Rating: 
Summary: Dreadfully disappointing after "Shopgirl"
Review: I couldn't get past the first 20 pages or so of this book. I really enjoyed Steve Martin's first novella, "Shopgirl," and expected the same or better from his second effort. Unfortunately, Martin doesn't deliver here. When an author can't grab you within the first 10% of a book, there isn't much point in wasting any more time. If you haven't read "Shopgirl," *DO*, but don't bother with "The Pleasure of My Company."
Rating: 
Summary: Martin's style is a delight to read
Review: Steve Martin's brilliance never ceases to amaze me. His dry, biting, and intricate style is always dead-on. What makes Martin such a great writer is that he is such a keen observer of human nature and most importantly, of human flaws. His latest book takes this idea to a new level.Daniel Pecan Cambridge is certainly flawed. Through humor, we see what it's like to be virtually crippled by OCD and paranoia. Although the ending is a wee bit simplistic, I believe it is probably necessary for the novella form to really work. Martin captures so wonderfully the loneliness of Southern California life, and getting inside the mind of Daniel is a treat. I'm glad that Martin uses this first-person style of narration. Steve Martin is creative, interesting, and downright hilarious as a comedian. As a writer, he proves with this second novella that he is all of these things and more.
Rating: 
Summary: A pleasure to read!
Review: Steve Martin is truly an amazing writer. This is the first novel I have ever read by the talented comedian/actor. I certainly do not regret it. "The Pleasure of My Company" is at once surprising, touching, hilarious, and ultimately satisfying. You will fall in love with each one of the characters, especially the wonderfully neurotic main character, Daniel Pecan Cambridge. An accomplished work from Martin, and a nice, quick read. The most wonderful book I have read in quite a while.
Rating:
Summary: Very real book about very real issues.
Review: Steve Martin seems to have really hit the nail on the head concerning the struggles of dealing with obsessive-compulsive disorders and neuroses in this book. Given, some of the compulsions might seem a bit unrealistic, but most compulsions in truth are just that. Being able to watch a person fight everyday life in a struggle to just be is illustrated incredibly well in this book, and with a perfect blend of humor and compassion. The book might seem a bit dry at first, but it truly needs to be in order for the reader to understand the stresses that an often illogical and irrational world can place on a person who fears the illogical and irrational. As an obsessive-compulsive myself, I would like to offer my most heartfelt congratulations and thanks to the author for his just-delicate-enough handling of such a sensitive subject matter. This book truly proves that Steve Martin is too brilliant of a man to be restricted to one form of media. If I could give this more than five stars, I would.
Rating:
Summary: Fun Book
Review: I purchased this book after People gave it rave reviews, which is hard to come by in that magazine. I came home from the bookstore, sat down and opened the book, and did not put it down until I was done. Thankfully, the book is only about 160 pages long. I found his writing to be smooth and humorous, and strangely realistic. I do not personally have this disorder, but I have known people who do. When they have tried to describe how they feel it was exactly how he did in the book. I enjoyed all of the characters, even the ones you do not get to know well. I hope this gets made into a movie someday!
Rating:
Summary: Soulful
Review: Through the insightful, albeit troubled eyes, of a man tortured with phobias and insecurity, Steve Martin establishes powerful themes: Friendship; the power of youth to inspire; hope; "finding one's own way" despite the perception that the stars are not in alignment; and, most importantly of all, the fantastic way of how the unexpected can positively change one's life. The book is thoughtful, funny, and extremely well-written. I especially like the use of the first-person approach as we get into the mind of the lead character, living his life and understanding how difficult it can be to like oneself, tackle sidewalks and curbs, yet someone know that everything will work out. I won't give away the plot of this book, but I will recommend this book highly.
Rating:
Summary: Amusing and touching... pleasant
Review: This book tells the story of a few life-changing months in the life of a young man, Daniel Pecan Cambridge. Yes, he is a man with numerous obsessions and compulsions, and his analytical talents are extraordinary, but these are not his defining characteristics, in my opinion. He is a tender-hearted man whose mind often gets in his way, and who thus is (mostly) isolated from mainstream society. Even though his neuroses surpass those of the average person, I found him easy to relate to, and therein lay my enjoyment of the story. I listened to this book on CD, and I think hearing the author himself reading it drew me in even more than I think I might have been drawn in otherwise. It's not hilarious, but it did make me smile and even laugh out loud at some points. I very much appreciated Daniel's humanity -- it's one thing to make a character with a label ("look, here is someone who has OCD"), quite another to make a character that is truly human, and I think Steve Martin admirably succeeds at the latter, and not just with Daniel but with other characters as well. My only complaint is that I wanted more -- five hours (I believe the hardcover is under 200 pages) just wasn't enough. If you love Steve Martin's stand-up, you might not enjoy this book. However, if you like his movies, you might want to check this out. It's sort of like L.A. Story without all the wackiness (e.g. the sentient freeway sign). And for those who are ambivalent about Steve Martin, or dislike him, don't let that keep you from reading this book, because, famous author aside, The Pleasure of My Company remains a sweet, entertaining novel.
Rating: 
Summary: Quick, Entertaining read
Review: Ok, I'll admit it! I picked up this book because I love Steve Martin's comedy. I think his stand-up is great, I've always enjoyed his movies, and Pure Drivel -- his collection of comedic essays -- is one for the ages. This book is a little different. There are still some extremely humorous passages, usually focused around the main character's neuroses. These comedy bits are right on, and every bit as entertaining as the neuroses of the characters Steve Martin brings to life in his movies. In addition to these bits, there is also a tragic story of an obsessive compulsive man trapped in his apartment by his own fears. This story is infinitely deeper, darker, and even a little scary. Martin does a great job of explaining how these problems developed by an examination of the man's past, but I'm still left wondering about the manner in which the problems were solved. Though "love conquers all" is a charming thought and a great movie plot, I'm not sure it would conquer problems as quickly and cleanly as it does in this book. (Though, who knows, maybe I just haven't met the right person. ;) ) Overall, though, a highly entertaining read.
Rating:
Summary: A wild and crazy guy...with stunning talent
Review: Ladies, who among us doesn't know a man who thinks the pleasure of his company is all we need to complete our reason for living? Steve Martin has written a book that so succintly describes a man who thinks he knows exactly how to attract a woman one feels exasperated by Daniel, and sorry for him at the same time. When he dresses to go jogging with Brian the Jock in loafers, khaki slacks and a white dress shirt, I was totally lost. This stud is a quintessential nerd, and obsessive/compulsive to boot. But I was completely taken by him and his unconfident confidence. Somehow all the people in his life, including the ones in his head, help Daniel make the final push out of his trap of OCD and into real life. Once there, he finds love, real this time, without too much trouble or planning. What a wonderful writer Steve Martin is!
Rating:
Summary: Martin's hero is a nut, and not just a "Pecan".
Review: I can't say I really enjoyed "The Pleasure of My Company", and much preferred Martin's first work, "Shopgirl". I'm not sure that many people would read this book, if it weren't for the author's fame in comedy. But it is worth a read, particularly if you know someone that has OCD, which generally escalates as people reach the age where they have to begin their own, independent lives. Martin has a light touch with his humor, although he has difficulty with the resolution of his stories, preferring to paint the characters in depth, and then just fade away. Since he can do that in comedy, but not in novels, he is not as successful here. The hero of Steve Martin's new novel (novella? only 163 pages) suffers from Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, and has a tad of the autistic savant thrown in for good measure. Daniel's somehow ended up living alone in Santa Monica... "Santa Monica, California, where I live, is a perfect town for invalids, homosexuals, show people, and all other formerly peripheral members of society. Average is not the norm here." Living alone, Daniel doesn't have a job anymore, although he used to use his skills as a math wizard at Hewlett-Packard, where he was employed as a business communique encoder. He had to leave that job when he weaned himself off his meds and he could no longer allow himself to create a code whose ultimate end was to be decoded. Now Daniel lives on public assistance, with help from periodic cash infusions from his Granny. There are several wonderful treatises on Daniel's trips to the Rite-Aid, which is "splendidly antiseptic". We suffer through his neuroses every time he steps outside his apartment, in trips which must be planned perfectly, to not upset his equilibrium. Much of his inner voicing is consumed with his attraction to a variety of females who slide in and out of the periphery of his existence. Martin has a writing style that throws out the edge of Daniel's obsessions in a disarming way. "The next morning, I decided to touch every corner of every copying machine at Kinko's...", and he treats his hero gently, with feeling. Somewhat funny, and somewhat poignant, Daniel's life escalates quickly at the end of the book, in an almost too pat fashion, but then, without the happy ending, it would be pointless to explore Daniel's world and walk away unhappy. Recommended with reservations - don't expect it to be wildly funny. If you have or know someone with OCD, it offers a rare insight through humor.
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