In 'Just Kids,' Patti Smith offers a mesmerizing account of her relationship with the acclaimed photographer Robert Mapplethorpe during an exhilarating period of artistic flourish in late 1960s and 1970s New York. Smith, who would rise to fame as a poet and musician, and Mapplethorpe, with his provocative take on photography, come of age amidst the promise and rebellion of an era. From their first fateful meeting to their endeavors to support each other creatively, this memoir serves as a poignant homage to youthful ambition, love, and the enduring power of friendship set against the backdrop of a transformative time in American culture.