Dancing Barefoot: The Patti Smith Story
“Dave Thompson knows how to tell a gripping, carefully researched story. This one is about a young woman from the swamps of New Jersey who became an artist’s muse, then a rock star, then a wife and mother, then an award-winning author, and—most importantly—one of the major American poetic champions of her generation.” —Stephen Davis, author ofHammer of the GodsandWalk This Way“Dave Thompson made me love and understand Patti more than any other writer ever did, including Patti herself.  But then again, he did it by using mostly her own words.  Brilliant!” —Cherry Vanilla, author ofLick Me“Dave Thompson expertly captures the mood and magic of the period—there were moments when I felt as though I were reliving a part of my life, not simply reading a book about it.” —Ivan Kral, Patti Smith Group"From raucous and indelible performances to her retreat to raise a family in Detroit to crushing tragedies to her glorious resurgence, Thompson reveals Smith's profound impulse to celebrate, memorialize, and inspire others. More comprehensive portraits will owe a debt to Thompson's blueprint biography."—Booklist"Thompson's vivid re-creation of the music scene in New York City in the 1970s captures an exhilarating moment in music history."—Publishers Weekly"[Dancing Barefoot] must be on the shelf of every serious Patti Smith fan, indeed anyone fascinated with classic '70s rock."—PopMatters.com"[The book] bring[s] a deeper insight to the artist’s motivations and a great deal of much-needed perspective on the era in which she blossomed...Dancing Barefootwill broaden the understanding of even the most ardent Patti Smith fans.”—Glide Magazine"Between Thompson's descriptive storytelling and interview snippers (dating from the late '60s to present) with peers, members of the Patti Smith Group and Smith herself, her story emerges both vivid and real"—American Songwriter Magazine