Shopgirl: A Novella
by Steve Martin
|
|
| published
| 2006
by Hyperion
|
| first published
| 2007 |
| binding
| Mass Market Paperback |
| isbn
|
0786891076
(isbn13: 9780786891078)
|
| pages
| 144 |
| date added
|
12-16-06
|
|
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Read in June, 2007
I picked up Shopgirl at the Strand for $4.95. I had heard of it vaguely as the movie with Steven Martin in it as an adaptation of the book Steve Martin wrote. I purchased it as a book that I could take with me on vacation and have it be ultimately disposable. Sometimes this trick backfires on me as I end up really liking a book and toting it home with me regardless of my original intentions. This is not one of those times.
Shopgirl tells the story of depressed, artist Mirabelle who works beh...more
I picked up Shopgirl at the Strand for $4.95. I had heard of it vaguely as the movie with Steven Martin in it as an adaptation of the book Steve Martin wrote. I purchased it as a book that I could take with me on vacation and have it be ultimately disposable. Sometimes this trick backfires on me as I end up really liking a book and toting it home with me regardless of my original intentions. This is not one of those times.
Shopgirl tells the story of depressed, artist Mirabelle who works behind the glove counter at Neimann Marcus. She has few friends, doesn’t do much with her art, and is basically wafting through life trying not to get mired in depression. Enter Ray Porter (the Steve Martin character), a 50 year old man also drifting through life, searching for the perfect woman by running through all of the imperfect ones as fast as he can. The two embark on a relationship which predictably ends badly, but also predictably teaches both of them something about themselves and allows them to grow as people and friends.
I didn’t have super high hopes for this book at the outset, having seen another example of Steve Martin’s writing in the play Picasso at the Lapin Agile (a play which starts in a very promising manner and ends with an Elvis impersonator beaming down into a small French café in Monmartre. Really.) Surprisingly, this book is relatively well written and even contains some witty insights on relationships between people. Here are two examples of such passages:
… Jeremy does have one outstanding quality. He likes her. And this quality in a person makes them infinitely interesting to the person who is being liked. (p8)
“I am traveling too much right now,” he says. In this sentence, he serves notice that he would like to come into town, sleep with her, and leave. Mirabelle believe that he is expressing frustration at having to leave town and that he is trying to cut down on traveling. … So now they have had the Conversation. What neither of them understands is that these conversations are meaningless. They are meaningless to the sayer and they meaningless to the hearer. The sayer believes they are heard and the hearer believe that they are never said. (p64-65)
That being said, I couldn’t get past the fact that this book is essentially chick lit. It might be semi-good chick lit (if that isn’t an oxymoron), and it may have been written by a man, but it’s chick-lit nevertheless. It has all of the hallmarks of chick-lit with a little bit of Paulo Coelho style self-discovery – no wonder it was a NYT best seller. I can’t recommend it without reservation, but if you want a short book for a quick plane/train ride, it would certainly do the job....less
I don't know why, but I almost want to perceive the story of the relationship of Mirabelle and Ray Porter as the author's parable of all relationships between older men and younger women.
A shy young woman toils in relative obscurity, unseen and unappreciated by her contemporaries (men and women alike), still emotionally a child waiting to bloom; an older man takes notice of her and is able to appreciate her youth and freshness and need for someone to notice.
Of course, there's the sex; ...more
I don't know why, but I almost want to perceive the story of the relationship of Mirabelle and Ray Porter as the author's parable of all relationships between older men and younger women.
A shy young woman toils in relative obscurity, unseen and unappreciated by her contemporaries (men and women alike), still emotionally a child waiting to bloom; an older man takes notice of her and is able to appreciate her youth and freshness and need for someone to notice.
Of course, there's the sex; but furthermore each fulfills some need of the other - she (this mild Damsel in Distress)brings out his "fatherly" qualities, she makes him feel protective; he satisfies her romantically (at least temporarily), and the fact he's rich doesn't hurt either, as he's able to fulfill some of her everyday financial needs as well.
Maybe it's because of these (fatherly/patronizing) feelings Older Man (Ray) has for Younger Woman (Mirabelle) that he inevitably realizes she'll never be what he's really looking for (an equal - socially and emotionally), and it's only upon their separation from each other that she's able to mature emotionally and professionally to become a full adult.
Meanwhile, the Younger Man who threw away one chance already with Younger Woman has had time to ripen and can now truly appreciate the qualities she's always had, as well as those she's gained from her experience with the Older Guy; he's now ready for her to lean on him for support, as Older Man watches lovingly and supportively from the background.
It'd be kind of rash of me to make assumptions about Steve Martin's personal background, but I really get the idea (perhaps unfounded) that there was a personal philosophy going on behind Shopgirl, and this roughly sketches it out.
...less
Read in April, 2008
There are a handful of writers I've come across who've successfully broken the "show, don't tell" rule every writer is taught. Kurt Vonnegut was one, and Steve Martin is another. It'd be hard to imagine Vonnegut in "Breakfast of Champions," for example, giving the reader all the information he wants to convey about Kilgore Trout, Dwayne Hoover and Eliot Rosewater through action and dialogue alone. Similarly, Martin in "Shopgirl," which is almost completely lacking i...more
There are a handful of writers I've come across who've successfully broken the "show, don't tell" rule every writer is taught. Kurt Vonnegut was one, and Steve Martin is another. It'd be hard to imagine Vonnegut in "Breakfast of Champions," for example, giving the reader all the information he wants to convey about Kilgore Trout, Dwayne Hoover and Eliot Rosewater through action and dialogue alone. Similarly, Martin in "Shopgirl," which is almost completely lacking in dialogue, spends most of the novella telling us about Ray Porter, Mirabelle and Jeremy, almost never showing us who they are through their words or actions. Yet, somehow, the book works just fine. In fact, it works better than the film version, which, being a film, was forced to turn much of the telling into showing.
One of the book's few failings, though, lies in some of its descriptions of Los Angeles. Martin is fine when sticking to the Los Angeles he knows -- art galleries and celebrity shopping trips, for example -- but when he goes too far afield, his presumably sheltered experience (being a wealthy and successful celebrity) shows. He says, for example, that the only restaurant in Los Angeles open on Thanksgiving Day is a diner in downtown L.A. What restaurant could he be referring to? The Pantry? I assure Mr. Martin that many, many L.A. restaurants are open on Thanksgiving.
Nevertheless, who in the 1970s would have predicted that the wild and crazy guy with the fake arrow through his head from "Saturday Night Live" would someday write such a direct, unflinching novel about contemporary male-female sexual relationships?...less
Shopgirl may be thin, but it's not light. Some might think that Martin, in his debut novella, would go for the easy laughs of his earlier books, Cruel Shoes<i/> and <i>Pure Drivel. Instead he draws a stunningly lifelike portrait of a young woman, Mirabelle, and the two suitors who don't so much win her heart as force it to change alliances.
There's humor--how could there not be--but it's found in characters and not situations. This is not a book populated by props wh...more
Shopgirl may be thin, but it's not light. Some might think that Martin, in his debut novella, would go for the easy laughs of his earlier books, Cruel Shoes<i/> and <i>Pure Drivel. Instead he draws a stunningly lifelike portrait of a young woman, Mirabelle, and the two suitors who don't so much win her heart as force it to change alliances.
There's humor--how could there not be--but it's found in characters and not situations. This is not a book populated by props who stumble into ridiculous circumstances for a quick chuckle. It's a book where Mirabelle's older boyfriend is almost always referred to by his full name--Ray Porter--as if he were as esteemed as a visiting professor, where Mirabelle's job behind the glove counter at Neiman Marcus illustrates her life's trajectory.
Shopgirl also contains the single best physical description ever put to paper. Jeremy, Mirabelle's younger suitor, nails down his attraction to her.
"Jeremy's attraction to Mirabelle arises from her passing similarity to someone he had fallen in love with in his preadolescent life. This person is Popeye's girlfriend, Olive Oyl, whom he used to swoon over in a few antique comic books lent to him by his uncle. And yes, Mirabelle does bear some similarity, but only after the suggestion is made."
It might strike you that the quote is in the present tense. At first, it's an odd trick that detracts from the writing. A few pages in and it's barely noticeable, but it never escapes notice. Strange as it may sound, it's what kept Shopgirl from five stars.
I'm sure Steve regrets that choice now....less
Read in July, 2007
From my blog (I listened to the audio book):
I can honestly say that I haven't seen all that many Steve Martin movies. Father of the Bride. Father of the Bride II. Cheaper by the Dozen. A bit of SNL. That about covers my Steve Martin experience. So when I was listening to Shopgirl, read by Steve Martin, I was a little taken aback by some of the language (George Banks shouldn't say such things!).
The protagonist (if you can call her that -- events happened to her more often than not) is Mi...more
From my blog (I listened to the audio book):
I can honestly say that I haven't seen all that many Steve Martin movies. Father of the Bride. Father of the Bride II. Cheaper by the Dozen. A bit of SNL. That about covers my Steve Martin experience. So when I was listening to Shopgirl, read by Steve Martin, I was a little taken aback by some of the language (George Banks shouldn't say such things!).
The protagonist (if you can call her that -- events happened to her more often than not) is Mirabelle (single, 28, cat owner), who works in the glove department of Neiman Marcus, selling things that no one buys. One day, she receives a dinner invitation from older Ray Porter (50, divorced, millionaire). They begin an odd relationship that is mutually beneficial - Mirabelle feels loved and held, Ray feels younger and capable. But Ray doesn't want to be exclusive. So when Jeremy (29, clueless boy with potential) enters the picture, Mirabelle is forced to take her future into her own hands.
Anyway, I finished this audio book in three short days. It's only a novella, so it was a very quick. And the more I think about it, the more I'm not really sure how I feel about it. I liked it, but it didn't really draw me in. I liked Martin's prose -- it was very clean and he had a good voice. It was pretty funny, and although I couldn't relate to any of the characters, I thought they were layered and interesting....less
bookshelves:
fiction
Read in July, 2007
I love Steve Martin. <---This was how I was going to begin this review. Cushioning the harsh criticism with true admiration. Before I continued ...after that first line I decided I was much too harsh and I went into other goodreads reviews of this book to see how close my opinion was with the general public...and I found what I had predicted I would find. A whole bunch of people who loved his book. In between those admirers i found a few, who like me, love his work and want to make known how ...more
I love Steve Martin. <---This was how I was going to begin this review. Cushioning the harsh criticism with true admiration. Before I continued ...after that first line I decided I was much too harsh and I went into other goodreads reviews of this book to see how close my opinion was with the general public...and I found what I had predicted I would find. A whole bunch of people who loved his book. In between those admirers i found a few, who like me, love his work and want to make known how much they love him ...only to follow it with the "HOWEVER this book sucked. "
His prose seemed forced and rushed. Using words like "Smart," and "sharp" to describe a 20 somethings wardrobe just wont do...not to mention the term lowdown should never appear in a book unless in dialogue. I do not know how his editor allowed it to pass. What confused me even more was the random use of the word, "fuck." and the juvenile sex scenes. He obviously wanted the sex to be humorous but it just came off as awkward. Honestly they werent needed in the book. The book was very simple and on the surface.
If you want to see his work..bypass the book store and go to the theater.
...less
bookshelves:
festival-o-suck,
own
Read in February, 2008
recommends it for:
boring people
OH, what an utterly FASCINATING look into the totally important and equally fascinating stereotypes regarding heterosexual sexual relationships. Everyone in this book could have died in a fire, and I wouldn't have cared. The girl, I hate her. I refuse to believe this girl is smart, everything she does indicates that she is a complete idiot. But the reader is supposed to accept that she is smart because Steve Martin cleverly includes this in the narration by saying something like "She is s...more
OH, what an utterly FASCINATING look into the totally important and equally fascinating stereotypes regarding heterosexual sexual relationships. Everyone in this book could have died in a fire, and I wouldn't have cared. The girl, I hate her. I refuse to believe this girl is smart, everything she does indicates that she is a complete idiot. But the reader is supposed to accept that she is smart because Steve Martin cleverly includes this in the narration by saying something like "She is smart. She reads books". WOW, NEAT. AND SUBTLE! Plus everyone in this book is really shallow and vapid and obsessed with clothes, which I think is contradictory to the claim of any of these people being intelligent at all. Am I saying that people really interested in fashion can't be intelligent? YES, PRETTY MUCH. The narration is ridiculous. BOO.
Also: this book is about a 50 year old rich white guy fucking a young hot 28 year old. And they made a movie out of it and of course, STEVE MARTIN played the 50 yr old. YOUR PLOY IS TRANSPARENT, MARTIN. I haven't seen the movie, but I actually kind of want to. If this story could ever work, I could see it working as a movie. NOT AS A BOOK, Martin isn't a good enough writer to pull it off. ...less
Read in January, 2004
recommends it for:
Steve Martin fans, novella fans, people with emotions :-)
I read this book out of curiosity because I'd always wondered what kind of writer Steve Martin is. (I mean, I'd used his quote "I think I did pretty well, considering all I started out with was a bunch of blank paper" for YEARS in writing classes, at the tops of syllabi, etc. I could at least see what he'd done with that blank paper.)
I was pleasantly surprised. I *really* liked this novella. It was the right size for the story. I think too often writers cram a lot into a short ...more
I read this book out of curiosity because I'd always wondered what kind of writer Steve Martin is. (I mean, I'd used his quote "I think I did pretty well, considering all I started out with was a bunch of blank paper" for YEARS in writing classes, at the tops of syllabi, etc. I could at least see what he'd done with that blank paper.)
I was pleasantly surprised. I *really* liked this novella. It was the right size for the story. I think too often writers cram a lot into a short story or stretch out not enough into a novel. I really liked the character of Mirabelle. I liked her struggle to find herself. She was believable. She had real thoughts, real feelings. I was a bit thrown by the Jeremy conversion toward the end of the book, but I don't even understand love and romance in real life, so making it have to be a stretch in a book isn't a huge downfall for me. I am SO glad that Ray Porter remained Ray Porter throughout the novella, decent (sort of) but never fully redeemed. The unforgivable sin in this novella would have been to have him become a prince charming and rescue Mirabelle, or something, a la _Pretty Woman_. ICK!
It did set up the expectation that some older man out there will pay off the remaining $58,000 of my student loans, but it hasn't happened yet....less
Almost everything about this book works surprisingly well. The tone and style of the narration brings the reader very effectively into the life of Mirabelle, a girl who is lonely and longing to connect with other people. She doesn't get the opportunity to do so very often since she is both shy and employed at the glove counter of Neiman Marcus that seldom has any customers.
It is at the glove counter that Mirabelle meets Ray Porter. Ray Porter is a well-appointed older gentleman who treats Mi...more
Almost everything about this book works surprisingly well. The tone and style of the narration brings the reader very effectively into the life of Mirabelle, a girl who is lonely and longing to connect with other people. She doesn't get the opportunity to do so very often since she is both shy and employed at the glove counter of Neiman Marcus that seldom has any customers.
It is at the glove counter that Mirabelle meets Ray Porter. Ray Porter is a well-appointed older gentleman who treats Mirabelle how she believes she wants to be treated. He takes her to nice restaurants, buys her expensive clothing, and takes her to the doctor when a bout of depression hits her.
What is great about Martin's writing here is not just the pitch perfect tone, but also his real insight into the nature of relationships and the way that we communicate our needs and wants to one another. When Mirabelle and Ray Porter seem to be the perfect physical match, they never seem able to connect with each other emotionally. It is Martin's telling of this tale and its eventual satisfying conclusion that will reward readers who choose to pick up this novella.
I recommend this book to introverts, romantics, and anyone who's ever slept with an older man....less
bookshelves:
2007reads
Read in March, 2007
"She knows that she needs new friends but introductions are hard to come by when your natural state is shyness." p.4
"However, Jeremy does have one outstanding quality. He likes her. And this quality in a person makes them infinitely interesting to the person being liked." p.8
"She is offering herself to him on the outside chance that he will hold her afterward. She feels very practical about this and vows not to feel bad if things don't work out. After all, she te...more
"She knows that she needs new friends but introductions are hard to come by when your natural state is shyness." p.4
"However, Jeremy does have one outstanding quality. He likes her. And this quality in a person makes them infinitely interesting to the person being liked." p.8
"She is offering herself to him on the outside chance that he will hold her afterward. She feels very practical about this and vows not to feel bad if things don't work out. After all, she tells herself, she isn't really involved with him emotionally or otherwise." p.14
"It never occurs to Mirabelle to observe herself, and thus she is spared the image of a shy girl sitting alone in a bar on Saturday night. A girl who is willing to give every ounce of herself to someone, who could never betray her lover, who never suspects maliciousness of anyone, and whose sexuality sleeps in her, waiting to be stirred." p.20
"She keeps working to make connections, but the pile of near misses is starting to overwhelm her." p.21
"Mirabelle is not affected by a man's failure to approach her, as her own self-deprecating attitude never allows the idea that he would in the first place." p.27
"I'm not sure what I like; I'm still forming."...less
bookshelves:
guilty-pleasure-reading
Read in December, 2007
Why four stars? Why guilty-pleasure reading? I think because I saw the movie first, and the book is written by Steve Martin. Everything becomes mixed in my head....I rather enjoyed the movie (which also starred Steve Martin and Claire Daines--one of my favorite actresses). But--obviously--what makes a good movie doesn't necessarily make a good book, even if the two are nearly exactly the same (which these two happen to be).
Add in an ice-storm that left us powerless for hours yesterday (t...more
Why four stars? Why guilty-pleasure reading? I think because I saw the movie first, and the book is written by Steve Martin. Everything becomes mixed in my head....I rather enjoyed the movie (which also starred Steve Martin and Claire Daines--one of my favorite actresses). But--obviously--what makes a good movie doesn't necessarily make a good book, even if the two are nearly exactly the same (which these two happen to be).
Add in an ice-storm that left us powerless for hours yesterday (this book is a good choice to read by flashlight) and a desire for a good story, and I'm left with what seems to be a great reading experience...but is it because everything I'm reading is helping me to play the movie in my head while I'm reading it, or is it because the writing is good?
I don't know if I'll ever figure it out. What I do know is that this book has one of the most intriguing narrators I have ever read--it is quite different from other narrators, which makes me think that Steve Martin is a good novelist (although this is the only book of his that I've read).
Over all, this was a quick, enjoyable read for someone who didn't want to think too much about lack of heat, light, television, computer........less
bookshelves:
audiblecom,
audiobook
Read in December, 2000
Downloaded from Audible.com
Narrator: Steve Martin
Length: 3 hours, 37 min.
Grammy Nominee for Best Spoken Word Album
Publisher's Summary
One of the country's most acclaimed and beloved entertainers, Steve Martin has written a novella that is unexpectedly perceptive about relationships and life. Martin is profoundly wise when it comes to the inner workings of the human heart.
Mirabelle is the "shopgirl" of the title, a young woman, beautiful in a wallflowerish kind of way...more
Downloaded from Audible.com
Narrator: Steve Martin
Length: 3 hours, 37 min.
Grammy Nominee for Best Spoken Word Album
Publisher's Summary
One of the country's most acclaimed and beloved entertainers, Steve Martin has written a novella that is unexpectedly perceptive about relationships and life. Martin is profoundly wise when it comes to the inner workings of the human heart.
Mirabelle is the "shopgirl" of the title, a young woman, beautiful in a wallflowerish kind of way, who works behind the glove counter at Neiman Marcus "Selling things that nobody buys anymore..."
Slightly lost but not off-kilter, very shy, Mirabelle charms because of all that she is not: not glamorous, not aggressive, not self-aggrandizing. Still there is something about her that is irresistible.
Mirabelle captures the attention of Ray Porter, a wealthy businessman almost twice her age. As they tentatively embark on a relationship, they both struggle to decipher the language of love - with consequences that are both comic and heartbreaking. Filled with the kind of witty, discerning observations that have brought Martin critical success, Shopgirl is a work of disarming tenderness.
...less
Read in April, 2008
Well, I started this yesterday, and finished it today. Admittedly it isn't terribly long, but a two day read is still indicative of enjoyment for me! I watched the film over the weekend, and then read the book this week. I was afraid to do it in the reverse, but I liked them both very much! (Steve Martin may not have been the best choice for Ray Porter...but I didn't think he was bad, King.)
I have to say that I was pleasantly surprised to some degree. I guess I hadn't realized Mr. Marti...more
Well, I started this yesterday, and finished it today. Admittedly it isn't terribly long, but a two day read is still indicative of enjoyment for me! I watched the film over the weekend, and then read the book this week. I was afraid to do it in the reverse, but I liked them both very much! (Steve Martin may not have been the best choice for Ray Porter...but I didn't think he was bad, King.)
I have to say that I was pleasantly surprised to some degree. I guess I hadn't realized Mr. Martin's multi-talentedness. But, there were moments of real brilliance in there! "He doesn't understand the subtleties of slights and pains, that it is not the big events that hurt the most but rather the smallest questionable shift in tone at the end of a spoken word that can plow most deeply into the heart." Perceptively true, and poignantly moving. His obvious sense of humor pops in now and then as well. I should have been disappointed if it hadn't!
I related over much to Mirabelle's character at times, maybe that is why I like it so much? The Andrew Wyeth mention was the clincher though.
Thanks King, this is now counted amongst my favorites...the book and the film!...less
bookshelves:
novels
Bored, I checked this out of the library one day, and I have to say, I found it surprisingly affecting. It's easy to sneer at Steve Martin for being a lit-pretender, but this wasn't a pretentious book in the least. It's a melancholy (not depressive), wise, and well-drawn portrait of a young woman in a sad, tender, no-strings-attached relationship with a wealthy older man who cares for her, but does not love her, and while this may sound banal, there's something extraordinary about this ability...more
Bored, I checked this out of the library one day, and I have to say, I found it surprisingly affecting. It's easy to sneer at Steve Martin for being a lit-pretender, but this wasn't a pretentious book in the least. It's a melancholy (not depressive), wise, and well-drawn portrait of a young woman in a sad, tender, no-strings-attached relationship with a wealthy older man who cares for her, but does not love her, and while this may sound banal, there's something extraordinary about this ability of this quiet little book to inhabit both of these characters -- especially the young woman -- so empathetically.
Honestly, I'd give it four stars except for the distracting make-'em-laugh satiric sketches of L.A., which come off as more apologetic than funny ("oh, all right, I'll throw them a bone..."). The book's rough edges -- occasional awkward prose here, a clunky transition there -- actually endear it to me all the more. Its lack of cynicism feels more risky than a hell of a lot of "approved" literary fiction, and all the more commendable for its disinterest in compensating with cheap sentiment. Its "depth" may be modest, but it's earned....less
bookshelves:
fiction
Read in April, 2008
This was an exciting book sale find. I had previously been introduced to Steve Martin's writing with Picasso at the Lapin Agile, and had watched the film version of Shopgirl several months back, and wanted to read the book ever since.
I didn't really mean to read it right away but I opened to page 1, and soon I was at page 40 without even thinking about it. Steve Martin's writing style - simple, straightforward, smooth - pulled me effortlessly into the lives of Mirabelle, Ray an...more
This was an exciting book sale find. I had previously been introduced to Steve Martin's writing with Picasso at the Lapin Agile, and had watched the film version of Shopgirl several months back, and wanted to read the book ever since.
I didn't really mean to read it right away but I opened to page 1, and soon I was at page 40 without even thinking about it. Steve Martin's writing style - simple, straightforward, smooth - pulled me effortlessly into the lives of Mirabelle, Ray and Jeremy. I watched them evolve and grow, appreciating the hint of sympathy and affection for his characters that Martin displays. The only thing that turned me off a little was the language; I didn't think it was really necessary to use the terminology he did.
I hardly read adult fiction anymore - mostly stick with YA or fantasy (or YA fantasy) - but between this, The Other Boleyn Girl and Olivia Joules and the Overactive Imagination I'm now much more willing to give it a try.
One last thing: I would definitely recommend the film to anyone who enjoyed the book. They manage to create the exact same feeling and atmosphere....less
Read in April, 2008
recommended to Diane by:
Co-worker
recommends it for:
People who like words
This book was a surprise to me, loaned for on-the-plane reading after I'd finished the book I'd brought on the trip.
I had low expectations of the writing and the story. Both were pleasant surprises. Written in almost elegant prose, the characters in their small lives unfold. Vignettes of their lives are neat and complete, stacking on top of and inside one another, until the chain of experiences moves each character to a different place. It may seem insignificant or that the characters ju...more
This book was a surprise to me, loaned for on-the-plane reading after I'd finished the book I'd brought on the trip.
I had low expectations of the writing and the story. Both were pleasant surprises. Written in almost elegant prose, the characters in their small lives unfold. Vignettes of their lives are neat and complete, stacking on top of and inside one another, until the chain of experiences moves each character to a different place. It may seem insignificant or that the characters just drift, but isn't that a lot like life? We may want each moment, each choice to be significant and important, but it's the everyday journey that has significance and the places it takes us that have significance.
Mirabelle, the shopgirl with a history of depression and small artistic talent whose triumph is getting through each day, is likeable because she doesn't wallow. She wants to be someone to somebody. Ray, the older man who pursues her, disappoints and hurts her and stays part of her life afterward, is lost, generous and clueless. And Jeremy grows up without ever knowing how much of a loser he was....less
Read in February, 2008
Mirabelle, a disenchanted salesgirl and aspiring artist who sells gloves and accessories at a department store. She has two men in her life: wealthy divorcee Ray Porter (Steve Martin) and struggling musician Jeremy. Mirabelle falls in love with the glamorous Ray, and her life takes a magical turn, but eventually she realizes that she must empower herself and make a choice between them.
n her 20s, Mirabelle leaves taciturn parents in Vermont to live in L.A. She sells gloves at Saks, lives alone ...more
Mirabelle, a disenchanted salesgirl and aspiring artist who sells gloves and accessories at a department store. She has two men in her life: wealthy divorcee Ray Porter (Steve Martin) and struggling musician Jeremy. Mirabelle falls in love with the glamorous Ray, and her life takes a magical turn, but eventually she realizes that she must empower herself and make a choice between them.
n her 20s, Mirabelle leaves taciturn parents in Vermont to live in L.A. She sells gloves at Saks, lives alone in a flat, and sporadically pursues her art (photography and pencil). She's so lonely she'll sleep with Jeremy, a clueless, penniless graphic artist and constant talker she meets at a laundromat. About the time Jeremy sets off on a months-long road trip as a rock band's groupie, Mirabelle meets Ray Porter, pushing 60, wealthy, charming, living in L.A. and Seattle. He thinks he's made it clear it's just an affair; she hears it's more. She's on cloud nine. Meanwhile, on the road trip, Jeremy listens to self-help tapes on relating to women.
This book is more like mature books, but is good to read....less
Read in March, 2008
Not my typical book but I was sucked in and had to finish it. Thank goodness its just a novella and only took two days. I've been seeing the box for the movie that was based on this book and wondering if it would be good so I decided to read the book first. Now that I've finished I'm still not sure if I want to see the movie...
This book is basically about how some people approach dating, relationships, and sex. Its tone is very matter-of-fact and its odd in the way the narrator tells us ...more
Not my typical book but I was sucked in and had to finish it. Thank goodness its just a novella and only took two days. I've been seeing the box for the movie that was based on this book and wondering if it would be good so I decided to read the book first. Now that I've finished I'm still not sure if I want to see the movie...
This book is basically about how some people approach dating, relationships, and sex. Its tone is very matter-of-fact and its odd in the way the narrator tells us everything - every one's feelings, motives, reactions. There is little dialogue and the viewpoint is constantly shifting and I would have appreciated less usage of the F-word. But there is a happy ending so I wasn't left completely annoyed at having read it.
I was also interested in reading it since it was written by Steve Martin the comedian and I wanted to see if he had any talent. He does tell an interesting story, even if the style isn't my cup of tea....less
Read in September, 2007
recommends it for:
Kim, Joanna, Ariel & Celeste
Recommended to the above people because they had to put up with my obsessing over the movie inspired by this book. This book has some tiny gems in it, and was overall, not poorly written. The characters as a whole are much better fleshed out and more sympathetic. I would recommend it as a quick read.
"Mirabelle no longer knows what she believes about her relationship with Ray Porter. She no longer asks herself questions about it; she simply resides in it. Ray continues to see her and mak...more
Recommended to the above people because they had to put up with my obsessing over the movie inspired by this book. This book has some tiny gems in it, and was overall, not poorly written. The characters as a whole are much better fleshed out and more sympathetic. I would recommend it as a quick read.
"Mirabelle no longer knows what she believes about her relationship with Ray Porter. She no longer asks herself questions about it; she simply resides in it. Ray continues to see her and make love to her, with their erotic interest never waning, not even one pheromone. He pays o ff her credit card debt, which has whopped up to over twelve thousand dollars. Months later, he pays off her slowly accruing student loan, which has recently crossed the forty-thousand-dollar mark. He replaces her collapsing truck with a newer one. These gifts, though he doesn't know it, are given so that she will be all right after he leaves her." p. 106
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bookshelves:
adultbooks
Read in March, 2008
recommends it for:
Allison, Ellen S., Tamara
I re-read this during the snowstorm and liked it almost as much as the first time. I have not seen the movie, because it can't be as good as the book. I have not written down any favorite quotes, because I would have basically been transcribing the book. The novella is short and the story is quiet, with only three (maybe four) main characters. I've probably never identified with an adult character as much as I do Mirabelle (even though she suffers from clinical depression and I do not). How Stev...more
I re-read this during the snowstorm and liked it almost as much as the first time. I have not seen the movie, because it can't be as good as the book. I have not written down any favorite quotes, because I would have basically been transcribing the book. The novella is short and the story is quiet, with only three (maybe four) main characters. I've probably never identified with an adult character as much as I do Mirabelle (even though she suffers from clinical depression and I do not). How Steve Martin can be so convincingly inside the head of a 28-year-old female, I will never know. But if you are like the bookstore clerk who rang up this book for me, you are in for a surprise if you see the author's name and say "Oh, I loved the movie Bowfinger!" This is a different species. Lovely book, one of my all-time favorites. ...less
book data (includes all editions)
avg rating
(all editions):
3.39 (4995 ratings)
avg rating
(this edition): 3.40
(3827 ratings)
number of reviews: 544
other editions
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Shopgirl (Paperback)
isbn: 0786885688
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Shopgirl (Hardcover)
isbn: 0786866586
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Shopgirl (Paperback)
isbn: 0753820285
quote
"a girl who is willing to give every ounce of herself to someone, who could never betray her lover, who never suspects maliciousness of anyone, and whose sexuality sleeps in her, waiting to be stirred."
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