DINERS by John Baeder (Abrams: $19.95;...

DINERS by John Baeder (Abrams: $19.95; 144 pp.). This revised and expanded collection of John Baeder’s work continues his love affair with popular eateries. But the camp appeal of his hyper-realistic studies shouldn’t overshadow the artist’s skill at painting light. Edward Hopper’s lunch counters were starkly lit centers of urban despair; Baeder’s diners stand in floods of sunlight, symbols of an older, happier America that has begun to fray around the edges.