Rating: 
Summary: Realistic L.A. Novel
Review: Shopgirl impressed me a a very realistic look at life in Los Angeles. The characters especially stuck me as those I run into all the time, especially both Mirabelle, and her ... friend, Lisa. The novel is told with some light humor - or maybe I didn't find it extremely funny because I am a L.A. person. I loved reading Steve Martin's descriptions of local L.A. spots, such as his descriptions of Beverly Blvd and Western Ave and Silverlake. I did get a chuckle when he mentions that Jeremy reads the entire Bodhi Tree bookstore. (This is an ultra-new age psychic spiritual bookstore in one of the most hip and expensive areas in Hollywood.) It is a very enjoyable, easy and quick read (only 130 pages). If you are into the L.A. scene, or even if you just enjoyed the movie "L.A. Story", I would definately recommend it to read.
Rating: 
Summary: Well written it is.
Review: English is not my first idiom. So I always have to pay attention to what I'm reading. That's why I liked this book so much. When I read "Pure Drivel" two years ago, I thought that Mr. Martin should stick to acting in comedy movies, just forget writing. Glad I was wrong. In "Shopgirl", Steve Martin clearly writes using now an elegant, and calculated English. Better form, different mood. He probably wrote each page 20 times, changing here, correcting there, using sinonimous, trying not to repeat words, metaphors, feelings and thoughts. The result is an extremely well written piece. Short, fun and beautiful.
Rating:
Summary: Very Insightful
Review: I read this with several women who dismissed it as trivial. I wholeheartedly disagree, though. I found Martin's inisghts to be uncanny. His delivery was perfectly dry and witty, and the story itself, while possibly trivial, is life. How can that really be trivial?
Rating:
Summary: Of course it was great!
Review: Steve is a consumate pro. Shopgirl's great, and if you really want a treat, you should get ahold of the audio version of "Pure Drivel," which Steve narrates. His discription of joining Mensa was sublime and deeply funny. His chapter about the sledghammer was outrageous (one man tried to bundle a web browswer with his).
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Summary: Martin's Talents are Showcased in this Poignant Book
Review: Steve Martin has yet again showed the world that he is more than a comedian looking for easy laughs with an arrow. "Shopgirl" is wonderfully written and the story that emerges is one that is memorable and true. Martin's descriptions of the characters and their actions are thorough and incredibly heart-felt. It is hard to watch Steve Martin and not think of this book because of the seperation that he has placed between his life as a comedian and actor, and his life as a dramatic writer. I would recommend this book to absolutely anyone.
Rating:
Summary: a nice read by someone unexpected
Review: I shouldn't really say unexpected. Anyone who's seen LA Story and Bowfinger knows this man is really talented at capturing his characters, and the character of L.A. In fact, those stories, and this novel, essentially capture life in LA in all it's shallow brilliance, the way Sex and the City does the same thing for New York. If you like stuff like that, you'll enjoy this read.This short book (just 130 easy-reading pages) is specifically about a relationship between a older man and a younger woman, but in capturing this specific relationship, Martin manages to right a little about all relationships. Martin narrates the story with a kind of sweet detachment, yet dead seriousness that just kinda warms your heart. It's definitely a pleasant read, and a nice chance to see what else this man is capable of besides always being funny. Recommended.
Rating:
Summary: GO SHOPPING...
Review: ...for this book!
I must have burst out laughing at least 10 times, not to mention it was well written and depicted the life of the average intelligent woman in her twenties who wasn't quite sure where she was headed in life.
Read it back to back in a few hours and found it light-hearted and in many ways realistic! Keep writing, STEVE!!
Rating:
Summary: Self-indulgent but highly satisfying writing
Review: A fiction writing professor would have a field day with this novella, covering the margins with nasty comments like, "Show, don't tell!" Steve Martin breaks lots of rules of literary fiction... but I am more than willing to forgive him because SHOPGIRL is so wonderfully enjoyable. He has a soft spot for his protagonist, Mirabelle, and rather indulgently tells you everything he can about her and her quirks. You won't be able to resist her, though-- you'll read and read just to find out what happens to her in the end, and because his lines are so graceful and amusing. I love this book, and read it again and again.
Rating:
Summary: Throughly enjoyable balance of comedy and introspection
Review: I found Steve Martin's "Shopgirl" a quick, entertaining read. This book explores the relationships of opposites. The late-twenties protagonist is a barely making it retail gal in upper-class Neiman's while her romantic interest is a AARP millionaire who still hasn't learned how to relate to women. Each character is in transition and the story intersects with their lives during one of these points. Martin's writing style is filled with sensitivity and keen observation which make it a treat to read. He views his characters from multiple angles and regards them fairly. One of the most entertaining passages is when the older Ray Porter is explaining to Mirabelle that he wants a no-strings-attached relationship Martin intersperses this conversation with a He Said/She Said version which shows the reader how each characters says one thing that is heard differently by the other. "Shopgirl" is a short book, perfect for decompressing from a long trip, a tough weekend or for your next book after reading a particularly long book. The only other fiction I had read of his was "Cruel Shoes" which I also found entertaining.
Rating:
Summary: All I can say is Wow!
Review: I found this book in the laundromat of my apartment complex. Since it was a hardbound book I opened it to se if it was a first edition, which it was. Then I saw it was by Steve Martin and thought, "Oh boy, Cruel Shoes number II." I was looking forward to "Return of the Vengeful Curtain Rods" and "How to Fold Urine." Imagine my surprise when I started reading the book and discovered it was actually about something infinitely more humorous than "The Day the Dopes Came Over." It's about people in LA!
As I got deeper into the book I was even more shocked to discover that Mr. Martin had the audacity to capture an experience from my life, change the names and places and put it in print. I am Jeremy Kraft. Mirabelle is a girl named Becky. And Steve is Ray Porter (...)
Only Lisa's name remained unchanged. And since I never received the tratment from her as outlined in the book, I can only assume that Mr. Martin was the "lucky fella" from whom this material came (no pun intended).
Honestly. I enjoyed the book. It was refreshing to read something about human nature that didn't drag you through a Kafka-esque depression and leave you with your head in your hands on some literary gutter's edge.
Steve keeps it short, witty and relevant.
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