Shopgirl

Shopgirl is a 130 page novel written by Steve Martin, the actor.

It follows a 28 year old 'girl' (Mirabelle) working retail (for Neiman Marcus: an LA luxury department store) as she navigates sexual and emotional relationships with one young man (Jeremy) and another older man (Ray); both (the relationships) complicated by a shallow, hot, 32 year old co-worker (Lisa), a complicated family situation (parental affair + Dad was in Nam), and clinical depression.

The other day I saw Mike Myers in the Dean and Deluca in Soho, near the store I have been working in, selling clothes. I think before I read Shopgirls I liked Mike Myers more than Steve Martin, but that is probably because he is Canadian. Also I read about him carrying a hockey stick around for no reason, in New York, and I liked that.

Shopgirls complicates and makes more sophisticated Steve Martin's persona, for me. Evidently, he sees himself as more than a 'silly comedy guy'.

A note on the style: Shopgirls is narrated from an omniscient perspective, with the narrator often having greater access to the characters' motives, beliefs and personalities than they (the characters) are aware of. This seems creepy - like if this story was at all autobiographical (which it probably is) then Steve Martin has a condescending attitude towards the people in his life.

Analysis: Shopgirls is okay. I thought about Steve Martin quite a bit. I was hoping there would be more stuff about working in a store.