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.

"[A]n impressively economical and yet by no means limited piece of light comedy....[G]enuinely funny and surprisingly touching....As compassionate as it is funny, and never overstays its welcome." Kirkus Reviews

"[F]unnier than Shopgirl but put together just as smartly, if very differently....[A] delight, embodying a satisfying story arc, a jeweler's eye for detail, intelligent pacing and a clean, sturdy prose style." Publishers Weekly

"[E]ven more accomplished [than Shopgirl]....Martin's trademark humor is guaranteed to have readers laughing hard, but there is also a great deal of sweetness here and a real affection for his characters." Kristine Huntley, Booklist

"Though the echo of Mr. Martin's oral comic delivery helps to animate Daniel's complaints, in fact they have little interest and grow repetitive very quickly....[T]he slack, meandering quality of this story comes as a surprise." Janet Maslin, The New York Times

"For every half-dozen funny Martinesque riffs and physical-comedy sketches, there is a quiet and tender soliloquy....This time out, Martin allows himself to be stand-up, arrow-through-the-head funny..." Elinor Lipman, Book Magazine

"Steve Martin's tender morsel of a second novel....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: The Average American contest, a death in the family and a crisis in the personal life of one of Daniel's friends propel him toward the change he both dreads and needs. This is too good a man to go to waste, but it will take the world a while to figure that out..." Laura Miller, Salon.com

"Martin's new novella feels not so much written as worded....[F]unny stuff, though a tad musty post-Sedaris....Pleasure might have benefited from a bit more chaos to raise its stakes above those of Sunday crossword solving. (Grade: B)" Scott Brown, Entertainment Weekly

"[O]ne of the funniest books of the year...Martin's writing shows enormous depth and grace. It's one of the many surprising elements that make this one of the most enjoyable books of the year." Kevin Sampsell, The Oregonian (Portland, OR)

"[H]ard-bitten and hard-boiled readers beware: Martin's a softie at heart....[E]ssentially the same book about healing broken people that Shopgirl was, just a bit funnier and with its heart more prominently on its sleeve." David Kipen, The San Francisco Chronicle

"The depth and breadth of Martin's talent is mind-boggling....[A]n unexpected gem that works on several levels. Daniel's interior monologues are sharply funny, but the story also evokes compassion." Robin Vidimos, The Denver Post

"[C]harmingly funny and touchingly wistful....[Martin] makes [Daniel] believable and sympathetic, endearing even when exasperating....As usual, it's a pleasure to be in his company." Carole Goldberg, The Hartford Courant

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 have never been falsely implicated in a murder, never almost seduced Philip, 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. The Pleasure of My Company is the chronicle of a modern-day neurotic yearning to break free.

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

Steve Martin is a celebrated writer, actor, and performer. His film credits include Bringing Down the House, Father of the Bride, Parenthood, and The Spanish Prisoner, as well as Roxanne, L.A. Story, and Bowfinger, for which he also wrote the screenplays. He's won Emmys for his television writing and two Grammys for comedy albums. In addition to a play, Picasso at the Lapin Agile, he has written a bestselling collection of comic pieces, Pure Drivel, and a bestselling novella, Shopgirl. His work appears frequently in The New Yorker and the New York Times. He lives in New York City and Los Angeles.