Patti Smith will take another look back in a new memoir, ‘Bread of Angels'
The poet-writer-musician's 'Bread of Angels' will be published Nov. 4, Random House announced Wednesday. In 'Just Kids,' winner of the National Book Award in 2010, Smith looked back on her early years in New York City and her romance and friendship with photographer Robert Mapplethorpe. In her new book, according to Random House, she reflects on her childhood 'in working class Philadelphia and South Jersey,' her marriage to guitarist Fred 'Sonic' Smith, her move to a home in Michigan by Lake Saint Clair, to raise a family and her grief over the death of her husband, in 1994.
Even the book's release date is deeply personal, coinciding with Mapplethorpe's birthday and the anniversary of Smith's death.
'It took a decade to write this book, grappling with the beauty and sorrow of a lifetime. I'm hoping that people will find something they need,' Smith said in a statement issued through Random House.
Smith's other books include 'M Train,' 'Year of the Monkey,' 'Woolgathering' and 'Devotion (Why I Write).'
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles

NBC Sports
10 hours ago
- NBC Sports
De Smith's upcoming book describes Aaron Rodgers as "isolated" and "dismissive"
Former NFL Players Association executive director DeMaurice Smith has a book coming out in early August. And Daniel Kaplan of has gotten an advance PDF of Turf Wars. There's some interesting stuff in there. We had a little something back around the time of the Super Bowl. The full apparently book has a lot more something. Including some observations about former Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers, a vocal opponent of the 2020 Collective Bargaining Agreement. 'The god of Cheesehead Nation was isolated and dismissive,' Smith writes, regarding Rodgers's demeanor during a player meeting. 'He sat in the back row of the meeting room, issuing loud sighs before standing for a dramatic exit. An incredible quarterback, to be sure, but an even more impressive antagonist.' Smith also says this about Rodgers: 'In August 2021, my phone chirped with a text from Aaron Rodgers. 'Can you call me?' it read. Could I not run into traffic instead?' Smith and I now have something else in common, thanks to his book. If asked, Rodgers likely would suggest that people not waste their time 'reading crap like that.'
Yahoo
11 hours ago
- Yahoo
After Diddy's conviction, here's where his business ventures stand
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Sean 'Diddy' Combs has been acquitted of the most serious charges in his federal sex trafficking trial, but that doesn't mean the once-celebrated music mogul will see his business empire restored. Combs, 55, who is one of the most influential figures in hip-hop history, was acquitted Wednesday of racketeering conspiracy and sex trafficking charges but convicted on prostitution offenses. Prosecutors painted a dark portrait of the mogul, with witnesses taking the stand to allege a pattern of violence and detail drug-fueled sex parties he reportedly called 'freak-offs' or 'hotel nights.' Combs was convicted of flying people around the country, including his girlfriends and paid male sex workers, to engage in sexual encounters, a felony violation of the federal Mann Act. He could still be sentenced to prison for as long as a decade. Here's a closer look at how Combs' business portfolio and public image have crumbled under the weight of the allegations. What has happened to Combs' business empire? Before Combs was arrested and charged, his major business ventures had collapsed: He stepped down and later fully divested from Revolt TV, which was founded in 2013. The network offered a mix of programming focused on hip-hop culture, R&B music, social justice and documentaries. He also reportedly lost a Hulu reality series deal and saw his once-iconic fashion brand Sean John vanish from Macy's shelves. After surveillance footage surfaced last year showing Combs physically assaulting singer Cassie, his then-girlfriend, in 2016, consequences mounted: New York City revoked his ceremonial key, Peloton pulled his music, Howard University rescinded his honorary degree and his charter school in Harlem cut ties. Last year, Combs settled a legal dispute with Diageo, relinquishing control of his lucrative spirits brands, Ciroc and DeLeón. While many of his ventures have unraveled, his music catalog — for now — remains intact. Where does Combs' music stand? Bad Boy Records may be synonymous with 1990s icons like The Notorious B.I.G., Faith Evans, Ma$e, and 112, but Combs kept the label relevant before his arrest with high-profile releases. In 2023, Combs dropped ' The Love Album: Off the Grid,' which was his first solo studio album in nearly two decades, and Janelle Monáe released her critically acclaimed project ' The Age of Pleasure ' through Bad Boy. Both albums earned Grammy nominations, with Monáe's effort recognized in the prestigious record of the year category. Ahead of the 'The Love Album' release, Combs made headlines by returning Bad Boy publishing rights to several former artists and songwriters, years after he was criticized for how he handled their contracts. Bad Boy Records remains operational, but the label has been significantly shaken by Combs' legal firestorm and it hasn't announced any major upcoming releases. Last week, a surprise EP called 'Never Stop' released by his son, King Combs, and Ye (formerly Kanye West), showed support for the embattled mogul. The project was released through Goodfellas Entertainment. Bad Boy Records remained active through 2022, backing Machine Gun Kelly's 'Mainstream Sellout' under the Bad Boy umbrella. He was a producer on MTV's reality television series 'Making the Band,' and 'Making His Band,' launching the careers of artists like the girl group Danity Kane and male R&B group Day 26. Could Diddy's fortune be at risk? Combs has been sued by multiple people who claim to have been victims of physical or sexual abuse. He has already paid $20 million to settle with one accuser, his former girlfriend Cassie. Most of those lawsuits, though, are still pending. It isn't clear how many, if any, will be successful, or how much it will cost Combs to defend himself in court. Combs and his lawyers have denied all the misconduct allegations and dismissed his accusers as out for a big payday. Federal prosecutors had informed the court that if Combs is convicted, they would seek to have him forfeit any assets, including property, 'used to commit or facilitate' his crimes. It was not immediately clear following the verdict how prosecutors would proceed or whether asset forfeiture would be part of a sentence imposed by the judge. How is Diddy's music faring on streaming? Despite the legal turmoil surrounding Combs, his music catalog remains widely available on major streaming platforms including Spotify, Apple Music and Amazon Music. None of the streamers have publicly addressed whether they plan to adjust how his music is featured. Interestingly, Combs' music saw a roughly 20% boost in U.S. streaming between April and May 2025, his biggest monthly spike this year, according to Luminate. The numbers jump coincided with key moments in the trial, including testimonies from Cassie and Kid Cudi. However, there was a slight drop-off with a 5 to 10% decrease in June compared to the previous month's streams. Streaming makes up a fraction of an artist's revenue and is calculated through a complicated process called 'streamshare.' Most artists see very little pay from digital services. What happened to other businesses like Sean John? Sean John, founded in 1998, has gone largely dormant, with its presence disappearing from major retailers like Macy's. There are no clear signs of a relaunch on the horizon. In 2023, Combs launched Empower Global, an online marketplace designed to uplift Black-owned businesses and strengthen the Black dollar. He positioned the platform as a modern-day 'Black Wall Street,' backing it with a reported $20 million of his own investment. The platform debuted with 70 brands and planned to expand by onboarding new Black-owned businesses each month, aiming to feature more than 200 by year's end. However, as 2023 came to a close, several brands cut ties with Empower Global. It was reported that some cited disappointing performance and growing concerns over the misconduct allegations surrounding Combs. ___ AP Music Writer Maria Sherman contributed to this report. Jonathan Landrum Jr., The Associated Press Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data


San Francisco Chronicle
12 hours ago
- San Francisco Chronicle
Olivia Rodrigo, John Cena and other celebrities make their way to Wimbledon's Royal Box
LONDON (AP) — Olivia Rodrigo. John Cena. Dave Grohl. Priyanka Chopra and Nick Jonas. There was as much star power — or maybe even more? — in the Royal Box at Wimbledon as there was down below on the Centre Court grass on Wednesday. And that was on an afternoon that featured two-time defending men's champion Carlos Alcaraz and No. 1-ranked woman Aryna Sabalenka both winning matches at the grass-court Grand Slam tournament's main stadium to reach the third round. The seats in the Royal Box behind one of the baselines are by invitation only, and there was quite a list of celebrities on hand for Day 3 of competition. 'I was trying not to look today,' Sabalenka said about the collection of boldfaced names, explaining that she might be distracted while competing. 'I was just trying to focus on my game. Later on, I'm going to open the social media (and ask), 'OK, who was there?'' Well, Aryna, here's a rundown: Rodrigo, fresh off headlining at music festival Glastonbury while on tour for her GUTS album, sat next to Cena, the professional wrestler and movie star. Rodrigo chatted at one point with former England soccer coach Roy Hodgson (the current person in that job, Thomas Tuchel, also was in attendance). Grohl, a member of the rock bands Foo Fighters and Nirvana, made an appearance, too, as did the married couple Chopra and Jonas. Hollywood's Judd Apatow and Leslie Mann, who also are married, were on the Royal Box list, along with actor Dominic Cooper. Others taking in a day of tennis at the most famous court in the world included British athletes from other sports, such as Olympic gold medalists Sophie Bray (field hockey) and Tom Daley (diving), and Paralympic gold medalist William Ellard (swimming). ___