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Pleasure of My Company, The: A Novella by…
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Pleasure of My Company, The: A Novella (edition 2004)

by Steve Martin

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2,283666,787 (3.71)84
Fiction. Literature. HTML:

From the bestselling author of Shopgirl comes the tender story of a troubled man who finds love, and life, in the most unexpected place.

Daniel resides in his Santa Monica apartment, living much of his life as a bystander: He watches from his window as the world goes by, and his only relationships seem to be with people who barely know he exists. He passes the time idly filling out contest applications, counting ceiling tiles, and estimating the wattage of light bulbs.

It is through Daniel's growing attachment to Clarissa, and to Teddy, that he finally gains the courage to begin to engage the world outside, and in doing so, he discovers love, and life, in the most surprising places.

Filled with his trademark humor, tenderness, and out and out hilarious wordplay, The Pleasure of My Company is a tour de force sure to delight all of Steve Martin's fans.

.
… (more)
Member:pbrowne
Title:Pleasure of My Company, The: A Novella
Authors:Steve Martin
Info:Hyperion (2004), Paperback, 176 pages
Collections:Your library
Rating:
Tags:None

Work Information

The Pleasure of My Company by Steve Martin (Author)

  1. 10
    The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon (DetailMuse)
  2. 00
    When We Were Romans by Matthew Kneale (DetailMuse)
  3. 00
    An Invisible Sign of My Own by Aimee Bender (jbarry)
  4. 00
    Slow Man by J. M. Coetzee (_debbie_)
    _debbie_: Although these books might seem not to have anything in common at first, they actually are quite similar to me. It's the inside look at a man who doesn't quite see the world the same as others and is somewhat immobilized by his own apprehensions and fears. Both are compelling reads, although neither really has a lot of action or a very strong plot.… (more)
  5. 00
    Edward Adrift by Craig Lancaster (DetailMuse)
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» See also 84 mentions

Showing 1-5 of 66 (next | show all)
What a strange little book!

The story is about a man in Santa Monica who is mostly housebound due to his severe case of OCD. The book is told from his perspective and we learn about all of his odd compulsions (like his inability to step off a curb) and his impressions of all the people who live in his neighborhood.

It took awhile for me to decide if I thought he was a good person with some issues or a scary person who was putting a friendly spin on his bad behavior.

Ultimately, it becomes a book about friendship, trust and love.

With the exception of the undeveloped backstory about the main character's childhood that popped up out of nowhere nowhere (I'm talking about Dad here, not Granny.) I liked the book quite a bit. ( )
  hmonkeyreads | Jan 25, 2024 |
A very light breezy take on what can be a very debilitating compulsion. For a very short book, it doesn't feel rushed, the main character reveals himself fairly gradually, before showing the true extent of his issues. That being said, the ending seemed to wrap up much too quickly and neatly. ( )
  hhornblower | Nov 6, 2022 |
Daniel Pecan Cambridge is a strange man haunted by his mental disorders that he makes rational excuses for. He goes out his way to find symmetrical driveways in order to cross the curbs because they are "illogical elevation[s] imposing [them]selves between the street and the sidewalk."

There are many people in his life. A grandmother he hasn't seen in years because his fear of public transportation; his neighbor Phillipa, the actress, and her hulk of a boyfriend, Brian; Clarissa, his student therapist/social worker; Zandy, the attractive pharmacist who knows all his maladies; Elizabeth, the love of his life; and Lenny Burns, a pseudonym he once used to write an essay that returned to haunt him.

But when Clarissa's personal life unfolds outside his apartment window, he finds himself in a new world. One that might allow him to shake his neurotic views and habits and actually become normal.

I suppose, in many ways, (and I know how cliche this'll sound) I relate to Daniel because of his inability to function correctly in public. An unforeseen obstacle can send him into a state of hysteria that calls for his creating a magic square.

But when something gives him purpose, he's able to shake those habits out and find balance in his life.

I noticed that both Steve Martin novels have a theme of mental disorders lining them. It's probably the reason I loved his books so much. ( )
  ennuiprayer | Jan 14, 2022 |
Steve Martin has so many talents!

This is the story of Daniel, who has OCD and finds things like curbs and public transportation difficult. In spite of this, he manages to make friends with his neighbours, and with a student therapist assigned to monitor him. It's a heart-warming story, often laugh-out-loud funny; often touching. Steven Martin's sense of humour comes through when Daniel becomes two of the five finalists in an essay-writing contest. Maybe wraps up a bit to neatly and quickly in the end, but that's not a major fault in this book -- it's what I wanted for Daniel, after all! ( )
  LynnB | Mar 10, 2021 |
Very sweet story. My only criticism of it, was that the ending was a bit abrupt (though this is a novella, so....)..
There were a lot of laugh out loud moments. ( )
  motherraccoon | Jan 8, 2020 |
Showing 1-5 of 66 (next | show all)
The Pleasure of My Company is a delightful novel as warm as the California sun. Martin has managed to capture in Daniel, the essence of a likeable zany man. Daniel's eventual success at having a happy life despite his many handicaps, is uplifting because it reminds us that life is not all bad all the time. It is always fun to root for the underdog and have him win. It might take some doing but Martin shows us that there are indeed "takers for the quiet heart."
added by stephmo | editMostly Fiction, Poornima Apte (Jan 25, 2004)
 
At first, "The Pleasure of My Company" seems unlikely to amount to more than a conglomeration of moments and observations, which, however droll or moving they may be, do not a novel make. But Martin pulls it together...
added by stephmo | editSalon.com, Laura Miller (Oct 28, 2003)
 
This novel, like its protagonist, is thoroughly engaging and entertaining, at least at first. Daniel's struggles to reacquaint himself with the pleasures of human interaction are at turns funny, heart-wrenching and inspiring.
 
The ending of Steve Martin's new novella is so sweetly sentimental, it'd give John Steinbeck an ice cream headache. This doesn't spoil the book -- or even the ending, really -- but hard-bitten and hard-boiled readers beware: Martin's a softie at heart.
 
''The Pleasure of My Company'' is one of those small, appealing-looking books that promise pleasant diversions and few demands.
added by stephmo | editNew York Times, Janet Maslin (Oct 9, 2003)
 

» Add other authors (3 possible)

Author nameRoleType of authorWork?Status
Martin, SteveAuthorprimary authorall editionsconfirmed
Martin, SteveNarratorsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
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Epigraph
If I can get from here to the pillar box
If I can get from here to the lamp-post
If I can get from here to the front gate
before a car comes round the corner . . .
Carolyn Murray will come to tea
Carolyn Murray will love me too
Carolyn Murray will marry me
But only if I get from here to there
before a car comes round the corner . . .

--Mick Gowar
Oxford's One Hundred Years of Poetry for Children
Dedication
To my mother and father
First words
This all started because of a clerical error.
Quotations
There are few takers for the quiet heart. (page 80)
Last words
(Click to show. Warning: May contain spoilers.)
Disambiguation notice
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Fiction. Literature. HTML:

From the bestselling author of Shopgirl comes the tender story of a troubled man who finds love, and life, in the most unexpected place.

Daniel resides in his Santa Monica apartment, living much of his life as a bystander: He watches from his window as the world goes by, and his only relationships seem to be with people who barely know he exists. He passes the time idly filling out contest applications, counting ceiling tiles, and estimating the wattage of light bulbs.

It is through Daniel's growing attachment to Clarissa, and to Teddy, that he finally gains the courage to begin to engage the world outside, and in doing so, he discovers love, and life, in the most surprising places.

Filled with his trademark humor, tenderness, and out and out hilarious wordplay, The Pleasure of My Company is a tour de force sure to delight all of Steve Martin's fans.

.

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