The Pleasure of My Company

by Steve Martin

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 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. The Pleasure of My Company is the chronicle of a modern-day neurotic yearning to break free.

Genres: Fiction, Humor, Contemporary, Book Club, Comedy, Audiobook, Novels

176 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2003

About the author

Stephen Glenn "Steve" Martin is an American actor, comedian, writer, playwright, producer, musician, and composer. He was raised in Southern California in a Baptist family, where his early influences were working at Disneyland and Knott's Berry Farm and working magic and comedy acts at these and other smaller venues in the area. His ascent to fame picked up when he became a writer for the Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour, and later became a frequent guest on the Tonight Show.

In the 1970s, Martin performed his offbeat, absurdist comedy routines before packed houses on national tours. In the 1980s, having branched away from stand-up comedy, he became a successful actor, playwright, and juggler, and eventually earned Emmy, Grammy, and American Comedy awards.

Reviews

[Min · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have read many of Steve Martin's novellas, as well as his previous novel, Shopgirl, and enjoyed them.
However, I think The Pleasure of My Company has to be my favourite. The pace, the characters, the humour and the quirks of the main character drew me in. It is a short enough book that it can easily be read in one sitting. But I found that I wanted to keep coming back to it, to once again see life through Daniel's eyes.
I am not keen on analysing books for the deeper meanings of life; I like to read for the escape and the inspiration of others' thoughts and ideas. The Pleasure of My Company is like a spiritual mini-retreat to me; it makes me think about life and interactions and what someone might be thinking behind his/her expressions and actions. I always feel relaxed and just a little more kindly towards the world after reading this book. I hope others enjoy it as much as I do.

[Montzalee Wittmann · Rating 2 out of 5]

The Pleasure of My Company
By Steve Martin
I have loved Steve Martin for his comedic wit and physical comedy since he first started. I have read a couple of his books too and enjoyed them. This was different and disappointing. It was extremely boring, no comedy, I felt no connection to the main character, and what a rushed ending! I am glad the book was on sale. Do NOT recommend it.

[Lynx · Rating 4 out of 5]

Steve Martin has a wonderful way with words. He gives life to the ordinary. To the people who live on the sidelines, shy, quiet, never attracting attention. Those who many would simply label "boring". Martin shows us that we all have a story inside us, if only we took the time to look a little closer. After reading Shopgirl I knew I had to check out more and was not disappointed. In The Pleasure of my Company we follow Daniel Cambridge, a lonely but highly intelligent man whose life is ruled by unusual OCD habits. Daniel is searching for human connection and we follow his journey as he begins to face day to day obstacles that, for most, aren't even on our radar. Martin's clever wit and sharp mind make this read an absolute delight that really sticks with you long after you've finished.

[Roy · Rating 4 out of 5]

The greatest obtacles are those we impose upon ourselves. As for the deepest wounds, they tend to come from those who love us considerably less than by all rights they should. This wonderful little book eloquently expresses both of these points. It belongs to that popular category of fiction which is narrated in first person from the perspective of a character who is emotionally and/or mentally challenged, thus magnifying commonplace exploits to Mount Everest proportions. I'm looking for a shorter term to name this genre so that perhaps I will be given official credit. The Pleasure of My Company falls into this category, yet also rises above it in spite of its brevity. The book is not a single word longer than it needs to be yet manages to elicit an impressive number of smiles and chuckles, then closes with a flourish that tugs at the heart. Steven Martin is a fine writer indeed. Go figure.

[Joel · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Pleasure of My Company is a sweet, poignant story from master comedian Steve Martin.

The novel tells the story of Daniel Pecan Cambridge, a neurotic obsessive-compulsive, as he tries, in his own straight-jacketed way to find love. Daniel has rules for his life: He can not cross the street at curbs, only at exactly opposing driveways. The wattage of the lightbulbs in his apartment must always equal 1125. He has a compulsion to touch all four corners of copy machines.

But Daniel is also a mathematical genius. He creates magic squares to help him relax and he writes entries to essay contests.

And Daniel fears that these two disparate elements of himself - the genius and the neurotic - will forever keep him from forming a relationship. A small cast of characters from neighbors to his therapist, to the young woman who works at the Rite Aid may be able to help him with that.

Steve Martin writes with a clean, well-centered point of view. The story is a simple one, but Mr. Martin keeps the focus clearly on the protagonists' desires with no side trips into obscuration or pointless miscellany. The reader knows Daniel very well by the end of the novel, so well that the conclusion comes as a sweetly gentle reminder that there is someone for everyone.

Highly recommended.

[Laurie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have to say that after I read Shopgirl I was hesitant to give Steve Martin another try. Hesitant, but some moments of Shopgirl made me feel like I also sort of owed him.

I am so glad I did. This book is obviously less meditative, and certainly more outright sappy--but I loved almost every moment of it.

The difference? I loved and cared about the characters. Felt closer to them each time the main character reached just a little bit more out of his self imposed bubble.

Everything worked out almost too perfectly in the end for all of the characters--it reminded me of Love Stargirl in that way--the kind of optimism that could make you uneasy. Yet at the same time I would have been disheartened with anything else. I felt like it was owed.

The style this time seemed less reaching and less verbose. It was easy and natural, yet still the voice was clear and distinct. I think the character was very believable, although admittedly I have a very limited very of this kind of mental disorder.

I guess in that breath I was also glad that the disorder was not really the focus of the novel. It was a story of a man with challenges, but it didn't harp constantly on how different and alien these challenges made him. The character even comments on this at one point, that each human being had their own secret "rules". I believe that.

This book succeeded in endearing me completely to Steve Martin. I will read his next novel for sure.

[Leo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reading a fiction book from a writer that been previously famous for something else can be very hit and miss. This was a happy surprise to read as I found the writing very readable and the characters easy to want to learn more about. An interesting read for sure and wouldn't hesitate from reading more by Steve Martin

[Mindy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this book... even more so than Martin's first novel, Shopgirl. I'm pretty sure he's a genius.

The narrator, Daniel, has anxieties and compulsive behaviors that are completely absurd. He has many unlikeable qualities, but he is also kind-hearted, witty, and hopeful. Martin does a great job of humanizing him so that by the end, I empathized with all of his eccentricities.

I liked that the world was so tiny, rarely expanding beyond Daniel's apartment. Small things become monumental. It's an extremely well written book and I enjoyed every minute of it.

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

I started listening to this in the car on my ride to work on Monday. That's when I realized I had either listened to it once already or read it before. I decided to go ahead and listen to it again - What else is there to do on the drive in to work anyway.

The story centers around the carefully constructed world of Daniel Pecan Cambridge - an obsessive-compulsive who has as many rituals as I have unwanted hair. (ALOT) Daniel doesn't have a job - his OCD got in the way of his job at Hewlett Packard - and now he spends his days living off the money his Grandma sends him from Texas and making occational trips to the Rite Aid a few blocks from his house. We get to watch as Daniel's world starts to erode as people enter his life. We are allowed to watch as Daniel - ever aware of his neurosis - tells us in his self-depricating voice about the struggles of having all the wattage in the house adding up to the right number when you have people staying over. Or about the challenges of going anywhere when you cannot step off a curb. (Doubles the time it takes to get to the Rite Aid and makes the mall impossible - which means all supplies are gotten at the Rite Aid.)

I love the sense of this being a chunk of someones life. We know more happened to Daniel before we join him in his lonely overly lit apartment - but we are never told the full story of how Daniel got to where he is. We tag along as he has his adventures and moves on in his life - we get to share in a bit of his growth - his "AH HA!" moments. And then are given a quick wrap up of his future. The brevity of the descriptions of his past and future really focus you on his present. I think that was clever and I enjoyed it.

I also really enjoyed listening to this in audio book as it is read by Steve Martin - and on top of always liking it when an author reads there own work (You really can't question then if it was a bad book or a bad reader - Really - if the author butchers there own book when reading it - then you know the writing stinks.) I just really love Steve Martins voice. And in fact - when I read books (Novella's) by Steve Martin - I tend to fall into his voice when reading it. *sigh* I have a little crush on the man me thinks.

[Arthur Graham · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was first exposed to Martin's written work through Picasso at the Lapin Agile, not Shopgirl, so naturally I was expecting something far different from this book. Nevertheless, the cold cockles of my heart were curiously warmed by this humorous tale of boy meets girl, boy loses girl, boy gets a whole helluva lot more in return.

It's probably fair to say that Martin isn't the most brilliant novelist around, but he's genuinely clever and funny much of the time, which is more than most can boast. I probably would not have read a book like this, had it been written by anyone else. Glad I gave it a chance.

[Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

After being disappointed with another of his books I was hesitant to read this, but a customer gave it to me calling it his favorite and I was surprised by how well I liked it. It reminded me a little of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime, by Mark Haddon, and made me grateful that my compulsions aren't debilitating.

[Cameo Heun · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good book might lend to Colton think he’d like it

[Nikki · Rating 1 out of 5]

The main character was annoying as hell. I didn't care about his journey. I wanted him to just go away.

[Ashley · Rating 1 out of 5]

don't bother.... i literally skipped half the book and read the last few pages...

[John · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars. Light, easy writing style, but at times felt unfocused. And the ending was particularly rushed.

[groove · Rating 5 out of 5]

So...having a whole separate world going on inside your own head is a real thing? Whew, good to know I'm not alone. What an awesome little book this was.

[Gohnar23 · Rating 4 out of 5]

#️⃣6️⃣3️⃣0️⃣ Read & Reviewed in 2025 🌠☔
Date Read: Monday, November 17, 2025

4️⃣🌟, great representation
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28th read in "Lush and Beautiful Reads" November🌃
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This is probably one of the best representations of OCD i have ever seen in a book. Daniel is one of the most interesting characters that possesses this trait and is explored in a way that is very unique. I love all of the saints that he's been in and even on times such as that one time where he just kinda — does this magic square thingy like the one that you do in mathematics what instead of actual numbers it's people's names.

This book is surprisingly lighthearted for the very complex thing that it tackles. It is pretty much a quick little book for vibes that has impressive commentary and representation. This book is surprisingly random but it definitely is a stylistic choice because of the main character's traits and persona. It's almost like this book is the personification of the main character himself. It's really fun and detailed so each singular random scenes will just stick to your mind and wander through your memory. It's not particularly fast paced, it's in the middle. A great read for an afternoon snack break. Maybe pick a snack that Daniel would prefer to eat. Looking at the world through his lens and perceptions is such a one of a kind experience that is just magical and definitely won me over.

[Paula · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'll do my best not to compare or contrast this with Shopgirl since, for the most part, both books are completely different animals. Even though, like with Shopgirl, at times I was either very frustrated or very surprised by what I was reading.

Daniel, the character whose head the reader is in, is slightly off from normal, to put it in a nice way. One of the biggest frustrations for me in the book, however, was that it's not really clear why this is the case; I mean, we know it has to do with his father pretty much disowning him at a young age, but too much is left open to feel like I really understood Daniel at all.

Another thing that frustrated me was that, at the end, it just seemed too easy for Daniel to become mostly normal again. In reality, it typically takes psychiatric assistance and regulated medication for someone to undergo such a dramatic lifestyle change as Daniel experiences simply by hanging out with a kid at Rite Aid near the end of the book.

But, to be fair, I did find myself about mid-way through the book wondering how everything would turn out and hoping that things would get straightened out for all of the characters we meet in the book. I wish that I had found out if some of the characters had managed to stay together, find who or what they were looking for, or had managed to find a balance between the chaos and normalcy they experienced daily because all we get is how things end for Daniel (who gets what he wants in an unexpected way).

Martin's humor, for me, tends to be hit-and-miss generally, and that carries over in this book as well. It seems like he paid too much attention to making his sentences witty and going for the funny when it would have been a better choice to drop the good lines and choose something more poignant to say instead. (This probably is why it took me half the book to get interested in the characters in the first place.) Also, I'm not sure that all of the characters that could have been more fully developed actually were, and the ending was rushed so much that I felt like I was driving in a NASCAR race for the last forty or so pages.

I did find Daniel's obsession with mathematical precision almost on par with that of the child narrator of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time, but I think, at times, it was a little overdone. Again, I was sometimes more interested in the peripheral characters than I was in Daniel, so his obsessions got distracting and clumpy at times, especially at the beginning of the book.

Eventually this got interesting but, for the most part, I think the book overall needed more character development to be something close to plausible. I liked the idea of a character striving for normalcy when most books have characters in search of the opposite but I'm not sure this was completely successful in describing that movement from borderline insanity to what Daniel wanted all along.

[Michelle Spencer · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was fantastic. Daniel’s compulsions, while often played for laughs, don’t disguise the human underneath. It was impossible simply to roll my eyes at him and say, “Oh my gosh, that’s so weird.” I really felt for the guy! Considering how short this was, I was very impressed by how well-developed he was as a character. It became clear very early on that the last thing anyone should do with Daniel Pecan Cambridge is dismiss him as a weirdo. He’s just a genuinely nice guy with a huge set of quirks. It may have been unrealistic that literally everyone in his life is so open and accepting and tolerant of said quirks, but it was sweet to feel that sense of community and how much it helped him grow.

This book had a lot of humor and a lot of heart. Based on the synopsis on the dust jacket, I was anticipating this to be some out-in-left-field goofball novel without much substance. It really surprised me. It was hilarious, which I was expecting, but I wasn’t expecting my heart to ache as much as it did. What a wonderfully sweet ending, too!

This one’s probably gonna get a re-read at some point.

[Simay Yildiz · Rating 3 out of 5]

Steve Martin kitapları dilimize çevrilmiş mi diye arama yaparken Kitap Yurdu’nda “Bilim Akademisi” ve “Astronot Akademisi” gibi çocuk kitapları çıktı karşıma. Biraz araştırma yaptıktan sonra bunun isim benzerliği olduğuna karar verdim: benim bahsettiğim Steve Martin oyuncu olan. Siz de benim yaşlarımda, doksanlarda büyümüş olanlardansanız Father of the Bride (Gelinin Babası), ve Roxanne filmlerini televizyonda, dublajlı izleyenlerdensinizdir. 2005’te çıkan, kendinin aynı isimli kitabından uyarladığı ve senaryosunu da yazdığı Shopgirl filmini de çoğunuz izlemiştir. Ben ilk o zaman filmin kitaptan uyarlandığını gördüğümde Steve Martin’in aynı zamanda kitap yazdığını keşfetmiş ve tabii ki Shopgirl kitabını okumuştum. An Object of Beauty isimli bir kitabı da uzun süredir rafımda bekliyor ama kardeşimin de tavsiyesiyle önce The Pleasure of My Company (arkadaşlığımın keyfi) kitabını okudum.

Devamı: https://zimlicious.com/steve-martin-k...

[Ellen Posledni · Rating 5 out of 5]

WOW. I can't even tell you how much I loved this book and how brilliant Martin is. You really have to have an impressive ability to observe and verbalize the human nature and all of its idiosyncrasies to be a funny comedian (he is), and he's taken that ability and converted it into a really insightful, hilarious, touching, and brilliant novel. Written from the perspective of an admittedly insane man, Martin manages to make his oddities understandable, even likeable. What a fascinating peek into the inner workings of one man's mind, a man who completely understands himself, and completely understands that no one else understands him. Cruising along with him as he analyzes himself and those around him and tries to overcome his obstacles to connect with other people, I found myself cheering him on and always hoping for the best for him. I will truly miss the pleasure of his company.

[Amanda H-M · Rating 3 out of 5]

Initially I really could not get into this book and I was beginning to think it might be one of those that I didn't finish.I just couldn't get to grips with the main character or feel anything for him, which is perhaps what was intended. As Daniel, the main character, loses some of his obsessions and begins to interact more with 'real life' the more I began to enjoy the book and warm to him. In the end I'm glad i stuck with it. Not my favourite book, but enjoyable in the end!

[Marcus · Rating 5 out of 5]

First person novel from the perspective of a man with quite severe OCD. Reminded me of Catcher in the Rye but I liked the main character more than Holden Caufield! Moving in many parts, especially those where he is beginning to connect with other human beings... the central theme of this book would be the redeeming power of human connection. Martin is quite an evocative writer.

[Mitch · Rating 4 out of 5]

I must have been living under a rock because I didn't know Steve Martin wrote fiction. I mean, I am pretty indifferent about him in movies (I'm not a fan but I don't dislike him either) but I was curious to see how his books were. So, the one that looked most popular was "The Pleasure of My Company". Well, I got it for Christmas as off it went with me to Starbucks to give it a go.

75 pages later I was still in Starbucks still nursing my cold venti or grande or whatever-the-hell weird ass sizes Starbucks has. And I was still enthralled! Although it isn't a masterpiece it was still a very good book. The reason it is 4 stars and isn't 5 is I felt it was a tad too short and some of the storyline rushed. I feel like it could have maintained it's entertainment value for at least 100 more pages!

I really fell in love with Daniel Pecan Cambridge, our loveable OCD hero. The reader really gets a great feel of who Daniel is, what his "rules" are, and you wish you could just become his friend. I love that he knows his life it outrageous, and yet he doesn't see himself as crazy (but is well aware that he appears to be). I love the flow of the story and I love that sometimes the book drifts off topic, but that is totally Daniel, so it works.

Ok, so I might as well explain the plot, which is actually quite simple. Daniel is a loveable neurotic who lives by his constant daily rules. But soon, his shrink-in-training begins to change his life (and totally by accident I may add) and he sees the world in a slightly different way.

Kudos to Mr. Martin for penning a very quick and entertaining read. I've already reccomended it to co-workers. Will I read him again? Maybe, maybe not. The reviews for "Shopgirl" looked horrible, and I think I'd rather stay happy knowing I read one of his good ones! Haha!

[Sabra Embury · Rating 4 out of 5]

I hold in high regard, the variance of output Steve Martin produces. He's a fascinating character who has been around, making himself known in trademark guises for decades now. As comedic actor, he's iconic; as a writer he's good at weaving cozy webs around sensitive, struggling characters.

In 1990's Shopgirl Martin sculpts Vermont transplant, and glove counter ingenue, Mirabelle Buttersfield, into a compelling LA heroine. Three years later in 1993The Pleasure of My Company follows the lonely and lost crusade, this time with Daniel Pecan Cambridge--an unemployed OCD homebody, obsessed romantically with both his: in-home therapist, and a real estate agent he admires sporadically from his window.

The premise of the sweet shut-in works, in that it's tough to read The Pleasure of My Company without borrowing the voice of the whimsical Steve Martin, himself, to narrate--hence lending a portal of accessibility to the entertainer's own persona. This is perhaps why risks weren't a factor in the protagonist's life, which was free from controversy, darkness, or vices.

For all of Daniel Pecan Cambridge's issues keeping him from stepping on curbs or asking women on dates, he seemed nice, smart, helpful and honest. And aside from mild bouts of death, violence and rejection, good things happen to him throughout the story, which is nice.

[Matt · Rating 4 out of 5]

The fact that Steve Martin chose a somewhat cliche scenario for this book (a protagonist with OCD whose safe, regimented life is encroached upon by "normal" people who are actually more screwed up than he is...BUT...they teach one another about love and life) only serves to show how well he can write. This is a funny, touching novel that ends up giving insight into who Steve Martin is beyond the one-dimensional comedian from vintage SNL and '80's films.

It's not the best novel I've ever read (it drives me crazy that two integral characters just disappear by the end of the book with no explanation) but it made me laugh out loud throughout, and the sentimental ingredients in the story balance everything into a really satisfying read.

Steve Martin is so famous as an actor, that it's hard to separate book from film. While it seems like the humor went flat in his later movies, it's still going strong in his writing. Whenever an analogy comes up in the book, you know the words "...was like a..." are going to lead to Steve Martin gold. The pages of my copy are now heavily dog-eared.

His heart is clearly in it, and you can't help feeling that the awkwardness-and the goodness-of the protagonist have got to be metaphorically autobiographical.

[Kressel Housman · Rating 3 out of 5]

In doing research on OCD, this book came up as a fictional account, and to my surprise, it was written by comedian and director Steve Martin. I didn't know he'd branched out into novel writing, so that was intriguing in itself. The book isn't laugh-out-loud funny, but sufferers of OCD alternate between absurd and pathetic, which is pretty much the feel of this book. You can't help but sympathize with the protagonist because he's a nice guy, but some of his obsessions and compulsions are funny. And lest you think I'm being insensitive, I discovered through my research that getting obsessive-compulsives to laugh at their absurdities is an effective cure.

A brief word about the cleanliness of this book: I'd rate it a PG. No bedroom scenes because the protagonist is a little too afraid for that, but he does have desires and he notices women's figures. Steven Martin's first novel on the other hand (yes, this one's his second) called Shop Girl opens up with a scene so un-tzniusdig that I gave it up after a few pages.

[Fawzy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked the book. But I thought the ending could have been better. All of a sudden the character meets the love of his life. And he doesn't have any phobias anymore. So I liked it until the ending. The ending read like he didn't know how to end it so he just writes,"And then it turns out that so and so is the love of my life." And she thinks my phobias or my obsessive compulsive disorders are cute.

I'm not saying David Pecan Cambridge wasn't deserving of love or anything like that. Just saying that great writers put their characters through the ringer before you move to the logical ending that the main character deserves. And Cambridge didn't really go through anything, except a road trip and then he sees the girl he loves with another guy and he doesn't do anything and then the next thing, the cute girl at rite aid he's always had a crush on is asking him out to go get a pizza. Just like that.

I recommend it but only if you skip the last two pages. : )

[Trish · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is such an optimistic story, and the experience of reading it is so joyful. The writing is lovely, the characters are fascinating, and the plot unfolds like a flower.

Obstacles and obsessions have narrowed Daniel's world. He doesn't have a job, he doesn't have friends. He can walk to the Rite-Aid by following a complicated route that avoids curbs. His grandmother sends him letters filled with love ... and checks. Twice a week, a student therapist named Clarissa stops by to ask him how he is; he lies to her. Gradually, through a combination of happenstance and Herculean effort, Daniel's world expands and his life changes.

First read: 4/22/04

[Wynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Honestly, I don't think 5 stars does this book justice. I wasn't sure what a book written by Steve Martin would be like. I love him in his films and on Saturday Night Live, but I've never read anything by him. At first, the main character starts out as a Holden Caulfield type, and it has the Catcher in the Rye feel to it, which I loved. As the book went on though, you find the person inside and fall in love with him, and realize he's not an anti-social jerk. It's a beautiful story with humor but also a strong, beautiful message. I highly recommend this book and I will definitely be reading his first novel, Shopgirl.