In Sunlight Or In Shadow: Stories Inspired by the Paintings of Edward Hopper

by Lawrence Block Narrated by Ensemble Cast

Overview

In a truly unprecedented literary achievement by author and editor Lawrence Block, this newly-commissioned anthology of seventeen superbly-crafted stories, each inspired by the paintings of Edward Hopper. Contributors include Stephen King, Joyce Carol Oates, Robert Olen Butler, Michael Connelly, Megan Abbott, Craig Ferguson, Nicholas Christopher, Jill D. Block, Joe R. Lansdale, Justin Scott, Kristine Kathryn Rusch, Warren Moore, Jonathan Santlofer, Jeffery Deaver, Lee Child, and Lawrence Block himself. Even Gail Levin, Hopper's biographer and compiler of his catalogue raisonee, appears with her own first work of fiction, providing a true account of art theft on a grand scale and told in the voice of the country preacher who perpetrated the crime.

Editorial Reviews

Publishers Weekly - Audio

★ 02/27/2017
In this thematic short story collection, 17 writers—including Lee Child, Jeffery Deaver, and Joyce Carol Oates—imagine back stories to paintings by American realist painter Hopper. The resulting tales are a diverse gathering of dark noir-tinged tales exploring the deep complexities of the human condition. Nine voice actors give life to the audio edition, each adding another layer of interpretation to the characters and plots set down by the writers. Highlights include Hillary Huber’s reading of Megan Abbott’s “Girlie Show,” a chronicle of a declining relationship between a wife and her artist husband, which Huber delivers with a calculated coolness. Chris Ciulla brings the character of Harry Bosch to life in Michael Connelly’s “Nighthawks,” a classic PI story in the Chandler tradition, and Arthur Morey is the perfect choice to relay Stephen King’s disturbingly ghoulish “The Music Room.” A CD containing images of the paintings adds to this multilayered, expertly produced audiobook. A Pegasus hardcover. (Dec.)

Library Journal - Audio

03/01/2017
The ensemble of experienced and award-winning narrators (Hillary Huber, Arthur Morey, Alan Sklar), actors (Gildart Jackson, George Newbern, Chris Ciulla), and a musician (Carrington Macduffie) is well suited and well matched to the anthology of stories contributed by such writers as Stephen King, Joyce Carol Oates, Robert Olen Butler, Michael Connelly, Megan Abbott, Craig Ferguson, and Lee Child, among others. Each of the short stories is based on a painting by 20th-century American artist Edward Hopper (1882-1967), with one story describing how many of Hopper's artworks were stolen. While not every story has universal appeal, each will find an audience. The variety of narrators allows each work to have a different tone, appropriate to that piece. The final disc holds a pdf file of paintings upon which the works are based. Viewing the artwork is required for enjoyment of the stories. VERDICT Recommended for art aficionados, creative writers, and mystery fans. ["A nice-looking book for Hopper fans and short story readers": LJ 7/16 review of the Pegasus hc.]--Cheryl Youse, Colquitt Cty. H.S., Norman Park, GA

DECEMBER 2016 - AudioFile

Each of the 17 authors anthologized here took on a different Hopper painting from which to create a compelling, noir-laced story. A delightful range of works emerges, from the ironically funny tale of the ganja-smoking retired minister to the revenge story in which an abusive stalker falls into the perfect setup and the magic realism of a Basque family whose members need the ocean in order to live—and die. Many of the narrations are artful, deepening the poignancy and terror the authors invest in their characters and plots. Art historian Gail Levine’s first fiction appears here, beautifully realized by George Newbern, while Carrington MacDuffie wrings every bit of twisted American culture from “Still Life, 1931,” by Kris Nelscott. A fine crossover listen for short story fans, Hopper fans, and noir enthusiasts. F.M.R.G. © AudioFile 2016, Portland, Maine

Product Details

BN ID:	2940175765305
Publisher:	Dreamscape Media
Publication date:	12/06/2016
Edition description:	Unabridged

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