Rating: 
Summary: not the most likeable main character
Review: As with other reviewers, I was seduced by Steve Martin as author as well as the joy I found reading Shopgirl. Alas, there is no joy in Daniel Pecan Cambridge's world for him or for me. I didn't find the prose that humorous at all, and the main character was rather pathetic. And not in a sad, I feel sorry for him, way. Mostly I found him annoying. I felt like slapping him and saying, you dolt, it's just a curb, step over it and get on with your life. Moments were amusing, but with the central character being quite unlikeable, I found the reading a chore and I just didnt care what happened to him.
Rating: 
Summary: Poignant characterization
Review: A friend had this book sent to me from Amazon. I wasn't sure I wanted to read it because he said it was funny and since I prefer to read literary works I was dubious about the writing. What a pleasant surprise it was to find it was a very well written portrayal of a transformation. The evolution of the protagonist from a frightened person who lives a limited life, ensnared by his neurosis, to someone whose life gradually blossoms to one of possibilities is finely crafted in this story.One does this book a disservice by referring to it as simply a comedy. Kudos to Steve Martin
Rating: 
Summary: give it a chance
Review: Steve Martin has an incredible way with words. Even with his works that I don't particularly enjoy, his use of language shines through, along with his keen sense of observation. I almost didn't finish reading this book because I found the first 20-30 pages fragmented, and perhaps a little condescending toward its protagonist. I persevered, though, and was rewarded with a satisfying story. Heck, just reading about Daniel's trips to Rite Aid is worth the price of admission.
Rating:
Summary: No longer than it needs to be & memorable characters
Review: The Pleasure of My Company is a novel told from the point of view of the protagonist, Daniel Peca Cambridge. Daniel is an obsessive compulsive and a mathematical savant. He is completely benign, and even describes himself that way, albeit deprecatingly. Daniel describes his days and the challenges of life for someone who can't step of curbs or allow the lights in his apartment to be switched such that the total number of watts lit at any time differ. He describes his adventures, which include falling in love three times, winning a contest two times, and learning to love someone enough to overcome some of his obsessions. Altogether, this is a charming narrative with memorable characters. I will add just a few words on the format. I like that the book is thin. Lots of books aren't really any longer than this one, but the publishers/printers make them look longer by putting fewer words on the pages and using thicker paper. This one is not deceptive--it's a quick read, but the boks is as long as it needs to be.
Rating:
Summary: For Steve Martin fans
Review: .
If you want to read a SM book, I'd recommend Shopgirl far and above The Pleasure of My Company. First, I love Steve Martin and pre-ordered this book. But, I'm surprised by all the reviews that call it hysterically funny. It's sad. The protagonist is sad; he suffers a mental illness that's making him miserable - it isn't funny. The writing tries, very hard--too hard--in some places, to be funny. At times, less rather than more, there are genuinely funny lines (I did laugh a little). Mostly, though, we (I include myself) enjoy it because it's Steve Martin and we're fans. Otherwise, this really isn't a very good book. It doesn't have a lot to say and it doesn't say it very well. It isn't very funny and it doesn't treat its subject matter, OCD, in a way that seems appropriate. I don't mean that we can't laugh at misfortune (Steve Martin is GREAT at having us do so), but he misses the mark here. It reads as though it's trying too hard, and it reads as though it's shallow, which I fully believe SM is not. Plus, the nature of OCD - obsessive, repetitive thoughts - makes for boring reading. I even skimmed through some of this little novella. There's just not much here. We get the blow-by-blow of this guy's thoughts, which are quite pitiful, written as though we should be laughing. And his name, "Pecan," as in "nut" - whack us over the head as if we didn't get it! Spoiler:
I liked the redemptive, "Hollywood," ending and unrealistic character growth and recovery. I had a sense of completion, at least, though in this man's world it's pure fantasy. Onto something more substantial...
Rating:
Summary: My love to Daniel (and you too Steve)
Review: I fell in love with Daniel Pecan Cambridge by the end of the first chapter...and loved him even more by p. 172. Daniel is a character both winsome and quirky. His obsessive-compulsive disorder causes him to shut out a major portion of his surroundings...can't get over those curbs. He is infatuated with several women in his current life. But it his heart of gold that shines through and makes this a wonderful little book. When he wins a contest for "Most Normal Person in the USA" we laugh at the irony. His journey home is touching. Steve Martin just so subtly lets us know why Daniel is the way he is. An author who can make me laugh and shed some tears within a few pages gets a big thumbs up in my book. This is an endearing story, just a little better than "Shopgirl."
Rating:
Summary: The lighter side of obsession
Review: Whatever one's opinion may be of Steve Martin as actor/director/screenwriter/painter/etc, his reputation as a fabulous novelist is fast growing and appears to be well-deserved. Martin's latest book, The Pleasure of My Company, revolves completely around Daniel Pecan Cambridge, a "benign" obsessive-compulsive personality who is endearing and funny and very, very real. Martin's ability to relate specific personal details and the fine-tuning of Daniel's inner monologue make the character strikingly authentic. And while there is a lot of laugh-out-loud funny stuff (like the fact that Daniel thinks a jogging suit consists of khakis and loafers, or the scene following this athletic foray that involves some wayward Mineral Ice) Martin does not miss his chance to create a character searching for a fulfilling life. While Daniel's past history is not too detailed and a small segment hinting at a past hardship with his father is vague and a little distracting, overall the reader understands Daniel's self-imposed failings and cheers at the smallest of his accomplishments. An exquisite character study and a truly enjoyable read.
Rating:
Summary: DIVERTING AND ENTERTAINING
Review: "The Pleasure Of My Company" is "Shopgirl (Mr. Martin's previous foray into literature) with pathos. Rather than an older man intrigued by a younger store clerk, we meet a neurotic; indeed, one who is almost certifiable. Daniel Pecan Cambridge ( we can only assume his middle name to be a reference to his nutty mental state) is a man whose age varies, depending upon his feelings on a particular day. He's a transplanted Texan who now rarely leaves his Santa Monica apartment. After all, there are 8 inch curbs everywhere and the chance that he might be forced to endure seeing a garage attendant in a blue hat. Now, there are one or two enticements that will draw Daniel out of the comfort of his apartment - one is the attractive clerk, Zandy, at the Rite Aid. Two might be a sale on ear plugs or the purchase of over a dozen lip balms (a practical purchase, he notes). Due to these ventures into the outside world our hero finds himself embroiled in a murder, and, of all things, an unsuccessful wooer. Mr. Martin again depicts loneliness and love with poignancy and humor. In addition, we'd expect him to read his story superbly, and he does. "The Pleasure Of My Company" is a diverting and enjoyable listening experience. - Gail Cooke
Rating: 
Summary: All Gloss
Review: If people could actually read this objectively without being enthralled by the idea of reading someone who is a known "celebrity" (largest dust jacket photo I've seen in a while), no one outside of the staff of Musso & Frank's would read this book.
Rating:
Summary: Fantastic Story
Review: I really enjoyed this book, and I must say, while I was reading it, I kept saying to myself.."I can't believe how talented Mr. Martin is." I have always been a big fan of his,and I really enjoyed his first book, the Shopgirl. But something about this one grabbed me even more than his first, and I read it without putting it down, I was so involved with Daniel,the main character, and his life.
I have to admit, at first I felt a little guilty laughing at the main character's behaviors, but then I decided I wasn't laughing at him, kind of with him. I started thinking about the things I do that are strange, (I won't go into them here, anybody that knows me, feel free to ask, I'll explain), and realised I am just lucky any strange behaviors on my part have not been the kind to interfere with my leading what some people call a "normal"life. Then after I got over my guilt, I allowed myself to laugh at everything I found funny, which was a good thing, I laughed out loud quite a lot.I also had a couple of places with some tears. So what I am trying to say is, read this book and enjoy. I will probably read it again one day, just because I enjoyed it so much, and I am finding that I really miss Daniel.
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