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From Sea to Stormy Sea: 17 Stories Inspired by Great American Paintings
In the third installment of his acclaimed illustrated anthology series, master of crime fiction Lawrence Block has gathered together the best talent from popular fiction to produce an anthology of short stories based on masterpieces of American art.
Seventeen stories by seventeen brilliant writers, inspired by seventeen paintings. That was the formula for Lawrence Block’s two ground-breaking anthologies, In Sunlight or in Shadow and Alive in Shape and Color , and it’s on glorious display here once again in From Sea to Stormy Sea .
This time the paintings are exclusively the work of American artists, and the roster includes Harvey Dunn, John Steuart Curry, Reginald Marsh, Thomas Hart Benton, Helen Frankenthaler, Winslow Homer, Rockwell Kent, Grant Wood, Childe Hassam and Andy Warhol. Among the star-studded lineup of writers you’ll find Jerome Charyn, Jane Hamilton, Christa Faust, John Sandford, Sara Paretsky, Walter Mosley, Charles Ardai, Barry Malzberg, and Janice Eidus.
It’s an outstanding collection, with widely divergent stories united by theme and culture, and—no surprise—beautifully illustrated with full-color reproductions of the seventeen paintings.
Seventeen stories by seventeen brilliant writers, inspired by seventeen paintings. That was the formula for Lawrence Block’s two ground-breaking anthologies, In Sunlight or in Shadow and Alive in Shape and Color , and it’s on glorious display here once again in From Sea to Stormy Sea .
This time the paintings are exclusively the work of American artists, and the roster includes Harvey Dunn, John Steuart Curry, Reginald Marsh, Thomas Hart Benton, Helen Frankenthaler, Winslow Homer, Rockwell Kent, Grant Wood, Childe Hassam and Andy Warhol. Among the star-studded lineup of writers you’ll find Jerome Charyn, Jane Hamilton, Christa Faust, John Sandford, Sara Paretsky, Walter Mosley, Charles Ardai, Barry Malzberg, and Janice Eidus.
It’s an outstanding collection, with widely divergent stories united by theme and culture, and—no surprise—beautifully illustrated with full-color reproductions of the seventeen paintings.
257 pages, Hardcover
First published November 5, 2019
15 people are currently reading
113 people want to read
About the author
Lawrence Block
757 books3,004 followersLawrence Block has been writing crime, mystery, and suspense fiction for more than half a century. He has published in excess (oh, wretched excess!) of 100 books, and no end of short stories.
Born in Buffalo, N.Y., LB attended Antioch College, but left before completing his studies; school authorities advised him that they felt he’d be happier elsewhere, and he thought this was remarkably perceptive of them.
His earliest work, published pseudonymously in the late 1950s, was mostly in the field of midcentury erotica, an apprenticeship he shared with Donald E. Westlake and Robert Silverberg. The first time Lawrence Block’s name appeared in print was when his short story “You Can’t Lose” was published in the February 1958 issue of Manhunt. The first book published under his own name was Mona (1961); it was reissued several times over the years, once as Sweet Slow Death. In 2005 it became the first offering from Hard Case Crime, and bore for the first time LB’s original title, Grifter’s Game.
LB is best known for his series characters, including cop-turned-private investigator Matthew Scudder, gentleman burglar Bernie Rhodenbarr, globe-trotting insomniac Evan Tanner, and introspective assassin Keller.
Because one name is never enough, LB has also published under pseudonyms including Jill Emerson, John Warren Wells, Lesley Evans, and Anne Campbell Clarke.
LB’s magazine appearances include American Heritage, Redbook, Playboy, Linn’s Stamp News, Cosmopolitan, GQ, and The New York Times. His monthly instructional column ran in Writer’s Digest for 14 years, and led to a string of books for writers, including the classics Telling Lies for Fun & Profit and The Liar’s Bible. He has also written episodic television (Tilt!) and the Wong Kar-wai film, My Blueberry Nights.
Several of LB’s books have been filmed. The latest, A Walk Among the Tombstones, stars Liam Neeson as Matthew Scudder and is scheduled for release in September, 2014.
LB is a Grand Master of Mystery Writers of America, and a past president of MWA and the Private Eye Writers of America. He has won the Edgar and Shamus awards four times each, and the Japanese Maltese Falcon award twice, as well as the Nero Wolfe and Philip Marlowe awards, a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Private Eye Writers of America, and the Diamond Dagger for Life Achievement from the Crime Writers Association (UK). He’s also been honored with the Gumshoe Lifetime Achievement Award from Mystery Ink magazine and the Edward D. Hoch Memorial Golden Derringer for Lifetime Achievement in the short story. In France, he has been proclaimed a Grand Maitre du Roman Noir and has twice been awarded the Societe 813 trophy. He has been a guest of honor at Bouchercon and at book fairs and mystery festivals in France, Germany, Australia, Italy, New Zealand, Spain and Taiwan. As if that were not enough, he was also presented with the key to the city of Muncie, Indiana. (But as soon as he left, they changed the locks.)
LB and his wife Lynne are enthusiastic New Yorkers and relentless world travelers; the two are members of the Travelers Century Club, and have visited around 160 countries.
He is a modest and humble fellow, although you would never guess as much from this biographical note.
Born in Buffalo, N.Y., LB attended Antioch College, but left before completing his studies; school authorities advised him that they felt he’d be happier elsewhere, and he thought this was remarkably perceptive of them.
His earliest work, published pseudonymously in the late 1950s, was mostly in the field of midcentury erotica, an apprenticeship he shared with Donald E. Westlake and Robert Silverberg. The first time Lawrence Block’s name appeared in print was when his short story “You Can’t Lose” was published in the February 1958 issue of Manhunt. The first book published under his own name was Mona (1961); it was reissued several times over the years, once as Sweet Slow Death. In 2005 it became the first offering from Hard Case Crime, and bore for the first time LB’s original title, Grifter’s Game.
LB is best known for his series characters, including cop-turned-private investigator Matthew Scudder, gentleman burglar Bernie Rhodenbarr, globe-trotting insomniac Evan Tanner, and introspective assassin Keller.
Because one name is never enough, LB has also published under pseudonyms including Jill Emerson, John Warren Wells, Lesley Evans, and Anne Campbell Clarke.
LB’s magazine appearances include American Heritage, Redbook, Playboy, Linn’s Stamp News, Cosmopolitan, GQ, and The New York Times. His monthly instructional column ran in Writer’s Digest for 14 years, and led to a string of books for writers, including the classics Telling Lies for Fun & Profit and The Liar’s Bible. He has also written episodic television (Tilt!) and the Wong Kar-wai film, My Blueberry Nights.
Several of LB’s books have been filmed. The latest, A Walk Among the Tombstones, stars Liam Neeson as Matthew Scudder and is scheduled for release in September, 2014.
LB is a Grand Master of Mystery Writers of America, and a past president of MWA and the Private Eye Writers of America. He has won the Edgar and Shamus awards four times each, and the Japanese Maltese Falcon award twice, as well as the Nero Wolfe and Philip Marlowe awards, a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Private Eye Writers of America, and the Diamond Dagger for Life Achievement from the Crime Writers Association (UK). He’s also been honored with the Gumshoe Lifetime Achievement Award from Mystery Ink magazine and the Edward D. Hoch Memorial Golden Derringer for Lifetime Achievement in the short story. In France, he has been proclaimed a Grand Maitre du Roman Noir and has twice been awarded the Societe 813 trophy. He has been a guest of honor at Bouchercon and at book fairs and mystery festivals in France, Germany, Australia, Italy, New Zealand, Spain and Taiwan. As if that were not enough, he was also presented with the key to the city of Muncie, Indiana. (But as soon as he left, they changed the locks.)
LB and his wife Lynne are enthusiastic New Yorkers and relentless world travelers; the two are members of the Travelers Century Club, and have visited around 160 countries.
He is a modest and humble fellow, although you would never guess as much from this biographical note.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews
June 30, 2020
Very well written short stories by well known writers such as Patti Abbott, Tom Franklin, Jan Burke, John Sandford & Sara Paretsky. What drew me to this collection are the full colour reproductions of great American paintings inserted before each author’s story, their story inspired by that particular painting.
Despite the wonderful paintings, these stories portray a dark reality. A mix of mainly mystery, crime & horror, there are no happy endings here only human ones, warts and all.
3.5 ⭐️
Despite the wonderful paintings, these stories portray a dark reality. A mix of mainly mystery, crime & horror, there are no happy endings here only human ones, warts and all.
3.5 ⭐️
November 17, 2020
Out of the seventeen stories, I enjoyed about four of them. Some of the stories seemed to correlate with the painting providing inspiration very little. My favorites were "Silver at Lakeside" by Warren Moore, "On Little Terry Road" by Tom Franklin, "A Matter of Options" by Gary Phillips, and "Baptism in Kansas" by Sara Paretsky.
September 22, 2021
Block does it again - pulled together a spectacular group of writers who produced stunning short stories inspired by paintings. This time, he chose to feature American painters. Lawrence Block knows good stories, and there's not a flop among these. Some I enjoyed more than others, but there were none that I hated, which is kind of unusual in a short story collection.
As far as the artworks chosen, they're all fine. Nothing that pulls at you like the Hopper paintings in In Sunlight or In Shadow: Stories Inspired by the Paintings of Edward Hopper, but I really like Hopper, so I'm biased. I did find a new-to-me artist to look for, Daniel Morper. His piece almost looks like a photograph, as does much of his other work. His work with light was just amazing. You can see more of his stuff here.
As far as the artworks chosen, they're all fine. Nothing that pulls at you like the Hopper paintings in In Sunlight or In Shadow: Stories Inspired by the Paintings of Edward Hopper, but I really like Hopper, so I'm biased. I did find a new-to-me artist to look for, Daniel Morper. His piece almost looks like a photograph, as does much of his other work. His work with light was just amazing. You can see more of his stuff here.
August 12, 2020
My second of these books to read, and I enjoy them greatly. I was very intrigued to find someone writing a story set in De Smet, of Laura Ingalls Wilder fame. I did not recognize many of the pictures, as I had in the book inspired by Edward Hopper paintings, but thank you for introducing me to Daniel Morper, beautiful plain landscapes.
December 10, 2019
I received an e-arc from the editor but have only just finished reading the week of publication.
Longer review to follow, but this is another wonderfully diverse collection of stories that veer from the very dark to lightly romantic. Some crime fiction, some period pieces. Some which take place in the world of the painting that served as the story's inspiration, and some in which the painting is a character or plays a role.
Longer review to follow, but this is another wonderfully diverse collection of stories that veer from the very dark to lightly romantic. Some crime fiction, some period pieces. Some which take place in the world of the painting that served as the story's inspiration, and some in which the painting is a character or plays a role.
December 17, 2019
Themed anthologies are hit or miss; sometimes the concept creates a cohesive whole (and other times an incoherent hole). So far, Lawrence Block has edited three anthologies of stories inspired by art, and the newest—as people who’ve never stepped foot on a horse track say—is the Trifecta. The first, In Sunlight or in Shadow, focused on Edward Hopper, beloved by noir aficionados, most famous for Nighthawks. With stories by Stephen King, Megan Abbott, Joyce Carol Oates, and the Edgar winning “Autumn at the Automat” by Lawrence Block himself, it was a tough act to follow.
But follow he did, with Alive in Shape and Color, keeping with the art theme, but giving writers free rein to choose everything from the cave paintings at Lascaux to Norman Rockwell and Georgia O’Keeffe. Some writers returned, others did not, and some new faces emerged. Lee Child, Joe Lansdale, Michael Connelly, Warren Moore—and disclaimer, this reviewer—wrote stories for the second book, which was reviewed in the New York Times. By an art critic who was puzzled why the stories weren’t strictly about the paintings. Reviewers more accustomed to anthologies liked it, and there’s no such thing as bad publicity they say—even if your story gets misconstrued as “women getting unhinged on their periods” as the case may be—but the bad publicity worked, because there’s a third volume coming out next week: From Sea to Stormy Sea, with some new faces and some old, like the always reliable Warren Moore, Jan Burke, Sara Paretsky, Gary Philips, Jerome Charyn, Christa Faust, and another new story by Lawrence Block himself. This time around, Mr. Block chose the works of art and let the writers pick from the list. They are all American painters, from Reginald Marsh (a personal favorite, whose art I’ve written stories about before, though not this time) to Mark Rothko, Mondrian, Warhol, and Winslow Homer. And a third time, he inspires some great stories from his roster.
I have a theory about this, and it comes from experience. For one, LB is a legendary short story writer, and you don’t want to disappoint him. So you do your very best. When I got the nod for Alive in Shape and Color, someone had dropped out and I had a month to write the story. And I used every hour of that month to edit it to the best I could get it. That paid off, as not only was it accepted, but Liz French of Library Journal called my story—based on Truth Comes Out of Her Well to Shame Mankind by Jean-Léon Gérôme—“stunning.” (As you can tell, I’ve gotten nearly as much mileage out of that one-word review as I have from Joyce Carol Oates calling me a “lovely kitty man” to Jonathan Santlofer at the signing for In Sunlight or in Shadow.) But you take what you can get. The other theory I have is that everyone gets excited that Lawrence Block might write a new story for the anthology. This time, he did.Read the rest of Thomas Pluck's review on our blog!
But follow he did, with Alive in Shape and Color, keeping with the art theme, but giving writers free rein to choose everything from the cave paintings at Lascaux to Norman Rockwell and Georgia O’Keeffe. Some writers returned, others did not, and some new faces emerged. Lee Child, Joe Lansdale, Michael Connelly, Warren Moore—and disclaimer, this reviewer—wrote stories for the second book, which was reviewed in the New York Times. By an art critic who was puzzled why the stories weren’t strictly about the paintings. Reviewers more accustomed to anthologies liked it, and there’s no such thing as bad publicity they say—even if your story gets misconstrued as “women getting unhinged on their periods” as the case may be—but the bad publicity worked, because there’s a third volume coming out next week: From Sea to Stormy Sea, with some new faces and some old, like the always reliable Warren Moore, Jan Burke, Sara Paretsky, Gary Philips, Jerome Charyn, Christa Faust, and another new story by Lawrence Block himself. This time around, Mr. Block chose the works of art and let the writers pick from the list. They are all American painters, from Reginald Marsh (a personal favorite, whose art I’ve written stories about before, though not this time) to Mark Rothko, Mondrian, Warhol, and Winslow Homer. And a third time, he inspires some great stories from his roster.
I have a theory about this, and it comes from experience. For one, LB is a legendary short story writer, and you don’t want to disappoint him. So you do your very best. When I got the nod for Alive in Shape and Color, someone had dropped out and I had a month to write the story. And I used every hour of that month to edit it to the best I could get it. That paid off, as not only was it accepted, but Liz French of Library Journal called my story—based on Truth Comes Out of Her Well to Shame Mankind by Jean-Léon Gérôme—“stunning.” (As you can tell, I’ve gotten nearly as much mileage out of that one-word review as I have from Joyce Carol Oates calling me a “lovely kitty man” to Jonathan Santlofer at the signing for In Sunlight or in Shadow.) But you take what you can get. The other theory I have is that everyone gets excited that Lawrence Block might write a new story for the anthology. This time, he did.Read the rest of Thomas Pluck's review on our blog!
September 22, 2019
An unexpected gift for 2020 is the publication of Lawrence Block’s new art inspired anthology of paintings and writers. Following his two previous books; In Sunlight and in Shadow (Edward Hopper) and Alive in Shape in Color, this title focuses on American art. Writers who participated in framing a story to fit these artworks must have been clamoring for a chance to enter Block’s “gallery.” These seventeen stories are all very different in tone and times. Some amuse, stun and make you think beyond the story’s end. Not only does the reader get to see/”meet” artists in a new way but enjoy stories by authors that may be new to him/her. It is great that an author of Block’s caliber has decided once again to share his passion for art and authors in such a terrific volume. My artist friends, book club readers, and writing club authors will be eagerly awaiting this one.
Thanks to Edelweiss and the publisher for the opportunity to review this title.
Thanks to Edelweiss and the publisher for the opportunity to review this title.
December 8, 2019
I am not entirely sure where to begin in my praise of the truly wonderful FROM SEA TO STORMY SEA. The story selection? The author selection? The book’s design? The editor? Each and all jump up and down in my head, hands waving, yelling “Me first!”
Let’s start with the general and work our way into it. FROM SEA TO STORMY SEA is the third anthology (preceded by IN SUNLIGHT OR IN SHADOW and ALIVE IN SHAPE AND COLOR) created by iconic author Lawrence Block that follows a specific pattern. He picks some paintings and authors, and lets each author select a painting to inspire a story. It has worked very well before, but this newly published work is by far the best of an excellent lot. Pegasus did a beautiful job with the book’s design. There is a heft to it that one usually finds only in a book that pretends to be a lofty tome, created in part by the upscale paper. It befits the stories, all of which are jewels in their own way.
As Block hastens to tell us in his Foreword, for the most part, the authors who were selected comprise a different “guest list” from the previous two volumes. Once again, there is a mix of writers you almost certainly know well with some who are about to become new friends. The range of topics keeps the book from being readily classified under any particular category of genre fiction. “Literature,” at the end of the day, works just fine here. The length of each story is reined in as well, though there is no sense of abbreviation in any of them. What we have here is an exhibit of moderation in terms of word count, a perfect illustration that less is more.
Now, let’s talk about the authors and the stories. What really sunk the hook for me is the manner in which many of the writers moved out of their creative comfort zones. Block himself does this in “The Way We See the World,” which is about a chance encounter that leads to a first date. I had to read it (and several others) twice, the second time to fully appreciate without preconceived expectation what I had just experienced. I can say the same about “Girl with an Ax” by John Sandford, which does not take place in Minnesota. Instead, it concerns a young woman and the sudden death of her elderly neighbor, and how simple acts of respect and kindness are sometimes rewarded in ways one does not expect.
There are other surprises for different reasons. I was stunned to find a new story by Barry N. Malzberg here. Malzberg at one time was an extremely prolific and respected science fiction and crime fiction author who more or less dropped out of sight (though not out of mind) a couple of decades ago. “Riverfront,” his chilling and understated contribution, is the shortest tale in this collection but is worth the price of admission all by itself, as is Charles Ardai’s “Mother of Pearl.” Ardai, the creator and editor of the indispensable Hard Case Crime imprint, uses New York as the backdrop for this historical tale about a woman seeking her heritage, and he adroitly presents a surprising number of twists, turns and mysteries in a short space, all without gun play or violence. However, if that’s what you’re looking for, you can find it in Micah Nathan’s haunting “Get Him,” which begins with a journey to consummate a love affair begun by letter and ends in a somewhat different place, to say the least. I am totally unfamiliar with Nathan’s work but will seek it out on the basis of this story alone.
Some stories don’t have surprises but carry the reader along on their own current. Take, for example, “On Little Terry Road” by Tom Franklin. Franklin does not write frequently but does write superlatively, and his story, which deals with the inappropriate application of law enforcement for the greater good and the lesser evil, is unforgettable. “He Came in Through the Bathroom Window” by Scott Frank is about two very different people whose respective reaches exceed their grasps and who wind up getting caught in their own juices thanks to a haunting painting. Christa Faust, certainly one of a kind, favors us with “Garnets,” the tale of a quietly chilling chance encounter between two people with a shared interest whose meeting can end any number of different ways, and probably does.
If you like “ticking clock” stories, you will love “You’re a Walking Time Bomb” by Janice Eidus, about a life coach who is extremely conscious of the sand slipping through her hourglass, and for good reason. And Jan Burke’s “Superficial Injuries” has a bit of everything, from a notorious criminal to a mystery to...well, that would be telling, and I don’t want to do that, as it would give away a carefully crafted ending.
There are 17 stories here. I won’t even try to pick a favorite, even among those I haven’t described or mentioned here. You should buy this book, one copy for yourself and others for your reading friends. And sincerely, I will recommend in this case that you buy physical copies. It’s not that e-books don’t cut it; they do. It’s just that FROM SEA TO STORMY SEA is so beautifully printed that you will want to hold it while you read it.
Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub
Let’s start with the general and work our way into it. FROM SEA TO STORMY SEA is the third anthology (preceded by IN SUNLIGHT OR IN SHADOW and ALIVE IN SHAPE AND COLOR) created by iconic author Lawrence Block that follows a specific pattern. He picks some paintings and authors, and lets each author select a painting to inspire a story. It has worked very well before, but this newly published work is by far the best of an excellent lot. Pegasus did a beautiful job with the book’s design. There is a heft to it that one usually finds only in a book that pretends to be a lofty tome, created in part by the upscale paper. It befits the stories, all of which are jewels in their own way.
As Block hastens to tell us in his Foreword, for the most part, the authors who were selected comprise a different “guest list” from the previous two volumes. Once again, there is a mix of writers you almost certainly know well with some who are about to become new friends. The range of topics keeps the book from being readily classified under any particular category of genre fiction. “Literature,” at the end of the day, works just fine here. The length of each story is reined in as well, though there is no sense of abbreviation in any of them. What we have here is an exhibit of moderation in terms of word count, a perfect illustration that less is more.
Now, let’s talk about the authors and the stories. What really sunk the hook for me is the manner in which many of the writers moved out of their creative comfort zones. Block himself does this in “The Way We See the World,” which is about a chance encounter that leads to a first date. I had to read it (and several others) twice, the second time to fully appreciate without preconceived expectation what I had just experienced. I can say the same about “Girl with an Ax” by John Sandford, which does not take place in Minnesota. Instead, it concerns a young woman and the sudden death of her elderly neighbor, and how simple acts of respect and kindness are sometimes rewarded in ways one does not expect.
There are other surprises for different reasons. I was stunned to find a new story by Barry N. Malzberg here. Malzberg at one time was an extremely prolific and respected science fiction and crime fiction author who more or less dropped out of sight (though not out of mind) a couple of decades ago. “Riverfront,” his chilling and understated contribution, is the shortest tale in this collection but is worth the price of admission all by itself, as is Charles Ardai’s “Mother of Pearl.” Ardai, the creator and editor of the indispensable Hard Case Crime imprint, uses New York as the backdrop for this historical tale about a woman seeking her heritage, and he adroitly presents a surprising number of twists, turns and mysteries in a short space, all without gun play or violence. However, if that’s what you’re looking for, you can find it in Micah Nathan’s haunting “Get Him,” which begins with a journey to consummate a love affair begun by letter and ends in a somewhat different place, to say the least. I am totally unfamiliar with Nathan’s work but will seek it out on the basis of this story alone.
Some stories don’t have surprises but carry the reader along on their own current. Take, for example, “On Little Terry Road” by Tom Franklin. Franklin does not write frequently but does write superlatively, and his story, which deals with the inappropriate application of law enforcement for the greater good and the lesser evil, is unforgettable. “He Came in Through the Bathroom Window” by Scott Frank is about two very different people whose respective reaches exceed their grasps and who wind up getting caught in their own juices thanks to a haunting painting. Christa Faust, certainly one of a kind, favors us with “Garnets,” the tale of a quietly chilling chance encounter between two people with a shared interest whose meeting can end any number of different ways, and probably does.
If you like “ticking clock” stories, you will love “You’re a Walking Time Bomb” by Janice Eidus, about a life coach who is extremely conscious of the sand slipping through her hourglass, and for good reason. And Jan Burke’s “Superficial Injuries” has a bit of everything, from a notorious criminal to a mystery to...well, that would be telling, and I don’t want to do that, as it would give away a carefully crafted ending.
There are 17 stories here. I won’t even try to pick a favorite, even among those I haven’t described or mentioned here. You should buy this book, one copy for yourself and others for your reading friends. And sincerely, I will recommend in this case that you buy physical copies. It’s not that e-books don’t cut it; they do. It’s just that FROM SEA TO STORMY SEA is so beautifully printed that you will want to hold it while you read it.
Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub
March 26, 2022
So-so satisfaction -- creative inspiration but weak story resolutions.
Brendan DuBois, Janice Eidus, Sara Paretsky, Hamilton entries appealed, Christa Faust's "Garnets", Malzberg's not so much.
Ends on a very high note with Gary Philips pulp-styled adventure, John Sandford's ultimately upbeat Girl with an Ax, but most especially editor Block's superbly clever non-genre The Way We see the World, serving also as a capstone to the trilogy of art-inspired stories.
Indeed the closing barrage of quality raises the overall rating to 4 stars.
Brendan DuBois, Janice Eidus, Sara Paretsky, Hamilton entries appealed, Christa Faust's "Garnets", Malzberg's not so much.
Ends on a very high note with Gary Philips pulp-styled adventure, John Sandford's ultimately upbeat Girl with an Ax, but most especially editor Block's superbly clever non-genre The Way We see the World, serving also as a capstone to the trilogy of art-inspired stories.
Indeed the closing barrage of quality raises the overall rating to 4 stars.
May 20, 2024
This is Lawrence Block's third art-themed anthology in which authors write original stories inspired by paintings . The first two volumes lean heavily, albeit not exclusively, to crime stories. About half the ones in this follow-up are introspective literary stories with either no crime or only light crime elements.
Two of these stories--'On Little Terry Road" and "Girl with an Ax"--were also chosen for The Best American Mystery Stories 2020.
I alternated between my hardback, which contains full-page prints of the paintings, and the audiobook narrated by Matt Godfrey and Xe Sands.
Here are my individual story reviews from most- to least-liked:
"Garnets" by Christa Faust -- A lady picks up a hitchhiker, hoping for a tryst. She has a dead body in her trunk to go with a tale of teenage love and betrayal. This is vintage Christa Faust--angry, violent, erotic: "I knew this wasn't going to end well. It couldn't. Nothing ever did."
"On Little Terry Road" by Tom Franklin -- Dibbs is a police officer who has a complicated relationship with the daughter of his dead lover. On the night she shoots two men--either during an attempted rape or a drug deal gone bad, depending on who you listen to--Dibbs must decide how many lines he will cross to keep her safe. White trash noir!
"Mother Of Pearl" by Charles Ardai -- Pearl was conceived in a tryst during the V-E Day celebration. Eighteen years later, in 1963, she arrives in Times Square to find answers about her parents.
"A Matter Of Options" by Gary Phillips -- Rosealee Newton is a Black maid serving the rich by day, but by night she is the reviled cat burglar known as the Satin Fox. A pulp adventure of the Roaring Twenties among the Gatsby set.
"The Way We See The World" by Lawrence Block -- A man and woman strike up a conversation in a museum, which leads to a first date. The woman maintains a running meta-commentary in her head, constantly wondering to herself what would happen next if she were living inside a painting or a short story. This story manages to upend whatever expectations it builds within its readers.
"Girl With An Ax" by John Sandford -- Andi discovers her ninety-nine-year old neighbor, an actress from the earliest talkie films, has passed away in her sleep. The story is inspired by Thomas Hart Benton's “Hollywood”, my favorite painting in the book. (Ever since I watched Babylon, a seriously flawed but occasionally genius film, I have been interested in the silent film era.)
"You're A Walking Time Bomb" by Janice Eidus -- A life coach tries to help other people achieve their goals, while her own personal life quietly implodes around her.
"The Prairie Is My Garden" by Patti Abbott -- The wife of a failing minister in 1880's Minnesota wants a new start as a homesteader on the prairie despite its dangers and discomforts.
"Silver At Lakeside" by Warren Moore -- This story follows a life from boyhood to manhood, a son who struggles to accept the legacy of his father: "I wonder how long I carried the weight of my father's talent."
"Get Him" by Micah Nathan -- Two men on a collision course: Quinn, on his way to get married but with a 14-year-old girl on his conscience, the result of a youthful accident; Bob, a gun for hire, a killer who hates small towns and explanations.
"The Man From Hard Rock Mountain" by Jerome Charyn -- After the collapse of civilization, a lonely man begins a love affair with a cannibal and her five-year-old adopted daughter. Dark and baffling sci-fi.
"He Came In Through The Bathroom Window" by Scott Frank -- Three lives intersect off the East coast between Savannah and Charleston, on a barrier island full of richly furnished cottages left abandoned.
"Adrift Off The Diamond Shoals" by Brendan DuBois -- On the eve of Hurricane Grace making landfall, a North Carolinian faces the loss of his family home to an unscrupulous developer. Begins as a character piece, then pivots into a crime thriller.
"Baptism In Kansas" by Sara Paretsky -- Sophia's staid, lonely farm life in Kansas is upended with the arrival of her willful niece from Boston. This story presents several cultures in conflict--Europeans and Indians, Eastern city dwellers and Midwestern farmers, even men and women in the aftermath of suffrage. It is an engaging narrative but it is marred by a predictable and clichéd ending.
"Riverfront" by Barry N. Malzberg-- This story is inspired by "Riverfront #1" by George Bellows. The stylistic, almost experimental, narrative seems to imply the painting may have presaged the Holocaust and could have been commissioned by a demon patron.
"Superficial Injuries" by Jan Burke -- A wealthy aging novelist lives with her middle aged reclusive niece, who may be the illegitimate daughter of one of America's most wanted criminals. This story suffers from an overabundance of plot twists.
"Someday, A Revolution" by Jane Hamilton -- 1947, Iowa City. Ida, Betty, and Florence care most about their standing in the community, but two of them face public shame when their sons are exposed as homosexuals. An on-the-nose gay pride story: "We were the Daughters of the Revolution, but perhaps, I thought, we were the mothers of the revolution, too."
Two of these stories--'On Little Terry Road" and "Girl with an Ax"--were also chosen for The Best American Mystery Stories 2020.
I alternated between my hardback, which contains full-page prints of the paintings, and the audiobook narrated by Matt Godfrey and Xe Sands.
Here are my individual story reviews from most- to least-liked:
"Garnets" by Christa Faust -- A lady picks up a hitchhiker, hoping for a tryst. She has a dead body in her trunk to go with a tale of teenage love and betrayal. This is vintage Christa Faust--angry, violent, erotic: "I knew this wasn't going to end well. It couldn't. Nothing ever did."
"On Little Terry Road" by Tom Franklin -- Dibbs is a police officer who has a complicated relationship with the daughter of his dead lover. On the night she shoots two men--either during an attempted rape or a drug deal gone bad, depending on who you listen to--Dibbs must decide how many lines he will cross to keep her safe. White trash noir!
"Mother Of Pearl" by Charles Ardai -- Pearl was conceived in a tryst during the V-E Day celebration. Eighteen years later, in 1963, she arrives in Times Square to find answers about her parents.
"A Matter Of Options" by Gary Phillips -- Rosealee Newton is a Black maid serving the rich by day, but by night she is the reviled cat burglar known as the Satin Fox. A pulp adventure of the Roaring Twenties among the Gatsby set.
"The Way We See The World" by Lawrence Block -- A man and woman strike up a conversation in a museum, which leads to a first date. The woman maintains a running meta-commentary in her head, constantly wondering to herself what would happen next if she were living inside a painting or a short story. This story manages to upend whatever expectations it builds within its readers.
"Girl With An Ax" by John Sandford -- Andi discovers her ninety-nine-year old neighbor, an actress from the earliest talkie films, has passed away in her sleep. The story is inspired by Thomas Hart Benton's “Hollywood”, my favorite painting in the book. (Ever since I watched Babylon, a seriously flawed but occasionally genius film, I have been interested in the silent film era.)
"You're A Walking Time Bomb" by Janice Eidus -- A life coach tries to help other people achieve their goals, while her own personal life quietly implodes around her.
"The Prairie Is My Garden" by Patti Abbott -- The wife of a failing minister in 1880's Minnesota wants a new start as a homesteader on the prairie despite its dangers and discomforts.
"Silver At Lakeside" by Warren Moore -- This story follows a life from boyhood to manhood, a son who struggles to accept the legacy of his father: "I wonder how long I carried the weight of my father's talent."
"Get Him" by Micah Nathan -- Two men on a collision course: Quinn, on his way to get married but with a 14-year-old girl on his conscience, the result of a youthful accident; Bob, a gun for hire, a killer who hates small towns and explanations.
"The Man From Hard Rock Mountain" by Jerome Charyn -- After the collapse of civilization, a lonely man begins a love affair with a cannibal and her five-year-old adopted daughter. Dark and baffling sci-fi.
"He Came In Through The Bathroom Window" by Scott Frank -- Three lives intersect off the East coast between Savannah and Charleston, on a barrier island full of richly furnished cottages left abandoned.
"Adrift Off The Diamond Shoals" by Brendan DuBois -- On the eve of Hurricane Grace making landfall, a North Carolinian faces the loss of his family home to an unscrupulous developer. Begins as a character piece, then pivots into a crime thriller.
"Baptism In Kansas" by Sara Paretsky -- Sophia's staid, lonely farm life in Kansas is upended with the arrival of her willful niece from Boston. This story presents several cultures in conflict--Europeans and Indians, Eastern city dwellers and Midwestern farmers, even men and women in the aftermath of suffrage. It is an engaging narrative but it is marred by a predictable and clichéd ending.
"Riverfront" by Barry N. Malzberg-- This story is inspired by "Riverfront #1" by George Bellows. The stylistic, almost experimental, narrative seems to imply the painting may have presaged the Holocaust and could have been commissioned by a demon patron.
"Superficial Injuries" by Jan Burke -- A wealthy aging novelist lives with her middle aged reclusive niece, who may be the illegitimate daughter of one of America's most wanted criminals. This story suffers from an overabundance of plot twists.
"Someday, A Revolution" by Jane Hamilton -- 1947, Iowa City. Ida, Betty, and Florence care most about their standing in the community, but two of them face public shame when their sons are exposed as homosexuals. An on-the-nose gay pride story: "We were the Daughters of the Revolution, but perhaps, I thought, we were the mothers of the revolution, too."
October 8, 2020
This is the second anthology I’ve read in the last couple of years, compiled by Lawrence Block, that started with the same conceit: authors are charged with writing a short story based on a well-known painting. In the first collection, In Sunlight or in Shadow, the authors chose their favorite Edward Hopper paintings as inspiration. This time around, Block picked the artwork first, and let his 17 authors pick from a pool that included pieces by American artists including Winslow Homer, Grant Wood, Mark Rothko, Piet Mondrian and Andy Warhol.
The individual stories weren’t all necessarily four-star material, but there were no real duds in the group (okay, maybe one dud). The book itself was also top-notch, with high-quality paper and binding, and reproductions of the subject paintings at the beginning of each story. Here were some of my favorites:
Most of the stories are thrillers of one bent or another, but this is a worthy anthology.
The individual stories weren’t all necessarily four-star material, but there were no real duds in the group (okay, maybe one dud). The book itself was also top-notch, with high-quality paper and binding, and reproductions of the subject paintings at the beginning of each story. Here were some of my favorites:
The Prairie is My Garden, by Patti Abbott. A woman dreams of making a life on the great plains in the late 1800s.
Get Him, by Micah Nathan. A noir-ish crime story about trying to escape your past and paying it forward.
Garnets, by Christa Faust. A girl’s childhood crush takes a dark turn.
You’re A Walking Time Bomb, by Janice Eidus. A therapist goes through her later years with an unusual focus on her mortality.
Superficial Injuries, by Jan Burke. A nifty little thriller with intriguing characters.
Most of the stories are thrillers of one bent or another, but this is a worthy anthology.
January 2, 2020
From Sea to Stormy Sea is a cracker jack collection of short stories edited into this volume by famed mystery author Lawrence Block. After positive reception to his earlier collection of short stories based on the paintings of Edward Hopper, Lawrence now offers this group of tales based on various artist’s works. Writing stories based on paintings works, and I hope that this type of work continues.
Though there were a couple of misses for me out of the seventeen tales in this volume, there were mostly hits. I am talking page turning, and story starting experience. Often when reading a story, I would declare it to be the last one, but it was so satisfying that I immediately began the next one. There were hard boiled mysteries, noir, dystopian earth, as just some of the sub-genres to these thrillers. The bonus about reading such a collection is that the editor offers up the work of each writer. I now have a slew of new authors to check out
Though I was not confident I would like this anthology, as mentioned, I quickly became a fan of the stories in From Sea to Stormy Sea. If you want to do some quick, varied, and satisfying reading, I recommend this collection.
Though there were a couple of misses for me out of the seventeen tales in this volume, there were mostly hits. I am talking page turning, and story starting experience. Often when reading a story, I would declare it to be the last one, but it was so satisfying that I immediately began the next one. There were hard boiled mysteries, noir, dystopian earth, as just some of the sub-genres to these thrillers. The bonus about reading such a collection is that the editor offers up the work of each writer. I now have a slew of new authors to check out
Though I was not confident I would like this anthology, as mentioned, I quickly became a fan of the stories in From Sea to Stormy Sea. If you want to do some quick, varied, and satisfying reading, I recommend this collection.
Read
January 23, 2020I picked up this book at the last second as I swept by the display at the library on my way out the door. I quickly scanned the blurb which featured “seventeen stories by seventeen brilliant writers, inspired by seventeen paintings.”
In truth I should have paid a little more attention to the title From Sea to Stormy Sea (stormy, not shining), but my interest in art is right up there with my interest in reading, and a quick flip-through to check out the paintings tipped the book in my favor.
A few lines in the seventeenth story The Way We See the World somewhat sums up my overall impression of the stories: “Not a painting. A short story, spare in prose and rich in dialogue. A story that held you in a loose grip. You can’t stop reading because you need to know how it comes out, but you proceed with caution because you’re afraid you won’t like the ending.”
The anthology is an interesting collection and as one reviewer points out, “Belongs on the top of the reading pile of every crime, mystery and horror fan.”
In truth I should have paid a little more attention to the title From Sea to Stormy Sea (stormy, not shining), but my interest in art is right up there with my interest in reading, and a quick flip-through to check out the paintings tipped the book in my favor.
A few lines in the seventeenth story The Way We See the World somewhat sums up my overall impression of the stories: “Not a painting. A short story, spare in prose and rich in dialogue. A story that held you in a loose grip. You can’t stop reading because you need to know how it comes out, but you proceed with caution because you’re afraid you won’t like the ending.”
The anthology is an interesting collection and as one reviewer points out, “Belongs on the top of the reading pile of every crime, mystery and horror fan.”
January 2, 2026
Normally I am not a big fan of short stories but the idea behind this collection caught my imagination. It is the third in a series edited by Lawrence Block in which various authors write a short story inspired by a work of art. The stories can be fictional tales that have something to do with what is illustrated or they can simply be something that the painting called to mind in the author. Most of them were very good and some were excellent. There were a few clunkers, but not many compared to most collections. I also thought that Block made a brilliant decision to put John Sandford and Block's own story as the last two in the book. Both fell into the "excellent" category and left me smiling.
January 14, 2020
I saw this collection on the New Book shelf at the local public library. Since I had read the first collection, Lawrence Block had edited a few years ago, I gave this a chance. As with any anthology, the stories vary widely. Some I like, some I found blah, but none were bad. My favorite was the "Girl with an Ax" by John Sandford. It was nice to see him writing about Los Angeles again. So if you like art, like short stories, and are willing to browse, take a chance here. You will have a decent time.
February 17, 2020
Varied stories inspired by art
This collection of stories inspired by works of American art followers a theme begun by noted author Lawrence Block a couple books back. The stories, like the art, are varied. While Block and many of the contributing authors are mystery writers, not all of the stories follow this theme. Some are romances, some crime related, but all are very engaging and will introduce you to a range of authors you may very well wish to read more of.
This collection of stories inspired by works of American art followers a theme begun by noted author Lawrence Block a couple books back. The stories, like the art, are varied. While Block and many of the contributing authors are mystery writers, not all of the stories follow this theme. Some are romances, some crime related, but all are very engaging and will introduce you to a range of authors you may very well wish to read more of.
September 8, 2020
"The Prarie is My Garden" ****
"Mother of Pearl" ****
"Superficial Injuries" ****
"The Man from Hard Rock Mountain" ***
"Adrift Off the Diamond Shores" ****
"You're a Walking Time Bomb" ****
"Garnets" ****
"He Came Through the Bathroom Window" **
"On Little Terry Road" ***
"Someday, A Revolution" **
"Riverfront" *
"Silver at Lakeside" **
"Get Him" ***1/2
"Baptism in Kansas" ***1/2
"A Matter of Options" ***1/2
"Girl with an Ax" ****
"The Way We See the World" ***
"Mother of Pearl" ****
"Superficial Injuries" ****
"The Man from Hard Rock Mountain" ***
"Adrift Off the Diamond Shores" ****
"You're a Walking Time Bomb" ****
"Garnets" ****
"He Came Through the Bathroom Window" **
"On Little Terry Road" ***
"Someday, A Revolution" **
"Riverfront" *
"Silver at Lakeside" **
"Get Him" ***1/2
"Baptism in Kansas" ***1/2
"A Matter of Options" ***1/2
"Girl with an Ax" ****
"The Way We See the World" ***
February 11, 2020
If you're looking for a collection stories told by first-rate authors, pick this one up. Keeping along the theme of Lawrence Block's previous anthologies, each contributor wrote a story around a particular well-known painting by an American artist. Love the concept, and where each individual writer takes it.
April 1, 2020
My 13yo daughter read this before me and enjoyed it. While the stories in here were all well written, too many of them were about murder (not mystery) for my taste. I have to say that I don’t read a lot of non SFF, but what I do is a handful of regular short fiction anthologies and collections a year and I wasn’t prepared for so much... death? From looking at works of art?
January 14, 2020
These stories are wonderful! Some are happy, some are sad, a couple are disturbing and at least one is scary, but they are all wonderful. I love the idea of stories inspired by paintings. Now I have to go look for Block’s other collections.
February 23, 2020
This was 5 stars for me due to stretching into the short story genre that doesn’t normally work for me & really enjoying the creative interplay between the paintings and the stories. Lots of unsavory characters here.
May 14, 2020
The concept of having a variety of writers create short stories based on well-known paintings sounded intriguing. In reality, though, there wasn't much connection between the paintings and the stories, which were mostly very dark.
July 17, 2020
I was disappointed by this book. I had such high expectations for short stories inspired by wonderful American paintings. The only short story that met my expectations was “Girl With An Ax” by John Sanford that was inspired by a painting entitled Hollywood by Thomas Hart Benton.
May 30, 2024
Book for class.
More of the same - primarily short form thrillers using American paintings as prompts. Some are good (chapters by Sara Paretsky and John Sandford stand out in my mind) but most are meh and tend to be more action packed and less introspective than I like.
More of the same - primarily short form thrillers using American paintings as prompts. Some are good (chapters by Sara Paretsky and John Sandford stand out in my mind) but most are meh and tend to be more action packed and less introspective than I like.
December 4, 2019
no impressed with the stories.
February 12, 2020
Loved the first 2 books in this series; am halfway through this one and I hate it.
The paintings don't speak to me & the stories are just boring .
The paintings don't speak to me & the stories are just boring .
March 10, 2020
Maybe 4 stars, but I only read the first three stories in this one. Was previewing for my inclusive book club but I think it won't work for that. And I have too many other books to read.
June 25, 2020
2.5 stars. Full disclosure that short stories are not my favorite literary genre and, as with most books of short stories I read, some stories were very good and some were meh.
April 27, 2022
As with many short story collections, I liked some entries more than others. But overall it was a solid read and an interesting concept.
April 25, 2020
Another nifty collection of stories by some of the best writers, along with the paintings that inspired them.
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