Moon and Sixpence

Wonders of Project Gutenberg.

I'm right now enraptured (for lack of better word) with WS Maugham's early 20th century book, The Moon and Sixpence.

The book, written in 1919 is faux biography of painter Paul Gauguin. Gauguin left his wife and his professional career as a stockbroker to become a suffering artist, became part of the french impressionism movement of 1865 and eventually moved to Polynesia to paint in simplicity, and then died out of syphillis or something. Maugham explores the theme that for Charles Strickland, the protagonist, at age 40, has no choice but the paint, and the moral universe he inhabits can not be explained by common day to day rationality.

What is it like to want something so bad that you are willing to give up everything else? I wish I have ever been in a position to tell you.