Patti Smith Reading Order
4 series · 27 books · Born 30 December 1946
Patti Smith is a multifaceted American artist known for her impactful contributions to the punk rock movement and her powerful literary works. Spanning over five decades, she has produced a remarkable 27 books across four series, including poetry collections, non-fiction, and anthologies, with her acclaimed memoir Just Kids earning the National Book Award in 2010. Active from 1972 until 2025, Smith continues to inspire with her unique blend of lyrical poetry and rock music.
Anthologies Series
Complete3 books (1999–2012)
Start with Robert Bresson and read in order.
| # | Title |
|---|---|
| 1 |  Robert Bresson 1999Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 2 | Pen America 13 2009Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 3 |  My Ideal Bookshelf 2012Buy 🇺🇸 |
Non-Fiction Series
Ongoing10 books (1994–2025)
Start with Early Work, 1970-1979, the first of 10 books in the Non-Fiction series.
| # | Title |
|---|---|
| 1 |  Early Work, 1970-1979 1994Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 2 |  Patti Smith Complete Lyrics, Reflections & Notes for the Future 1998Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 3 |  Strange Messenger 2003Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 4 |  Trois 2008Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 5 |  Just Kids 2010Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 6 | M Train 2015Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 7 |  David Lynch: Someone is in My House(With: David Lynch,Stijn Huijts,Kristine McKenna,Petra Giloy-Hirtz) 2019Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 8 |  Year of the Monkey 2019Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 9 |  A Book of Days 2022Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 10 | Bread of Angels: A Memoir 2025Buy 🇺🇸 |
Poetry Collections Series
Complete9 books (1972–2015)
Start with Seventh Heaven, the first of 9 books in the Poetry Collections series.
| # | Title |
|---|---|
| 1 |  Seventh Heaven 1972Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 2 |  Witt 1973Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 3 |  Ha! Ha! Houdini 1977Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 4 |  Babel 1978Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 5 |  Woolgathering 1992Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 6 |  The Coral Sea 1996Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 7 |  Auguries of Innocence 2005Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 8 | A Season in Hell & The Drunken Boat(With: Arthur Rimbaud) 2011Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 9 | Patti Smith Collected Lyrics, 1970-2015 2015Buy 🇺🇸 |
Why I Write Series
Ongoing5 books (2017–2024)
Start with Devotion, the first of 5 books in the Why I Write series.
| # | Title |
|---|---|
| 1 | Devotion 2017Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 2 | Inadvertent(By: Karl Ove Knausgård) 2018Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 3 |  For Now(By: Eileen Myles) 2020Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 4 |  The House of Being(By: Natasha Trethewey) 2024Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 5 | What Nails It(By: Greil Marcus) 2024Buy 🇺🇸 |
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.