The Clock

An artful nonfiction ode to the beauty and magic of second chances.

In early twentieth-century Paris, a new train station—the Gare d’Orsay—was a marvel to everyone who saw it. With stunning architecture and the first trains to be powered by electricity, the station welcomed the world. At the heart of the station was a brilliant clock that hung high above the crowds.

The clock was essential in keeping the station humming. It was as beautiful as it was important. Until it was not.

Paris expanded and soon outgrew the station. The crowds moved elsewhere, and the clock was abandoned. But memories are strong, and a love of beauty remains.

In this poignant account of the transformation of a Paris train station into the world-class Musée d’Orsay (Orsay Museum), Pam Fong invites readers to experience the decades-long journey of a resilient clock, and to discover a lasting truth—there is always time for second chances.