Book Review: M Train by Patti Smith
Ever since reading Just Kids by Patti Smith a little over a year ago I have been itching to read M Train. Like Just Kids, this book did not disappoint at all.
This autobiography follows Smith during her 60s as an established musician, poet, speaker, and writer as she travels, watches crime shows, reflects on her life, and drinks black coffee.
Smith’s diction throughout the book left me amazed. Her word choice is descriptive and made M Train in its entirety incredibly easy to visualize. Although she is sharing her own personal story, Smith’s word choice will pull readers in and make them feel as if the story is their own.
While reading it was not uncommon for M Train to leave me feeling calm and relaxed. This book seems to give off a more peaceful and relaxed version of Smith despite her constantly travelling throughout it. Maybe it’s just me but there is something incredibly relaxing about following a story about someone who is writing, riding on trains, and reflecting on their life. If you feel the same then this book is perfect for you.
Despite Smith reflecting on her life throughout this book, M Train is not a follow-up to or a reflection of her life described in Just Kids. It is more so a reflection of her life with her husband, Fred, and children.
Much like anything I’ve read by Smith, M Train left me feeling inspired to write, imagine, and create. M Train is a reminder to all those who read it that nothing is impossible and that you can do anything you set your mind to. In addition, M Train is also a reminder that if you are trying to accomplish something and it seems like you’re not going anywhere, you are, you just may not be able to see it yet.
“If I got lost along the way I had a compass that I had found embedded in a pile of wet leaves I was kicking my way through. The compass was old and rusted but it still worked, connecting the earth and stars. It told me where I was standing and which way was west but not where I was going and nothing of my worth,” Patti Smith, M Train.
Book rating: 5/5
Paige Petrovsky 