As a musician, Patti Smith became an icon thanks to her captivating presence but also her eloquence, her edge and her honesty. The poet/punk queen is first and foremost a writer, and her award-winning books Just Kids and M Train served to cement her legacy, in some ways even more than her music. Her latest, Year of the Monkey, is being touted as another distinct take on memoir in which dreams and reality are interwoven to construct — and deconstruct — a particularly transformative year in the artist’s life, with Smith’s own Polaroids embellishing her expressive words.  The Real Patti Smith, Up Close and Personal, a conversation about the project she’ll have with the L.A. Times is a can’t miss for fans, not only for context around the book, but for the chance to hear this living legend delve into her work and herself. It’s what she does best.

Alex Theatre, 216 North Brand Blvd., Glendale; Wed., Oct. 9, 7 :30 p.m.; $100 (VIP orchestra reserved seating and a pre-signed book) or $40 (GA Seating and unsigned copy of the book). alextheatre.org/event/los-angeles-times-ideas-exchange-presents-patti-smith.

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