Cover Art for New Yorker -- "Stairway to the Stars"

When I first saw the cover for the most recent issue of the New Yorker, this overused saying popped into mind: “Shoot for the moon. Even if you miss it, you will land among the stars.” And naturally, this aspiring goal can only be achieved through knowledge, which is symbolized by the perpetual stairway of books. I personally think the cover art is a bit cliché, but maybe other people see it differently. Any ideas?