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Dancing Barefoot

The Patti Smith Story
by Dave Thompson
Dancing Barefoot: The Patti Smith Story. Chicago Review, dist. by IPG. Aug. 2011. c.320p. photogs. bibliog. ISBN 9781569763254. $24.95. MUSIC
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Although Thompson (Your Pretty Face Is Going to Hell: The Dangerous Glitter of David Bowie, Iggy Pop, and Lou Reed) interviewed a number of musicians and artists who have worked with poet and singer-songwriter Patti Smith over the years, he attempts to tell Smith's story primarily in her own words. The book relies on previously published interviews, Smith's Just Kids, and filmed interviews with and documentaries of Smith. Generally, this works well; however, the prose occasionally becomes stilted when too many attributions are worked into the text. While Thompson treats his subject sympathetically, he covers the good and bad, the successes and failures. Much to his credit, he avoids a tabloid-style exposé.
VERDICT Readers looking for more examination of Smith's songs, recordings, and poetry should look elsewhere, but Thompson does a commendable job of documenting her life. Smith fans might find this a good companion to Just Kids, as Thompson does not focus as heavily on Smith's relationship with Robert Mapplethorpe. It may also appeal to readers interested in American poetry and the development of punk rock in the 1970s. Recommended.
Reviewed by James E. Perone, Univ. of Mount Union, Alliance, OH , Jun 15, 2011
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