In Sunlight or in Shadow: Stories Inspired by the Paintings of Edward Hopper, edited by Lawrence Block, Pegasus Books 2016
If there’s one American artist worthy of being honored by writers from virtually the entire literary panorama, Edward Hopper is deserving of the distinction.
Each writer blends his or her own color into a chosen Hopper piece, to the effect of an enriched narrative for both. The mercurial and rapid plot line of every story elevates the intrigue. And while a collective urgency unites this collection, the array of themes inspired by his art is equally compelling. Including murder mysteries, historical intrigue, domestic dramas, and even horror, the fiction genres manifest inherently from the works.
As a testament to Edward Hopper’s (born 1882) timelessness, these stories are set throughout the twentieth century and into our present day without a compromise to his cultural ethos. Some writers incorporate the scene depicted into their stories, while some cast the painting itself into a supporting role influencing the resolution. Still others utilize his paintings as mood-evoking backdrops. All three approaches prove successful.
Despite your druthers for a genre, this collection is so absorbing that your favorite story is always the one you’re with. Each one alternates between moments of captivating light, pursued by moments of foreboding darkness. They echo the dynamic range of musings and emotions Hopper’s work evokes, from anticipation to nostalgia, from anxiety to serenity. It’s a resplendent literary tribute to America’s preeminent artistic voice.