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.
Rating:
Summary: What just happened?
Review: Are small books sometimes awful because they don't have enough surface area to hold any meaningful print? The plots and characters in this novel are shaky. The binder barely holds this book together. I'm sorry, but it just wasn't all that good...at all. But, that's just my opinion right?...
Rating:
Summary: I almost died laughing!
Review: I read this whole book outloud to my girlfriend in one seating. The funny parts (which is 3/4 of the book) I had to read with tears running down my cheeks from laughing so hard. Before this I had read Shopgirl, and loved it! But, this one has blown me away, with it's perceptiveness and spontanaity. It's one the best books I've ever read, and the only other one that has made me feel this good is Will Durant's "History of Western Civilization", and I would say this one is allot easier and enjoyable than the latter. What do these books have in common they are all a glimpse into people and their practices. I think this needs to be made into a movie as well as "Shopgirl." Who knew Steve Martin had this kind of writing talent? He has the pure prose of Bukowski with that touch of inspiration that I could not ascribe to any other writer but Steve Martin. Read it and loved it!
Rating:
Summary: Mature and Perceptive
Review: This is the story of Daniel Pecan Cambridge, his withdrawal from humanity and his return to the great masses. The book is not long, only 163 pages, but I found it both amusing and insightful. Daniel has some psychological problems (pecan...nut....get it?) He can no longer hold down a job or communicate easily with others. He lives an isolated life in Santa Monica, filling his days with obsessive-compulsive rituals. Likeable, gentle, with moments of great insight and others of total cluelessness, he has the fashion sense of Rain Man and the mathematical ability of John Nash. Daniel still finds other people interesting, and his desire to have a relationship with a woman leads him along a path that eventually helps him return to a richer life. This isn't an academically rigorous portrayal of specific mental health issues, but the character of Daniel works very well as a kind of neurotic Everyman. He is close enough that we can understand his world. He's interesting. We like him and cheer him on, for he is not tormented to the extent that we are alienated or repelled. The mathematical patterns and seemingly random rules that he uses to make his life bearable might be superficially amusing, but they serve much the same purpose as conventional social patterns. There is plenty of entertaining social commentary in this story, and more than a token jab at the egocentric who takes too much delight in his or her own company. Things occasionally seem a little glib and there are a few heavy handed moments. The ending, in particular, is glossed over. On the redeeming side, the story is imaginative and quirky, and it sustains enough pace to keep you interested. I also admired the author's skill in gradually moving Daniel into a more functional state as the book progresses. There are one or two moments of striking visual imagery, notably where the child Daniel imagines his father to be mathematically fractured. This writer is a keen observer of human behavior and has a finely developed sense of the absurdities of life. This humour and perceptiveness, combined with a thoughtfulness heavily influenced by undergraduate philosophy, makes for an interesting and unpretentious read that should have a broad appeal. Not as poignant as "Shopgirl", nor as sharply witty as the short stories written for the New Yorker, this quiet novella shows more technical maturity and consistency of style. As a writer of books, Steve Martin has a legitimate voice that is worth listening to.
Rating:
Summary: Loved it
Review: This is another work of genius from the great Steve Martin. I loved the fresh pace and quirky style it's written in, along with the incredibly funny and loving main character, Danie Pecan Cambridge. With only 160 something pages it's a quick read but well worth it.
Rating:
Summary: Side splittingly funny
Review: I loved this book ! Thoroughly recommend it to anyone in need of cheering up . The protagonist is a complete wacko but hysterically funny. Found the end quite touching . All in all a good read . Look forward to seeing the movie .
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