"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 a good thing too, or he would never have been falsely implicated in a murder, never almost seduced Philipa, never done the impossible task of jogging around the block with Brian, never ironed his pillows, and he 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 bestseller 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."

I don't know what it is about Steve Martin's characters that makes them so endearing to me! I just love his little character studies of weird but real people. At first Daniel bothered me. But, after I got to know him a little better I thought he was less pompous and more funny. I loved the part where he went jogging around the block! This story is so simple and sweet and memorable. I didn't rate it a ten though because I am not sure the ending rang true. I really enjoyed reading this and I am having a bit of a hard time letting it go. :)

I decided to send this book out on a Book Ring. After you make a journal entry saying you received the book, PM the person after you on the list to get their address. I will post where the book is in this journal entry and on my bookshelf. Check in this journal entry for any changes in the shipping order. Please try to move it along within a month of receiving it. But most importantly, enjoy!!!
veruca (TX)
gothamgal (OH)
Mamikaem (Missouri)*
WelshHelen (UK)
j4neyo (UK)*
juliebarreto (HI)
back to me fizzfred (CA)

*Will ship internationally. Thank you for helping to make this an international ring.

Sorry for the wait! I finally sent this to veruca today. (Good luck with your move!)

I loved Shopgirl, so I'm excited to read Martin's latest. I have a book club book to read next but I should start this within a couple weeks. Thanks so much for starting this ring!

The book jacket describes the main character as a "modern-day neurotic yearning to break free." At first, I wasn't that jazzed up reading about his various neuroses, but Daniel Pecan Cambridge grew on me. I loved Shopgirl almost instantly but I grew to love Martin's second novel as I read more of it, with my attachment to it coming to a crescendo just as I read the last page. (damn!)

While I don't join Daniel in his insistence on a constant total of wattage from indoor lighting, the book got me thinking about the more subtle barriers I put in place to avoid doing the things I want to do but don't -- I know I'll be happy after doing those things, but still I avoid them. All those nights I waste watching television shows that mean nothing rather than have to make a decision about what I want to do with my time. All those mornings I hit the snooze button 10 times rather than wake up and have time to write. All those times I make excuses that I can't exercise rather than just do it and feel good about my body and my health. And this book made me wonder: What am I afraid of?

I just sent gothamgal a PM to get her address.

2/22/06: I haven't heard back from gothamgal so I sent her another PM just now.

I'm sending this to gothamgal via media mail today. Enjoy!

Rec'd in the mail 3/1/06. Thanks!
Envelope had stamps that said "received unsealed" on it, but contents look to be okay.

This was a great story and Martin really shows you the mind of someone with some obsessive compulsive issues.
The cool thing was about Mensa--it made the narrator seem really unreliable at first.
Great ending... Thanks for letting me read it!

Received in yesterday's mail. Thanks! fizzfred, I LOVE your label and the book marks - very cool!! I have a few rings/rays in front of this, but will get to it as soon as I can.

I still have not had a chance to get to this and have held onto it way to long, so I sent it on to WelshHelen this morning via surface mail. Should take 4 - 6 weeks. Thanks for the opportunity!

Arrived safely today - thanks fizzfred and Mamikaem. I'm part way through another book but I'll get to this one asap.

It took me a long time to get into this book, then all of a sudden Daniel became quite endearing. I liked the supporting characters, especially Brian who was a great friend to Daniel though he didn't seem to realise it. I liked the ending, even though it didn't seem very realistic, but I finished the book with a feeling of hope, so good job Steve Martin!

Thanks for sharing, fizzfred. I've requested j4neyo's address and it'll be in the post to her asap.

Posted to j4neyo second class today.

Arrived safely in the post. Many thanks to fizzfred and WelshHelen.

RELEASE NOTES:

Just arrived!
8/17/06 - This felt a bit like "The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night", but all grown up. A little Polly-Anna-ish, enjoyable, nonetheless. Thanks, Fizzfred!
9/15/06 - I'm sure I did mail it back...albeit media. Hopefully, it will arrive soon.

It arrived home safely! Thanks so much everyone for making this ring so successful!!!