Thursday, January 20, 2005

Annals of Books: The Pleasure of My Company, by Steve Martin

I actually didn't read this. But I listened to the audio version on my iPod, as narrated by the author. Which is a treat, because he writes about like he talks - his books (Shopgirl was also good) have a sing-song quality as if they were translated from French.

This is a pretty amazing and at times very funny story about a fellow who is a savant with severe compulsions. He is very honest and self-aware of all of this, which makes it interesting. His journey from obsessive loner to a full participant in his world is very interesting and at times surprising. Martin has a very deft touch and his plots are good. Look forward to further writing. Another great thing about Martin the writer is that he doesn't seem to get paid by the word -- both books are novella length, perfect for finishing on a couple of flights.

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