place. People come even if they haven't read the book because it's also a nice opportunity to communally binge on sugary snack foods and play the Nintendo Wii. This month my name was drawn and I chose Just Kids by Patti Smith.

Patti Smith is a musician, poet and artist who has a beautiful way with words. Her book is a gift to her first love, best friend and muse, photographer, Robert Maplethorne. 

Patti and Robert really were starving artists and the most fascinating chapters of the book happen when (in desperation) they move in to the Chelsea Hotel in the late 60's. There they become part of a thriving artistic community and their circle of friends and aqqauintances includes Jimi Hendrix,
Andy Warhol and Janis Joplin.

Their friendship spans several decades and many phases of artistic expression. There are tumultuous times; drug use, disease, homelessness, heartbreak but it's written very much from the perspective of an artist  and what I imagine could have been interpreted by most others as "impossible times" is documented as if were all just part of an awe-inspiring journey 

between two creative souls.

Patti is a strong woman and an addictive character to read and I'll go ahead and assume that you know that Robert is dead and therefore the end of this book is heartbreakingly sad.

Robert takes beautiful photos, it's interesting how "now" his asthetic is. Don't you think this looks like something Russh shot last month?

Next month we're reading Mary by Vladimir Nabokov