--- product_id: 349556635 title: "Just Kids ( Certified Reading)" price: "€ 17.06" currency: EUR in_stock: true reviews_count: 12 url: https://www.desertcart.be/products/349556635-just-kids-certified-reading store_origin: BE region: Belgium --- # Just Kids ( Certified Reading) **Price:** € 17.06 **Availability:** ✅ In Stock ## Quick Answers - **What is this?** Just Kids ( Certified Reading) - **How much does it cost?** € 17.06 with free shipping - **Is it available?** Yes, in stock and ready to ship - **Where can I buy it?** [www.desertcart.be](https://www.desertcart.be/products/349556635-just-kids-certified-reading) ## Best For - Customers looking for quality international products ## Why This Product - Free international shipping included - Worldwide delivery with tracking - 15-day hassle-free returns ## Description A Prelude to Fame , Just Kids recounts the friendship of two young artists—Patti Smith and Robert Mapplethorpe—whose passion fueled their lifelong pursuit of art. In 1967, a chance meeting led to a romance and a lifelong bond that would carry each to international success never dreamed of. Set against the vivid backdrop of Brooklyn, the Chelsea Hotel, Max’s Kansas City, Scribner’s Bookstore, Coney Island, and Warhol’s Factory , the story unfolds during a heightened political and cultural moment, when the art and music worlds were exploding and colliding. Among their circle were literary lights, musicians, and artists such as Harry Smith, Bobby Neuwirth, Allen Ginsberg, Sandy Daley, Sam Shepherd, and William Burroughs . In the midst of it all, two kids made a pact to always care for one another. Scrappy, romantic, and committed to making art, they sustained each other through the hungry years—the days of couscous and lettuce soup. Just Kids begins as a love story and ends as an elegy: a beautifully written, unforgettable portrait of two young artists and of New York itself—its rich and poor, hustlers and hellions, those who made it and those whose memory lingers. Review: Can't Wait to Explore More of Patti Smith's Writing - Just Kids is a luminous coming-of-age memoir that reads less as a record of events and more as an invocation of a vanished world where art, hunger and love were deeply intertwined. At its center is the relationship between Patti Smith and Robert Mapplethorpe - a bond that defies simple labels of romance or friendship, taking on an almost mythic emotional force. What elevates the memoir beyond a conventional artist’s life story is its vivid evocation of an era when art was not merely a pursuit but a necessity. New York emerges as a restless, unpredictable presence-simultaneously generous and indifferent—where chance encounters in hotel rooms, galleries and cramped apartments quietly alter the course of lives. The city’s cultural energy, from the fading echoes of Beat literature to the rise of punk, forms the backdrop against which Smith and Mapplethorpe gradually discover themselves as artists. Their early years are marked by poverty, yet deprivation is portrayed not as misery but as a force that deepens their commitment to both art and each other. Shared rooms, borrowed meals and constant uncertainty are rendered with remarkable clarity, while the artists, musicians and poets who drift through their lives reinforce the sense of a city in perpetual transformation. The memoir’s power also lies in its emotional restraint. Even in moments of separation and loss, Smith’s prose remains composed, allowing feeling to emerge through precise observation rather than sentimentality. The evolution of Patti and Robert from inseparable companions to distinct artistic figures unfolds with quiet inevitability. Ultimately, Just Kids is not only a portrait of two artists but a meditation on creativity, devotion and the sacrifices demanded by both. It leaves behind a lingering feeling, like a half-remembered song whose melody remains long after the final note has faded. Review: For The Love of Art - Only if I could live with all the creative people…. nonetheless the whole journey has been beautifully told ## Technical Specifications | Specification | Value | |---------------|-------| | Best Sellers Rank | #2,771 in Books ( See Top 100 in Books ) #4 in Music Books #69 in Biographies & Autobiographies (Books) | | Customer Reviews | 4.5 out of 5 stars 9,505 Reviews | ## Images ![Just Kids ( Certified Reading) - Image 1](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/61SZH1+PalL.jpg) ## Customer Reviews ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Can't Wait to Explore More of Patti Smith's Writing *by I***S on 24 June 2026* Just Kids is a luminous coming-of-age memoir that reads less as a record of events and more as an invocation of a vanished world where art, hunger and love were deeply intertwined. At its center is the relationship between Patti Smith and Robert Mapplethorpe - a bond that defies simple labels of romance or friendship, taking on an almost mythic emotional force. What elevates the memoir beyond a conventional artist’s life story is its vivid evocation of an era when art was not merely a pursuit but a necessity. New York emerges as a restless, unpredictable presence-simultaneously generous and indifferent—where chance encounters in hotel rooms, galleries and cramped apartments quietly alter the course of lives. The city’s cultural energy, from the fading echoes of Beat literature to the rise of punk, forms the backdrop against which Smith and Mapplethorpe gradually discover themselves as artists. Their early years are marked by poverty, yet deprivation is portrayed not as misery but as a force that deepens their commitment to both art and each other. Shared rooms, borrowed meals and constant uncertainty are rendered with remarkable clarity, while the artists, musicians and poets who drift through their lives reinforce the sense of a city in perpetual transformation. The memoir’s power also lies in its emotional restraint. Even in moments of separation and loss, Smith’s prose remains composed, allowing feeling to emerge through precise observation rather than sentimentality. The evolution of Patti and Robert from inseparable companions to distinct artistic figures unfolds with quiet inevitability. Ultimately, Just Kids is not only a portrait of two artists but a meditation on creativity, devotion and the sacrifices demanded by both. It leaves behind a lingering feeling, like a half-remembered song whose melody remains long after the final note has faded. ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐ For The Love of Art *by S***Y on 8 June 2026* Only if I could live with all the creative people…. nonetheless the whole journey has been beautifully told ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ About the book duh *by P***E on 13 July 2026* Damnn so readable ## Frequently Bought Together - (smith).just kids - The Bell Jar (Modern Classics) - Milk Teeth --- ## Why Shop on Desertcart? - 🛒 **Trusted by 1.3+ Million Shoppers** — Serving international shoppers since 2016 - 🌍 **Shop Globally** — Access 737+ million products across 21 categories - 💰 **No Hidden Fees** — All customs, duties, and taxes included in the price - 🔄 **15-Day Free Returns** — Hassle-free returns (30 days for PRO members) - 🔒 **Secure Payments** — Trusted payment options with buyer protection - ⭐ **TrustPilot Rated 4.5/5** — Based on 8,000+ happy customer reviews **Shop now:** [https://www.desertcart.be/products/349556635-just-kids-certified-reading](https://www.desertcart.be/products/349556635-just-kids-certified-reading) --- *Product available on Desertcart Belgium* *Store origin: BE* *Last updated: 2026-07-21*