Reading Order List — Book Series Reading Order Guide
Patti Smith

Patti Smith Reading Order

4 series · 27 books · Born 1946-12-30

Literary FictionNon-Fiction

Patti Smith is an American artist and writer who gained prominence as a musician and poet at the heart of 1970s New York punk rock, blending visceral lyrics with raw musical energy. Beyond her iconic recording career, Smith has established herself as a celebrated author whose memoir Just Kids won the National Book Award, exploring her formative years in the punk scene with lyrical prose. Her body of work spans poetry collections, essays, and reflective nonfiction that carry the same spiritual intensity and poetic sensibility that defined her musical innovations.

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Anthologies Series

Complete

3 books (1999–2012)

Start with Robert Bresson and read in order.

Start this series with Robert Bresson

Buy Book 1 🇺🇸🎧 Listen free on Audible
#Title
1
Cover of Robert Bresson
Robert Bresson
1999Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2
Pen America 13
2009Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
3
Cover of My Ideal Bookshelf
My Ideal Bookshelf
2012Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

Non-Fiction Series

Ongoing

10 books (1994–2025)

Start with Early Work, 1970-1979, the first of 10 books in the Non-Fiction series.

Start this series with Early Work, 1970-1979

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#Title
1
Cover of Early Work, 1970-1979
Early Work, 1970-1979
1994Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2
Cover of Patti Smith Complete Lyrics, Reflections & Notes for the Future
Patti Smith Complete Lyrics, Reflections & Notes for the Future
1998Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
3
Cover of Strange Messenger
Strange Messenger
2003Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
4
Cover of Trois
5
Cover of Just Kids
6
7
Cover of David Lynch: Someone is in My House(With: David Lynch,Stijn Huijts,Kristine McKenna,Petra Giloy-Hirtz)
David Lynch: Someone is in My House(With: David Lynch,Stijn Huijts,Kristine McKenna,Petra Giloy-Hirtz)
2019Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
8
Cover of Year of the Monkey
Year of the Monkey
2019Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
9
Cover of A Book of Days
A Book of Days
2022Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
10
Bread of Angels: A Memoir
2025Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

Poetry Collections Series

Complete

9 books (1972–2015)

Start with Seventh Heaven, the first of 9 books in the Poetry Collections series.

Start this series with Seventh Heaven

Buy Book 1 🇺🇸🎧 Listen free on Audible
#Title
1
Cover of Seventh Heaven
Seventh Heaven
1972Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2
Cover of Witt
3
Cover of Ha! Ha! Houdini
Ha! Ha! Houdini
1977Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
4
Cover of Babel
5
Cover of Woolgathering
Woolgathering
1992Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
6
Cover of The Coral Sea
The Coral Sea
1996Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
7
Cover of Auguries of Innocence
Auguries of Innocence
2005Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
8
A Season in Hell & The Drunken Boat(With: Arthur Rimbaud)
2011Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
9
Patti Smith Collected Lyrics, 1970-2015
2015Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

Why I Write Series

Ongoing

5 books (2017–2024)

Start with Devotion, the first of 5 books in the Why I Write series.

Start this series with Devotion

Buy Book 1 🇺🇸🎧 Listen free on Audible
#Title
1
2
Inadvertent(By: Karl Ove Knausgård)
2018Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
3
Cover of For Now(By: Eileen Myles)
For Now(By: Eileen Myles)
2020Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
4
Cover of The House of Being(By: Natasha Trethewey)
The House of Being(By: Natasha Trethewey)
2024Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
5
What Nails It(By: Greil Marcus)
2024Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

Frequently Asked Questions

How many books has Patti Smith written?
Patti Smith has written 27 books across 4 series. Their published works span from 1972 to 2025.
What is the first book in each Patti Smith series?
Here are the first books in Patti Smith's series: Anthologies: Robert Bresson; Non-Fiction: Early Work, 1970-1979; Poetry Collections: Seventh Heaven; Why I Write: Devotion.
What order should I read Patti Smith's books?
We recommend reading Patti Smith's series in publication order. Each series can be read independently.
Is Patti Smith still writing new books?
Yes, Patti Smith has 2 ongoing series: Non-Fiction, Why I Write.

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