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The Pleasure Of My Company
 
 
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The Pleasure Of My Company (Paperback)

by Steve Martin (Author) "This all started because of a clerical error ..." (more)
4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (103 customer reviews)
List Price: CDN$ 15.50
Price: CDN$ 11.78 & eligible for FREE Super Saver Shipping on orders over CDN$ 39. Details
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The Pleasure Of My Company + Shopgirl + Pure Drivel
Total List Price: CDN$ 44.99
Price For All Three: CDN$ 35.69

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Product Details

Product Description

From Publishers Weekly

Martin's first novella, Shopgirl (2000), was a revelation, a compassionate yet cool, meticulously crafted tale of a young woman's affair with an older, successful man not what most readers were expecting from the famed comic actor and author of Pure Drivel. Martin's second novella continues the enjoyment, offering another story with a conscience, one funnier than Shopgirl but put together just as smartly, if very differently. Martin forgoes the distanced omniscient narration of Shopgirl by plunking readers into the head of one the odder yet more charming protagonists in recent fiction, Daniel Pecan Cambridge, a gentle soul suffering from a mild mix of autism and obsessive-compulsive disorder. Daniel, 33, lives in a rundown Santa Monica apartment, his life constricted by an armor of defensive habit (all the lightbulbs in his apartment must equal 1,125 watts; he can't step over curbs so can cross streets only where two opposing driveways align, etc.), his dull days punctuated only by imagined romances and visits by his student social worker, lovely and kind Clarissa. Daniel's ways (a product of child abuse, Martin shows with subtlety) are challenged when Clarissa and her infant son, Teddy, move in to escape an abusive husband; when Daniel wins a contest as "Most Average American" and must give a speech to claim the $5,000 prize; and when his beloved grandmother dies, sending him on a road trip of discovery back home. This novella is a delight, embodying a satisfying story arc, a jeweler's eye for detail, intelligent pacing and a clean, sturdy prose style. What's most remarkable about it, though, is its tenderness, a complex mix of wit, poignancy and Martin's clear, great affection for his characters. Many readers are going to love this brief, big-hearted book.
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

From AudioFile

Steve Martin--mature, established author Steve Martin--seems to revisit THE JERK in this work, running his early hit movie through a Kafkaesque filter. Martin's protagonist, Daniel Pecan Cambridge, redefines the pitiful antihero--and we're not sure if we shouldn't fear him a little. An obsessive-compulsive loner with an eye for multifarious detail and nuance, Daniel evolves through absurdist misadventure into a healthier species of neurotic. Martin's read is spot-on; he never pushes too hard or reveals too much, allowing his story to be the star. This is a wise choice, for we actually do enjoy Daniel's company eventually, after seeing him through a lot of strangeness and ugliness. D.J.B. © AudioFile 2004, Portland, Maine-- Copyright © AudioFile, Portland, Maine --This text refers to the Audio CD edition.
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First Sentence
This all started because of a clerical error. Read the first page
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The Pleasure Of My Company
75% buy the item featured on this page:
The Pleasure Of My Company 4.3 out of 5 stars (103)
CDN$ 11.78
Shopgirl
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Shopgirl 3.9 out of 5 stars (316)
CDN$ 11.32
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Pure Drivel 3.7 out of 5 stars (141)
CDN$ 12.59
Born Standing Up: A Comic's Life
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Born Standing Up: A Comic's Life 4.3 out of 5 stars (3)
CDN$ 12.64
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Customer Reviews

103 Reviews
5 star:
 (55)
4 star:
 (32)
3 star:
 (7)
2 star:
 (5)
1 star:
 (4)
 
 
 
 
 
Average Customer Review
4.3 out of 5 stars (103 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
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Most helpful customer reviews

 
5.0 out of 5 stars Endlessly Entertaining, Nov 13 2009
This review is from: Pleasure of My Company (Paperback)
This is a short read by Steve Martin, yes, THAT Steve Martin, the actor, and I for one couldn't put it down. The plot strolls along, like Daniel Pecan Cambridge on his daily walks to Rite-Aid, the drugstore where a pharmacist whom he has a crush on works.
Daniel himself doesn't work, and this is alluded to at the beginning of the book as being related to his unique condition.

This book was an original, hilarious look at a man whose crippling OCD is outweighed only by his genuine concern of others and his unique and inventive way of connecting with them. Having read Steve Martin in the New Yorker for years, I know that his humour writing is second to none, and this book was brimming with it. But also an undernote of real compassion--for the obsessive protagonist and the flawed characters around him, who are brought to life by Mr. Martin's amazing use of humour and language.

The situations Daniel finds himself in are as varied as winning an essay contest (twice), going on a road trip with his therapist and her son to his grandmother's funeral, and being a confidante for people who trust him not to judge them or look at them in an unfavourable light, based on his own odd-ness.

I highly recommend this book.
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4.0 out of 5 stars Steve Martin is Gifted, Oct 8 2006
By Shepherdess Extraordinaire (Stettler, Alberta, Canada) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)   
This is the second book of Steve Martin's that I've read and I am so impressed with his writing. He is innovative and writes in a style that evokes alot of emotion. It was amazing how he took the day to day life of someone who has an ordinary and uneventful life and makes it an enthralling read. There is great character development, and as in, Shopgirl, I found myself "cheering" for the main character.
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5.0 out of 5 stars don't expect the usual, Aug 22 2006
By Kate Kenton (Edmonton, Alberta Canada) - See all my reviews
I found this to be a wonderful read. A smart, warm, deep character study - I found myself smiling as I read it and smiling now as I think about it. Don't go into it expecting another "shopgirl"; it is different and quirky and lovely.
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 		 Most recent customer reviews

4.0 out of 5 stars The Jury is Still Out
The jury is still out for me on Steve Martin as a writer. I really enjoyed SHOP GIRL. PLEASURE OF MY COMPANY had some great moments and fresh and unique ideas, but didn't capture... Read more
Published on Mar 10 2005 by Emily Hoggard

2.0 out of 5 stars Not quite there....
I thought this book was marginally entertaining and couldn't put my finger on why I didn't like it as well as Shop Girl. Read more
Published on July 20 2004 by Susan

5.0 out of 5 stars Okay, I give...
When I saw this at the book store, I chuckled smugly: Gosh, I wonder how this guy got his book deal, and what unknown author did he push off the shelf with his big name and the... Read more
Published on July 18 2004

5.0 out of 5 stars Loved this book !!!
I loved this book by Steve Martin. It was very insightful and I laughed and cried. OCD and family relations, career problems and romance, are all covered in this short and easy... Read more
Published on July 5 2004 by Patty O

5.0 out of 5 stars A Pleasure to Read
Most of the reviewers describe this book very accurately. It really was a pleasure to read. It was humorous and touching. Read more
Published on Jun 19 2004

4.0 out of 5 stars A nice little book
Nothing exceptional, but an enjoyable and interesting book. As others have mentioned, it's a quick and easy read and worth the short investment of time required. Read more
Published on Jun 18 2004 by mpa12

4.0 out of 5 stars Short and Sweet
A short book demands a short review, so here goes: Steve Martin manages to be funny and thoughtful in this book without ever making you feel like you're in the middle of an SNL... Read more
Published on Jun 16 2004 by Richard Nelson

5.0 out of 5 stars Like A Pleasant Arrow Through the Head
If, like me, you only know Steve Martin through his t.v. and big screen personna, you're cheating yourself. Read more
Published on Jun 16 2004 by W. Andrues

5.0 out of 5 stars A Gem!
Steve Martin who is known as a 'wild and crazy guy!' brings a story that is wild and crazy in subtlest ways. Read more
Published on Jun 15 2004 by L. Butler

5.0 out of 5 stars book review.
Daniel Pecan lives in an average apartment building in Santa Monica, California, where out of the ordinary is completely normal. Read more
Published on Jun 8 2004 by cameron

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