Woolgathering
Product ID: 5076541
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The National Book Award–winner Patti Smith presents a treasure box of a childhood memoir about “clear unspeakable joy” and “just the wish to know.” A great book about becoming an artist, Woolgathering tells of a youngster finding herself as she learns the noble vocation of woolgathering, “a worthy calling that seemed a good job for me.” She discovers―often at night, often in nature―the pleasures of rescuing “a fleeting thought.” Deeply moving, Wool- gathering calls up our own memories, as the child “glimpses and gleans, piecing together a crazy quilt of truths.” Smith introduces us to her tribe, “a race of cloud dwellers,” and to the fierce, vital pleasures of cloud watching and stargazing and wandering. A radiant new autobiographical piece, “Two Worlds” (which was not in the original 1992 Hanuman edition of Woolgathering ), and the author’s photographs and illustrations are also included. Woolgathering celebrates the sacred nature of creation with Smith’s beautiful style, acclaimed as “glorious” (NPR), “spellbinding” ( Booklist ), “rare and ferocious” ( Salon ), and “shockingly beautiful” ( New York Magazine ). Black-and-white illustrations Review: A Woman For All Seasons and All Reasons - Forty years ago, Patti Smith changed rock music with the release of Horses. She combined Beat sensibility with outraged punk, confounding critics and listeners alike. She embraced androgyny, sexuality, sensuality and sensibility in her music, poetry, writing and spoken word performance art, and was Robert Mapplethorp's muse. Now she has emerged as one of America's finest prose writers, and most certainly Woolgathering is a testament to her talent. Written and published when Smith turned 45, Woolgathering is a collection of childhood memories, stories she says are true as she remembers them. They are woven together in a stream-of-consciousness recollection, reading Woolgathering is like lying on the grass on a summer afternoon staring up at the sky and watching clouds drift and float and meander overhead. The sky is Smith's narrative, and her memories clouds. It makes no difference that almost 25 years has past since Smith spent some time gathering the wool of her memories and imagination and translated them into ink on paper. Don't expect Just Kids, don't expect Babel; have no expectations, and just relax and read as if sky-gazing as clouds pass overhead. Review: Perfect for a Patti Smith fan - This is a beautiful, magical little book. Patti Smith is such a fantastic writer. This book is very small. I read it within the hour. I really wanted it so I could put it on my bookshelf along with my other Patty Smith books and poetry collections I have. I'll be reading this again. Her words are haunting.
| Best Sellers Rank | #1,276,755 in Books ( See Top 100 in Books ) #439 in Rock Band Biographies #687 in Author Biographies #2,093 in Biographies of Artists, Architects & Photographers (Books) |
| Customer Reviews | 4.6 out of 5 stars 379 Reviews |
J**I
A Woman For All Seasons and All Reasons
Forty years ago, Patti Smith changed rock music with the release of Horses. She combined Beat sensibility with outraged punk, confounding critics and listeners alike. She embraced androgyny, sexuality, sensuality and sensibility in her music, poetry, writing and spoken word performance art, and was Robert Mapplethorp's muse. Now she has emerged as one of America's finest prose writers, and most certainly Woolgathering is a testament to her talent. Written and published when Smith turned 45, Woolgathering is a collection of childhood memories, stories she says are true as she remembers them. They are woven together in a stream-of-consciousness recollection, reading Woolgathering is like lying on the grass on a summer afternoon staring up at the sky and watching clouds drift and float and meander overhead. The sky is Smith's narrative, and her memories clouds. It makes no difference that almost 25 years has past since Smith spent some time gathering the wool of her memories and imagination and translated them into ink on paper. Don't expect Just Kids, don't expect Babel; have no expectations, and just relax and read as if sky-gazing as clouds pass overhead.
K**E
Perfect for a Patti Smith fan
This is a beautiful, magical little book. Patti Smith is such a fantastic writer. This book is very small. I read it within the hour. I really wanted it so I could put it on my bookshelf along with my other Patty Smith books and poetry collections I have. I'll be reading this again. Her words are haunting.
A**R
Wonderful
Love everything about this book. Love the size, love the cover art, and love the content. A very relaxing dreamy read
M**.
Short; by no means shallow
This tends to be views as a prelude to her other memoirs, but that’s very unfair. This is, in its own way, better than anything else she has ever written. Which is true of everything Smith writes. Her work is always beyond comparison—even with her past and future works.
C**A
Four Stars
good book, but liked M Train better, Just Kids as well.
U**.
Exquisite Magic
Patti Smith once again graces us with the opportunity to get inside not her head, but her soul. Patti does not hold anything back. She shares everything she has inside her with such care that it makes you feel as if you were becoming her, with that intimate relationship the book offers you. This short tiny book offers more deep thoughts than 700 page books. Recommended to any person who can read. A must for every human.
L**E
this reflects the wonders of everyday life thru patti smith's poetic eyes
my book club loved patti smith's book of days, and were curious about "woolgathering."
D**B
Different
Good
E**R
mIRACLE
bEST SMALL BOOK i EVER READ:WONDERFUL
P**E
Um livro da Patti é um livro da Patti!
Comprei esse livrinho, lindo, lindão mesmo, só porque foi a Patti Smith quem o escreveu. Porque um livro da Patti é um livro da Patti e isso quer dizer que a leitura vai ser prá lá de boa. Não sei porque o livro não foi lançado em português, mas deveria. São divagações da autora, suas memórias que contemplam a infância e a juventude, de uma maneira bucólica bem característica da escrita de Patti, a mesma pegada poética com a qual escreve em seus posts (recomendo muito) no Instagram. Um livrinho para ser lido no aconchego do lar numa tarde largada de domingo, ou num café escondidinho da muvuca, como bem curte a autora. Em tempo: o título Woolgathring remete à coleta de lã, mas também significa abstração e devaneio. A cara da Patti Smith.
M**E
Bellissimo libro rovinato dall'edizione elettronica
Un libro così pensato, voluto, progettato dalla sua autrice, viene rovinato dall'edizione elettronica, che perde tutte le immagini presenti nell'edizione cartacea... Pessimo esempio di digital r/evolution...
W**R
not my cup of tea (or perhaps just not what I felt like reading on the day) might finish it someday
Strange, not my cup of tea (or perhaps just not what I felt like reading on the day) might finish it someday... YMMV
D**Y
strange interlude
Short enough to read at a single sitting, Woolgathering is a strange interlude. No doubt, as Patti hopes, it will fill U 2 with a "vague and curious joy". It certainly did me . Patti's usual stream of consciousness : mystic, lyrical prose. She's convinced she's descended from a long line of shepherds ! In Woolgathering she revisits vivid memories from her childhood : the death of her dog Bambi. Her sister Kimberley : the babe in her arms as the black barn burns . Entwined with her memories are half-remembered dreams and glimpses into a spiritual world : that other dimension Patti constantly seeks in all of her work. Unlike later work - M Train and Year Of The Monkey - all the journeying in Woolgathering is done in the mind. Patti's location is fixed : the old stone house she shares with her husband - Fred - and their 2 children. Rather than plot, drama and suspense, Patti writes about feelings, moods and emotions. In short about being. About what it means to be human. Never better than in Woolgathering.
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