how easy it can be to find your own quiet place

~ Live & Learn

Q: Is the image based on something you saw? How did it come to you?

“More than being based on something I saw, I would say it comes from something I experience often. I was trying to capture the feeling of being immersed in a book to the exclusion of everything around you. I think my love for reading comes more from the need to connect with my inner reality than from the desire to escape the external one. Proust described it perfectly as “that fertile miracle of communication that takes effect in solitude.” …

My first time in New York was in 2010, when I spent three months there, during the winter. My most vivid memories are connected to that first stay. I remember big blue skies, ice-cold feet, hot black coffees, fresh bagels, and huge pizza slices.

The gif was animated by the talented Jose Lorenzo. I often collaborate with him—I love the way he brings my images to life. We didn’t want the image to be too frenetic. For me, it was important to maintain that feeling of peace and timelessness that happens when you’re reading. I also wanted to show how easy it can be to find your own quiet place in the city without having to go far out of your way.”

~ Anna Parini, in response a question from , on this week’s cover in The New Yorker, which shows a rare moment of calm amid the bustle of a new year.  Parini, who has contributed illustrations to the magazine since 2015, grew up in Milan but is now based in Barcelona. Mouly spoke to Parini about New York’s wintry charms and the process of creating an animated cover image.

(Source: Anna Parini’s “A New Leaf”, The New Yorker, January 7, 2019)

23 thoughts on “how easy it can be to find your own quiet place”

  4. Loved the gif that went with this post, David. The animation shows that finding your own quiet place amongst the frenetic hustle and bustle of the city is possible, even in New York. Enjoyed your post …

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      1. Doing very well, thanks … and I hope you are too! I am spending six days of every week playing pickleball in the mornings, and my afternoons mired in the political muck of Parksville politics trying to get them moving on their promise of building new courts for the 1100+ players in the Oceanside area. I thought when I retired I would be away from the ofttimes political arena of work, but I ended up just exchanging one frying pan and fire for another it seems! Talk to you again real soon …

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          1. Gotta love Google, eh? Well in North America, there are 3.1 million people who play pickleball, and of those 3.1 million there are 1 million (give or take 100K or so) that are considered to be core players who play more than 8 times in a season and are members of clubs. It’s actually the fastest growing sport in North America!

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          1. If you like racquet sports in general, you would like it for sure, Kiki! It’s a cross between tennis, badminton, and table tennis, and very addictive … 😄

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  6. I witnessed three (wow!) women on the train the other day. They were sitting next to each other, and all of them seemed immersed in their books. I admired them for their ability to find the serenity in the noisy and overcrowded train car. Thank you, David. Cher xo

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  7. Love the GIF….. fabulous. I very often find myself being the only person in a whole coach of the TGV (high speed train Paris to ….) and everybody else seems to be either watching films, working, sleeping or texting non-stop. I also find it wonderful to watch all those people through nearly fully closed eyes – they form a great background to the quick paced train ride.
    AND they now serve a really great Italian espresso on their little snack trollies, which makes a wonderful pause in the 4h+ ride….

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  9. Reblogged this on It Is What It Is and commented:
    Reading … the best way to travel, the best way to keep yourself grounded!!
    ‘“More than being based on something I saw, I would say it comes from something I experience often. I was trying to capture the feeling of being immersed in a book to the exclusion of everything around you.’

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