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November 17, 2003
Entry: "Casaubon, Pleasure of my Company"

This looks interesting. But then I'm a big fan of Middlemarch. And within Middlemarch, a big fan of the problem of Casaubon. This does, however, look like one of those books I would never actually read, even if I enjoyed the introduction and chapter headings.

I started The Pleasure of my Company last night. I love Steve Martin the writer. He's sweet and funny and light without being at all nauseating. Shopgirl was a lovely story of a young woman coming into her own that I greatly enjoyed. It must be said, the outset of this novel feels more like a setup for a short story... or one of those one joke novels that should have been a short story. There's a main character with OCD and we are privy to his inner thoughts, and he really wants a date with the real estate agent he can see through his window. But Martin's style is so flawless, it just pulls you along. So I have great faith.

Also, I've gone back to Proust. Not only am I getting an itch for it, but it's nice to be reading something during the Christmas season (I probably said this last year too...) that no one is going to want to hear about.