Shopgirl Movie Tie-In

Unabridged
Author: Steve Martin
Narrator: Steve Martin
Genres: Fiction
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Date: October 2000
Length: 4 hours
Ratings:
Formats:
  • CD

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Overview

One of our 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, slightly 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 Steve Martin critical success, "Shopgirl" is a work of disarming tenderness.

Selected Reviews

Shop Girl

by Anonymous
  • Book Rating: 3/5

Shopgirl

by Angela Jones
  • Book Rating: 4/5

More...

Read All 14

Reviews (14)

Shop Girl

Written by Anonymous on April 15th, 2008

  • Book Rating: 3/5

I enjoyed listening to this book after seeing the film version with Steve Martin and Claire Danes. However, the book was more sexually descriptive than the movie. I would recommend seeing the movie version over the book, as it really captures the loneliness of all the characters but has a lot of funny parts, especially with the Jeremy character.

Shopgirl

Written by Angela Jones on December 9th, 2007

  • Book Rating: 4/5

I enjoyed this book. It was done in typical Steve Martin style. I really enjoyed hearing him read the story with his particular nuances.

Shopgirl

Written by Shawnee from Indio, CA on October 14th, 2007

  • Book Rating: 1/5

If you expect comedy, this isn't it. However, what it is, is a very good characterization of what all too often exists. The main characters are much too focused on themselves to ever really be successful in a close intimate relationship. Oh, it is very real. The author as reader even sounds bored as he tells about these joyless people who have no clue as to what they are lacking. While it was too boring to keep listing to, I was on a trip and this was my last audio book.

Tried to Hard

Written by DOCSJP on August 4th, 2006

  • Book Rating: 2/5

Having listened to a number of really outstanding books, this one was a bit of a let down. I do appreciate the author and enjoyed his reading of the book but the book itself just lacks that quality that separates a very average attempt with a gifted composition. I seriously believe that had you or I submitted this manuscript it would have been summarily rejected. The author just tries too hard to elevate the language and ends up with stilted prose that I would expect in a first year college writing course. This book is not bad for a first attempt at writing but it should have been placed in a shoebox under the bed, never to be seen by the public, as work began on a second book. In short, the author simply tries to hard to write a story. He should relax and let his language be more natural and spontaneous. A "molecule of moisture" - please, skip the alliteration and just write. I look forward to his next effort.

Nice job with a lost form of writing

Written by Anonymous from Woodstock, GA on May 29th, 2006

  • Book Rating: 3/5

The Novella is quickly becoming a lost art form, but Steve Martin does a commendable job with it. I would echo previous comments that this audiobook might be more enjoyable with a different reader. That said, the work itself is enjoyable, and the character development is steady and impressive. Martin's omniscient voice is welcome, and helps the reader delve past the cursory plot to see something more about human relationships.

Witty, but not too smart

Written by David Jackson from Racine, WI on May 19th, 2006

  • Book Rating: 5/5

First off, if you love Steve, give this a try. He does a GREAT job of narrating his own work. The quirky main character is great -- a telling look into the world of the not-quite mentally ill. The love story aspect is a bit lacking, but overall, I'd recommend it.

Shopgirl

Written by Angela on August 18th, 2005

  • Book Rating: 3/5

It was an okay book and a dull read. When will writers realize that they may have a talent for writing but not for 'reading' their own work? Most writers who read their own work don't inflict enough emotion as well as differentiate between characters. Note: If I enjoy an audio book (I listen while commuting) I often read the book at a later date.

shopgirl

Written by Kim Todd from Woodbury, MN on August 5th, 2005

  • Book Rating: 3/5

Nice, light fairly predictable book but another reader should have been selected. Steve Martin doesn't have enough inflection or emotion in his voice to read his own writings.

shop girl

Written by Gladys Colonge on June 29th, 2005

  • Book Rating: 3/5

this is just ok i think Steve Martin should keep acting , this is just OK thanks

Shopgirl

Written by Anonymous on April 17th, 2005

  • Book Rating: 2/5

I would have enjoyed this book much more had it been read by a professional reader. Just because Steve Martin wrote the book doesn't necessarily mean he should be the one reading it. His droll wit and rather monotone voice works well with his stand-up routines, but much too one note for a reader. Other than that, his perception of relationships does hit home.

Selected Reviews

Shop Girl

by Anonymous
  • Book Rating: 3/5

Shopgirl

by Angela Jones
  • Book Rating: 4/5

More...

Read All 14

Author Details

Author Details

Martin, Steve

"Steve Martin is a celebrated writer, actor, and performer. His film credits include 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."