In Sunlight or in Shadow

Stories Inspired by the Paintings of Edward Hopper

By: Lawrence Block - editor

Narrated by: full cast

Edgar Award Winner, Best Short Story, 2017

A truly unprecedented literary achievement by author and editor Lawrence Block, this newly-commissioned anthology of 17 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.

©2016 Lawrence Block (P)2016 Dreamscape Media, LLC

Hopper Noir

If you appreciate the painting of Edward Hopper and also enjoy stories with a Noir perspective, this will satisfy both. As with any short story collection, there are some stories that are better than others. I enjoyed almost all of these beautifully crafted little stories, but my favorites were "Nighthawks" by Michael Connelly, "The Projectionist" by Joe R. Lansdale, "The Story of Caroline" by Jill D. Block and "Office at Night" by Warren Moore.
Excellent narration by all the readers.
Only one complaint. - audible, please provide a link or other access to the paintings that are the source /inspiration for each story. Looking at them is so much a part of enjoying the stories.

Hopper's Paining of the Culture

I teach Art History and found that only a few of the stories really addressed the painting the story was about. Hopper's main theme is loneliness and isolation. I've always loved NIGHTHAWKS and found that story to be truer to Hopper's vision.

Definitely not for me.

The narrators were good. The stories were definitely not for me. There are much better options available.

Hard to stay interested

Struggled to make through more than a couple of stories. Great concept, but most of the stories included so much description of the painting they were based on (in the prose itself) that it was jarring. I can Google a picture of the painting, just write a story about what might have happend. Blah