Each of these 21 lyrical vignettes was inspired by a different Edward Hopper painting and reflects the painting to which it corresponds. Hopper's paintings, including Automat , Excursion ino Philosophy , and Chop Suey , are brought to life as the characters speak about their lives and converse with one another. Author Rolando Perez is the author of The Electric Comedy and The Divine Duty of Servants . His work has been selected for inclusion in The Norton Anthology of Latino Writers 2002 . He lives in Brooklyn, New York.