Loss

One of the book’s most prominent themes involves the bittersweet pleasure that Smith takes from her past, which also leads her to grieve. She often thinks back on things that are now gone, reveling in memories peppered with the pain of loss. The loss of her husband, Fred, occupies her most of all, coming up due to many different triggers throughout the book. It seems that perhaps Smith uses writing as a way to process her life and emotions. She writes down her deep emotions and immediate thoughts, censoring little. Her previous book, Just Kids, told of her life until roughly her twenties. She wrote of her experience coming to New York City and how she became an artist. M Train seems to pick up after this story chronologically, as Smith shares her experiences from later life. And her focus is on the years she lived in...