M Train by Patti Smith- Finding strength in revisiting your past life.

It can be said that American literature is one epic after another, whether it be set on Route 66 or in the beautiful prairies. M Train is no different. Patti Smith plausibly writes this novel as a method for making peace with her previous life. From the thrill of the microphone to the excessive destruction felt by the written word. Now, with her husband and long term friends moved in the next world, we feel a person that is satisfied with a life she had lived. We do not see despair in old age, but we see a person who has indeed completed life’s puzzle.

In the beginning of the novel, we start with Patti in Greenwich village. A place that represents the quintessential resident of New York City; the loveable workaholic tangled up in a web of repetition in the city that never sleeps. This plausible claim is conceived by Patti’s observation of the people and their ‘shuffling face cards with nothing worth preserving.’ Which makes life in today’s world seem black and white (and futile) compared to the vigour she experienced a mere 40 years ago; refer back to her first book ‘Just Kids’.

The focus on ‘shuffling’ and ‘cards’ connotes ideas of gambling and questionable uncertainty. Something that could allude to the emotional risk Patti took when travelling to her meaningful places (Mexico, France …) On the other hand, ‘shuffling face cards’ could say that the city people have nothing interesting beneath their surface value. A State of play we let grind hearts and souls against. Then, before we know it, we ourselves become the grey figures of this colourless dystopia. 

The heartless world Patti offers is then met with the thoughts and feelings ties to Mexico. Whose colourful vigour and creativity provides a welcome balance between it and Patti’s home city. Visiting Frida Kahlo’s Casa Azul suggestively creates this much needed spark in the novel:

‘although I craved solitude, I decided I could not pass on an opportunity to speak in the same garden that I had longed to enter as a young girl.’ -Patti on the opportunity to give a talk at Frida’s house opening to the public. 

The complex structure of this sentence plausibly releases tension that has been so prevalent in the lead up to this much needed moment. Verbs like ‘craved and ‘longed’ lengthens this sentence and gives us an indication as to how much she had desired opportunity. Another thing to highlight is the imagination and childlike innocence of Patti. The use of ‘solitude’, ‘garden’ and ‘young girl’, in this long sentence, forces us to stay in this idealistic world of Patti’s for a bit longer. 

Patti travelling on her own is reminiscent of Big Sur by Jack Kerouac and the Happy Prince by Oscar Wilde. The former reflecting heavily upon the art of living after the excitement of immortality is gone. The latter being a shadow of their former selves struggling to release themselves from the clutches of destructive pleasure. 

The references to other literary works are, to an extent, deliberate. As they indirectly link to thoughts and moments relating to Patti’s own life. W.G Sebald’s ‘After Nature’ is the novel she refers to the most in this case. The way ‘he senses her husband’s priceless violin buried in the pit of her memory’ is very emotional. The words ‘priceless violin’ and ‘pit’ connote thoughts relating to death and sadness. Something we, unfortunately, think of when we first pick up these sorts of novels. 
These ideas of emotion and sadness are frustrating, especially in the case of Patti Smith. As a writer, with the childlike mind of hers, we would think she would have the urge to find happiness even in the midst of despair. Thankfully, Patti recognises this as she states that ‘she always hated loose ends’. ‘Dangling phrases, unopened packages (are like) a lone sheet on a clothesline before a vague storm’. (As we all do! Patti, as well all do!). The length of the sentence suggests frustration and, more specifically, the words ‘dangling’ and ‘clotheslines’ associate Patti’s observation with everyday chores and looming tasks. (Something we all find frustrating). 

In the end, we have to say that M Train is indeed the embodiment of the human condition in the modern world: grey, faceless with glints of (original) creativity here and there. Patti, a multi talented artist, is indeed one of the last gems of literary genius we have left on the world stage. (That being said, there is nothing wrong with preserving the writings of the past). I would definitely recommend this novel as it could be the solution to finding excitement even in the mists of your 40s and 50s. 
If you want other recommendations, beyond Smith, Kerouac and Wilde, have a go at the sarcastic observations of Dorothy Parker. Or even the philosophical observations of Haruki Murakami in ‘The Wind Up Bird Chronicles’. 

This has been another great rollercoaster of emotion and perspective on life itself. I would be sure to read it again soon. 

Thank you Patti, thank you!  Xx