The Pleasure of My Company

By: Steve Martin

Narrated by: Steve Martin

Length: 4 hrs and 51 mins

Publisher's summary

Daniel Pecan Cambridge, 30, 35, 38 or 27, depending on how he feels that day, is a young man whose life is rich and full, provided he never leaves his Santa Monica apartment. After all, outside there are 8-inch-high curbs and there's always the horrible chance he might see a gas station attendant wearing a blue hat. So, except for the occasional trip to the Rite Aid to admire the California girl Zandy and to buy earplugs because they're on sale, he stays home a lot. And good thing too, or he would have never been falsely implicated in a murder, never almost seduced by Philipa, never done the impossible task of jogging around the block with Brian, never ironed his pillows, and might never have won the Most Average American essay contest.

In The Pleasure of My Company, Steve Martin's second novel, all of the enjoyments of the critically acclaimed best seller Shopgirl are present: the tender portrayal of loneliness and love; a character's quest to reach out and engage the world; as well as laugh-out-loud humor and language that is brilliantly inventive. But in the story of Daniel Pecan Cambridge and the people who inhabit the insular universe he is seeking to expand (if only one small square at a time) Steve Martin has achieved something extraordinary: the chronicle of a modern-day neurotic yearning to break free.

Don't miss Steve Martin, Christopher Buckley, and other humorists discussing their craft at the New Yorker Festival.

©2003 40 Share Productions, Inc. (P)2003 Hyperion

Critic reviews

"This novella is a delight....A complex mix of wit, poignancy, and Martin's clear, great affection for his characters." (Publishers Weekly)
"A genuinely funny and surprisingly touching tale. As compassionate as it is funny." (Kirkus Reviews)
"A few of the episodes build to moments of hilarity, and Martin's gift for comedic metaphor is uniquely his own." (The New York Times Book Review)

The only problem is...

...that it’s not long enough! This story is absolutely delightful! The characters are rich and engaging. You are so drawn in to Daniel’s quirky and sometimes heartbreaking world. The phrase “So he would not be like me” is both triumphant and agonizing. It left me wanting more peeks into his life.

Bravo Mr. Martin!

I loved the main character. He was vividly portrayed, often with the smallest detail. A work of real insight.

Profoundly moving

The depth of human understanding served up with Steve Matin’s gentle wry humor makes this novella a read that will stay with me. Well done Mr. Martin and thanks.

an obscessive compulsive finds happiness

I bought this book half thinking that it would be a waste of money, as I thought it would be a slapstick comedy routine. Although the comedy is there, it turned out to be a very touching story with almost zen-like undertones, following the life of an obscessive-compulsive person as he tries to find happiness. I ended up listening to this twice in a row. Steve Martin is a fantastic writer, and the best narrator for hs story.

This book was nerve-wracking to listen to at first as somebody with autistic tendencies

I have always loved Steve Martin as does my mother we have very few shared interests and this is one of them. upon informing her that I was listening to this her eyes got wide and she told me how good it was And how much she loved it. upon reading it I found that the character had a lot of autistic tendencies, And as the story progresses he is able to work through a lot of them I am able to relate to him because of this. My mother is not always right about everything no one is but with this book she was. It is a very well written and well-rounded story and the ending is satisfactory even if you don't expect it.

The Pleasure of My Company (Unabridged)

Very well written. If you are a fan of Steve Martin's comedy and expect this book to be funny, don't bother. This is a little adventure in the life of a nuerotic character who finds love, eventually. I downloaded it after hearing an interview on NPR and enjoyed it. Just a light little book for an hour or two of enjoyment.

Mixed review

Steve Martin is definitely funny and brilliant, but this book wavers between that and being a bit boring. I expected him to be a better reader, but on the other hand, I can't really imagine anyone I would have rather read this, since it is "so Him". The story did get a little slow towards the 2nd half, but I must say, I really liked the ending. And there were definitely moments of great poignancy (sp?) along with the humor. But I also felt like there are a lot of much more interesting books out there to read/listen to. How's that for a mixed review?

I enjoyed this pleasant, quirky book.

The quirky, pleasurable and endearing hero of Martin's new novella raised first my eyebrows and then my affection. By making the reader the confidant of an obsessive/compulsive savant as he journeys his convoluted but oddly ordered world, the author slowly wins the reader over, walking them from mildly shocked and amused eavesdropper to cheerleader. Quite enjoyable.

Lighthearted with Happy Ending

Any additional comments?

This is perfect for when you need a cheerful book. So the story of a man with severe OCD might not seem like it would be cheerful? It is in Steve Martin's hands. He's very articulate and creative; I enjoyed his way with words. His reading style is perfectly entertaining as well...never drags, words are enunciated clearly and the tone fits the story well.

It is told in the first person narrative by Daniel, who is actually a likeable character whose neuroses prevents him from talking...well, talking like a normal, casual person...to women. But there is sweet love and friendly love in this story.

I also enjoyed Shop Girl, but I do think this story is overall more cheerful, even if Shop Girl was, on the whole, a more literary endeavor. The Pleasure of My Company is well written, showing Steve Martin continues to be a talented storyteller. I smiled sometimes, laughed out loud others, and the rest of the time just enjoyed the well-turned phrase.

I recommend this to anyone looking for a lighthearted, humorous book; anyone tired of depressing stories with too much drama and an unhappy ending. Which is me (I really needed this after a series of much too depressing books).

A Wonderful tale of idiosyncrasies

I bought this book because I enjoyed Steve's Born Standing Up so much. This book is obviously different because it's a work of fiction vs. a biographical tale but his style of writing is the same and it's just as good.

I was literally laughing out loud at times and I can't wait to "read" another one of Steve Martin's tales. Highly recommended!