I enjoyed that this book painted a scene of NY in the late 60s that was similar to Paris of the 20s/30s. It seems you couldn't spit without hitting an artist or a singer. Patti Smith was right in the thick of it and this book reads like a who's who of the time. That's what I liked - the sense of place it conjured up. I also feel like I have a somewhat better understanding of Mapplethorpe's sexuality and his relationship with Smith, though to be fair, I knew little about either before reading this, so anything would've been an improvement. That said, I didn't find this book especially gripping, illuminating or otherwise provocative. It was something of a labor (rather than pleasure) to read. It felt like eating my peas.