"I plugged in my Stylewriter Mac printer the third day here to print something out, and as it began to print, it also immediately began to smoke. Disconcerting plumes of flame shot from it, as though it were being executed in Florida. Horrible sight, particularly as it kept on printing even as it destructed, another symbol of the writer's life."
—Paris to the Moon by Adam Gopnik
This passage made me laugh. The show must go on, right? I don't think this situation is limited to writers either. How many people drag themselves to work when they're sick or insist on sticking to their routine when their life is falling apart around them?
While I was reading the book, the Bush Barn Art Center in Oregon requested I send in new jewelry for spring and summer. Those seasons make me think of travel, so one of the simple necklaces I made included this one with a map of France and a Paris charm. I could say that the three dangles symbolize the three members of the family and the flower symbolizes the park near their home, but that isn't true. When I made this necklace, I wasn't consciously trying to portray the book. For me, this necklace is just another example of taking in a lot of inspirational sources and not being sure exactly how they will filter out. I could make the same case for my Swim Bracelet. I enjoyed the book's father-and-son scenes at the pool at The Ritz, but was that really my source of inspiration? It's hard to say.
There is an official blog hop for readers who deliberately created items inspired by the book. See all the creative projects inspired by Paris to the Moon at Andrew Thornton's blog. Enjoy!
Quotation Source: Paris to the Moon by Adam Gopnik, 2001.