Rating: 
Summary: A quick but memorable read
Review: This book will appeal to grown-up readers who at one time devoured books by Judy Blume and Beverly Cleary. Shopgirl explores the psyches of several no-larger-than-life characters, especially that of the title character, Mirabelle. Martin touches on the day-by-day monotony of life in a 9 to 5 with the same level of attention he pays to more serious issues, such as dispair, depression, and betrayal.
Rating:
Summary: Not what I expected
Review: Twenty-eight year old Mirabelle considers herself an artist, but spends her days working the forever-lonely glove counter at Neiman Marcus in L.A. Despite her shyness and under-control depression, Mirabelle leads a fairly active life. Ray Porter, almost twice her age, is a wealthy businessman (also fairly shy) who takes a romantic interest in Mirabelle. Together (and apart) they two struggle with relationships and life.Choosing a novel written by Steve Martin gave me the preconceived notion that this would be a hysterical book. Not so. Parts were funny, ok, hysterical. But between the few humorous parts, I found the story a little drab. I guess I expected something different. But it was a pretty good story. What I found most interesting was getting a man's viewpoint on certain women's issues. Well excuuuuuuse ME! Way to go, Mr. Martin.
Rating: 
Summary: True.
Review: This is such an accurate portrayal of the life of a single woman in a big city, that it almost took me back to a place I would never want to revisit. I wonder if I had read this during those dark times, I might have set about fixing myself a little earlier. I highly recommend this book to any young woman who cannot make out the light at the end of the tunnel.
Rating:
Summary: A Sweet & Wry Novella
Review: I'm a huge fan of Steve Martin, so when I started reading this book I was put off balance by how un-wacky it is. It's tone matches LA Story or Bowfinger (the writing), but it is much more serious. Although there are some very funny observations and amusing situations, it's a serious book, in that it talks about flawed adults navigating a "real world" romantic landscape. I'm not sure what else I can say about the book without giving away some surprises. It's a short, yet compelling read and I find myself thinking about it still, many days after I finished reading it.
Rating:
Summary: Shop Girl
Review: I thought this book was one of the best books I have ever read. I recomend this book to every woman who has ever felt unsure of her self. This book has put a great many new thoughts in to my head and I feel that it would be a loss to whom ever does not read it.
Rating: 
Summary: delightful read
Review: This light hearted book introduced me to Steve Martin's writing. I knew he was a great actor, but he is also a wonderful writer! Despite the book's flaw (namely the lack of development on several supporting characters), we watch our heroine grow with tremendous anticipation and excitement. You couldn't put down the book because you want to know who is the secret admirer, what will the jealous co-worker do, etc.
Rating:
Summary: Short and Sweet
Review: I'm amazed by Steve Martin. What a talented fellow! Actor, comedian, screenwriter, playwright, novelist, banjo player! The man can do it all! First of all...like in "L.A. Story," one can sense how much Martin hates L.A., or what it symbolizes in the very least. You'll laugh out loud during his descriptions of the women in Beverly Hills, the wives of famous people, and characters such as the ruthless and competitive Lisa, and the loser Jeremy who goes through a life-altering transformation. It's so refreshing to hear someone scathingly comment on the culture of plastic surgery, and manipulation of one's affections, and the hell people put themselves through in order to prove that they are youthful and wanted. But moreover, this is a very humorous and intriguing story about the relationship between Mirabelle, who's 28, and Ray, who's 50. At first one might be turned off by the affair, but it quickly becomes a very complex and touching discovery for each, in terms of the difference between men and women, and what each looks for in a relationship. I enjoyed seeing how the relationship evolved into a deep and meaningful friendship where both parties learned something and grew from it. What I thought was interesting is that the characters surrounding Mirabelle (who was the obvious protagonist) were so lively and animated. For example, you knew what Ray, Lisa and possibly Jeremy wanted, what their obstacles were, where they needed to change. These characters were almost...more interesting to read about! They all had some pretty clear personality flaws, while Mirabelle was clearly a sympathetic and passive character, possibly to the point of being boring. But luckily you do see her blossom and come into her own. It took me only a day to read this novella, and I think the length was perfect. Maybe I was hormonal or maybe I'm just a softy, but again like so many other books, I teared up in the end, probably due to the simplistic sweetness of the story. Sometimes less indeed is more.
Rating:
Summary: Sweet and Complete
Review: This is a sweet, sensitive and highly perceptive tale of an L.A. kind of love. It's the story of a shy, artistic, slightly wounded twenty-eight year old unconventional beauty who is trying to find a place in the world and a 50 year old divorced millionaire who has found quite a comfortable one. He pursues her, she has nothing better to do and from this beginning they share enough time in each other's lives and hearts to help them make the transition to the next level in their respective physical and emotional lives. For Mirabelle,the female protagonist, this involves leaving Los Angeles to more actively pursue her career in and around the arts. She also resurrects a previous relationship with a man who is slightly younger than she is and who, during the course of the story, does some transitioning and developing on his own. The 50 year old millionaire, Ray Parker, comes to realize that the many different thoughts and feelings he has had for Mirabelle have distilled into a kind of tenderness appropriate to a mentor/father that makes him feel good about himself and his increasing maturity. I came away with the feeling that in the near future Ray would look for and find the real thing , the right thing, with someone who is more his equal in terms of experience, intellect, depth and quite possibly wealth. He finally deserves it.
Rating:
Summary: A larger canvas than it first appears...
Review: At first sight, Shopgirl is an intimate portrait on a small canvas. But the vision of the artist enlarges in ever-broadening strokes. Martin's characters are vivid, alive, even though some are shallow and misguided. He breathes animation into each, as if this writer has temporarily inhabited that "self" long enough to realize an accurate portrayal. What I most appreciate: this novella opens a door that I can enter, experience, then leave, confident in the truth distilled from each individual. Reading Shopgirl, I had the sense that this author sees the world as I do, observant, yet unencumbered by the need for judgment. Some of the phrasing is idiosyncratic: "the smell of Thanksgiving is in the air, which means that Christmas is in the oven." Other passages are striking for their insight into male/female behavior: (her)"...everytime she sacrifices a bit of herself, she gives him a little more of her that her cannot give back." And (him)"...not understanding that what he is taking from her is torn from her, believes that the arrangement is fair." Then, "She has learned that her body is precious and mustn't be offered carelessly, as it holds a direct connection to her heart. She sheathes herself...and learns never to give away more than is given to her." What seems to be a tale of the loneliness and arbitrary impulses of the single life, albeit with the possibility of a happy ending, is actually a perceptive portrait of the transitional stages of life, seen through the images of an artist who paints in words.
Rating:
Summary: Nice Job, Mr. Martin
Review: I just wanted to say I really loved this book. I'm kind of a literary snob, what with my degree in English and exceedingly modest career as a poet. I loved listening to the sound of the words in my mind. I cared about the people in the story. I discovered new things about human nature that I had really known all along. ...
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