Rating: 
Summary: Worth a Read Despite Some Limitations
Review: When I was twelve, I said "Well Excuuuuuse ME!" with the best of them. My whole sense of humor is largely a product of Steve Martin albums. And I respect the idea of a comedian trying to write serious fiction. I like the idea that Steve Martin plays the banjo. I like multifaceted people. He doesn't write badly. Early on, I was happy to see hints that he was willing to do some things in his own way. Sometimes he "tells," instead of "shows," the reader what is going on; but in moderation it works fine, and, after all, Tolstoy did it. You can't end a story this way, though, and Martin does. And there are some lapses in tone: I winced when I saw the football coach-like word "enthused" in the middle of a fairly somber passage. But I've seen worse, sometimes from writers who are supposed to be good. In pursuit of its 'humane' message about relationships, this book passes over a lot of little things that ought to be examined. The characters, whatever their financial circumstances, are fairly stock people, living stock lives, thinking stock thoughts, believing what society tells them about what they want (a mate with nice shoes), and what they ought to spend their leisure time doing (drinking in moderation and attending art exhibits). Too many parts of life are called by their names only: categorized, evaluated, stored away unexamined, right down to the difference between a good meal and a bad one. when we are told that the heroine takes antidepressants because she is depressed, her depression is just depression; Martin knows the word, and a few symptoms, but he seems not to want a real look at the inside. He thinks about things with the ideas that his fellows give him. Martin is no dummy, it's true, but he does seem uptight and ultimately a little bit superficial. Old Steve has been in L.A. too long. A real, mature writer--say Denis Johnson--would evoke a deeper reaction, writing about the same kinds of experiences, by not being content merely to name them, but by experiencing them from a deeper place, and coming back and using words to communicate them to the reader. I ought to mention again that this book isn't that bad. I enjoyed it, and I hope that Steve keeps writing. But mostly, I hope he moves out of L.A.
Rating: 
Summary: Surprisingly Subtle, Reflective & Brilliant!
Review: What a pleasant surprise this book is. I expected more of an LA Story satirical comedy, but this gem of a book is a real delight. As a guy in his mid-forties and a relationship author as well I am thoroughly amazed at how well Steve Martin is able to depict the inner thoughts of men confused by love. My most memorable part read like this: The topic so excites Lisa that she forgets all her careful posturing with Mirabelle and blurts out her deepest and darkest: "When a man approaches me, I know exactly what he wants. He wants to f... me. And if I like him, I f... him a lot, until he gets addicted. Then I cut him off. That's when I've got him." This is just a sample of Mr. Martin's great writing on Sex in this City....Hollywood, Beverly Hills, LA. It's a place where a soul can drown in a sea of humanity which is so richly described in this wonderful book. Treat yourself to this one!!! Steve Martin is a remarkable individual.
Rating:
Summary: Did Celexa do it?
Review: At the beginning Lisa is depressed and lonely, working in retail although she has an MFA. She has moved to escape from her unsatisfactory family. Her biological father is aloof,depressed, financially unsuccessful, and lives with her dim-witted puritanical mother in a dilapidated house in frozen Vermont. She is seduced by the fiftyish,affectionate,divorced multimillionare Ray who owns a mansion in Los Angeles (duh-ho, symbolism, a lot of symbolism is this one although the writer is but a simple actor). She dumps her younger boy friend Jeremy who is is immature and poor. By the end she has become a successful artist in San Francisco and returned to Jeremy who has become wiser and richer. There is even a suggestion that her father is going to get less depressed.
She has switched anti-depressant medication from Serzone (now taken off the market because of liver problems) to Celexa.(Forest Labs is now replacing Celexa with Lexapro).
Rating: 
Summary: 4 1/2* A Novella Experience
Review: "Shopgirl" is a small gem, as all novellas should be. Steve Martin's Mirabelle is bright and beautiful, and also clinically depressed and clinically bored (if there were such a thing). She's a salesperson exiled to the glove department Siberia of an expensive L.A. department store. She has artistic aspirations and talent, but she is neither pursuing her interests nor herself in any coordinated fashion. She is drawn sympathetically, as someone who is doing the best she can, even if that's not working out too well. Enter Roy Porter, the self-made millionaire who is entranced by Mirabelle and also secretly sees her as a woman from whom he can learn from, taking what he can from their relationship while preparing for the 'real one.' Mirabelle is used, but she finally realizes this. Because of and despite Roy's noncommittal, inauthentic love, she is able to learn from the experience (finding an authentic relationship, moving to San Francisco, and landing a new job, with Roy's assistance, in an art gallery.) After the pain and the learning form the relationship with Roy, Mirabelle is able to announce to her new love "I'm, fixing myself." she says to her new sig. other. It's a little too neat, this self-discovery and road to recovery, but we can forgive that because Mirabelle has always had an inner strength, so it seems at least plausible. As for Roy Porter, " he sees, finally, that as much as he believed he was imposing his will on her, she was also imposing her need on him, and their two dispositions interlocked." There are echoes of "Pretty Woman' here: Self-realization blooming from a somewhat exploitative relationship, which is redeemed by the 'growth' of both characters at the end. Shopgirl, however, has a more realistic ending than "Pretty Woman," and Martin's writing is notable for it's incisive portraiture, insight, and something akin to humanity in his empathy for the characters. A main problem is the omniscient voice that Martin employs, explaining what Roy, for example, sees as his reason for doing something, but then interjecting (as narrator) the real motivation-a force or feeling of which Roy is unaware. This device is used too often, and it becomes annoying: "This fact-finding mission, in the guises of philandering , is necessary because as a youth he failed too observe women properly. He never sorted them into types, or catalogued their neuroses so he could spot them again from the tiniest clue. He is now taking a remedial course in F---ing 101, to learn how to handle the diatribes, inexplicable antics, insults and misunderstandings... But he is not aware that he is on such a serous mission: he thinks he is a bachelor having a good time." (Whether this is Roy's somewhat askew take on women or Martin's is not quite clear to me.) In addition, the descriptions of Roy's lust are meant to convey some sort of unafraid direct use of language, but again, it gets tiresome; OK-we know you're not reluctant to use a four-letter word, but it's not the first time we've seen it. The author's voice is just a bit too present. It's difficult to not go that route with a story as psychologically rendered as this one. However, if that voice had receded a bit it would be less transparently connected to Mr. Martin, and its impact subtler and more powerful. Still, this is an excellent novella by an enormously talented writer and performer. Recommended.
Rating:
Summary: A suprise
Review: When I saw this book on sale in my German hometown, I was quite sure this was going to be a "funny" book. Anything but! And I'm glad. Steve Martin has described Mirabelle and her life beautifully - pensive and very poignant. It's romantic, but not the kind that one would expect. Especially the chapter - The Conversation - it opens up the true character of a conversation between a man and a woman - how one sentence can be interpreted differently by 2 people - and we still call it a conversation. It is, like the rest of the book, ruthlessly truthful and with biting humour. If you're looking for a "ha-ha" book, then this isn't the right one, but if you're looking for something real, something that touches the mind, then this is it. It's easy to relate to Mirabelle, the shy pensive heroine of this book and it's amazing that a comedy actor could bring forth this wonderful novella. A good read for a rainy day on your favourite couch with a cup of cocoa. :o)
Rating:
Summary: Quick, few hour enjoyable read.
Review: This was an interesting look into a shopgirl's "normal" life. Neatly written, following along the lines he describes in the story of Ray's obsession with neatness and order. I liked this story I could not put it down without thinking, I need to see what happens next...I like the book size, nice, neat and comfortable to hold.
Rating:
Summary: Fast read but disappointing
Review: I liked the basic story of a person's life and relationships coming full circle, but I found it to be to wordy and descriptive. Some of the terminology just completely went over my head. It's not a book that you would want to pick up and read if you want something light and breeze. Even though it is a short story and can be read in a very short period of time.
Rating:
Summary: It fills a space
Review: This book was sent to me as a "must" read. With high expectations, I opened the book and finished it so quickly, I couldn't believe I had actually read it from cover to cover. The writing is brilliant. It flows--keeps the reader interested. As for the story? Yeah, well, okay. I appreciated the character development and could see these people moving and talking; but, I can't say they were people I wanted to know or people I wanted to spend more time with beyond the last page. Once the book was over, it left me with little more than a fond smile for the talent that is Steve Martin. It surprised me. As a writer, he comes off as much DEEPER than as an actor or stand-up. I love the fact that he is so multi-talented. I think this little book fills a certain space. When you have a couple spare hours to check it out, it's worth it. But don't expect a life changing experience. Respectfully submitted by the author of "I'm Living Your Dream Life."
Rating:
Summary: Elegantly Coarse
Review: A lovely short story with seemingly every word carefuly selected. The voice is elegantly coarse, a bit of a surprise coming from such a familiar personality. Vivid descriptions and the very realistic Man/Woman contrasting perspecitves make
ShopGirl a thought-provoking read. I hope the film will be as enjoyable.
Michael Duranko
www.bootism.com
Rating:
Summary: Thoughtful, wonderful, surprising read!
Review: Steve Martin is a funny guy. No one with an appreciation of humor in its diverse forms will dispute that. He made a name as a slapstick clown, but he has always been a "wit" as well. This short sweet, sharp, funny novel is nothing short of fabulous. His characters are real, breathing people. I found myself talking to them as I read, and that doesn't happen with every book. It will make you laugh. It will make you tear up. It will make you think (and that CERTAINLY doesn't happen with every book). Just don't go into it expecting a wild and crazy guy. Read it for yourself and then follow that other reviewer's advice and listen to him read it. It's like reading it for the first time again!
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