Alive in Shape and Color by Lawrence Block

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Alive in Shape and Color by Lawrence Block

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Alive in Shape and Color by Lawrence Block

Any number of artists have produced evocative work, paintings that could trigger a literary response. But none came to mind who could equal Hopper in turning out canvas after canvas. If no single artist could take Hopper’s place, how about a full palette of them? Suppose each author was invited to select a painting from the whole panoply of visual art—From the cave drawings at Lascaux to a contemporary abstract canvas on which the paint has barely dried. And what a dazzling response! Joyce Carol Oates picked Le Beaux Jours by Balthus. Warren Moore chose Salvador Dali’s The Pharmacist of Ampurdam Seeking Absolutely Nothing. Michael Connelly, who sent Harry Bosch to Chicago for a close look at Nighthawks, has a go at The Garden of Earthly Delights by Harry’s namesake Hieronymous Bosch. S. J. Rozan finds a story in Hokusai’s The Great Wave, while Jeffery Deaver’s "A Significant Find” draws its inspiration from—yes—those prehistoric cave drawings at Lascaux. And Kristine Kathryn Rusch moves from painting to sculpture and selects Rodin. In artists ranging from Art Frahm and Norman Rockwell to René Magritte and Clifford Still, the impressive concept goes on to include Thomas Pluck, Sarah Weinman, David Morrell, Craig Ferguson, Joe R. Lansdale, Jill D. Block, Justin Scott, Jonathan Santlofer, Gail Levin, Nicholas Christopher and Lee Child, with each story accompanied in colour by the work of art that inspired it.
"The fascinating premise has yielded some dark gems" * Publishers Weekly *
"An imaginative collection bristling with surprises. Block has masterminded another delectably provocative union of art and suspense." * Booklist (starred) [praise for ‘Hiroshima Nagasaki’] *
"Several [stories] capture every hue, tint, and tone of what makes a story captivating. Over the past few years, Lee Child’s short fiction has become my favorite of his work, and ‘Pierre, Lucien, and Me’ is an example of why. ‘Charlie the Barber’ by Joe R. Lansdale is a hard- boiled, richly detailed and violent story. The anthology’s only reprint, David Morrell’s ‘Orange Is for Anguish, Blue for Insanity,’ is also my favorite." * Mystery Scene Magazine *
"This absolutely superb anthology starts out with two advantages: a true legend at the helm in crime writer Lawrence Block, and a fascinating concept. Every story is superlative. Hopper, America’s great mournful lyric realist, deserves a tribute of this grace and sensitivity." * USA Today, 4 out of 4 stars [Praise for Lawrence Block's In Sunlight Or In Shadow] *
"If a picture is worth a thousand words, any of Edward Hopper’s paintings of American loneliness is worth an entire short story. Ekphrasis—seeing a story in a picture—was seldom so much fun." * Michael Dirda, Washington Post [Praise for Lawrence Block's In Sunlight Or In Shadow] *
"A great collection. These stories are suspenseful and display masterful writing ability." * Seattle Book Review *
"For anyone who has puzzled over the vividly evocative works of the beloved Edward Hopper, this little volume is the perfect gift. Short stories by 17 writers dramatically start where the paintings leave off." * San Francisco Chronicle [Praise for Lawrence Block's In Sunlight Or In Shadow] *
"Belongs on the reading table of all crime and mystery fans. Allows readers the unique opportunity to directly experience the motivation of each story and follow where the artwork took each author." * Bookgasm *
Lawrence Block has been writing award-winning mystery and suspense fiction for half a century. His novels include The Girl With the Deep Blue Eyes, The Burglar Who Counted the Spoons, Hit Me, and A Drop of the Hard Stuff, featuring Matthew Scudder. He's well known for his books for writers, including the classic Telling Lies For Fun & Profit and Write for Your Life, and he has recently published The Crime of Our Lives, a collection of his writings about the mystery genre and its practitioners.
SKU Unavailable
ISBN 13 9781681775616
ISBN 10 1681775611
Title Alive in Shape and Color
Author Lawrence Block
Condition Unavailable
Binding Type Hardback
Publisher Pegasus Books
Year published 2017-11-30
Number of pages 288
Cover note Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary.
Note Unavailable