Steve Martin – The Hermits' Rest

I find Steve Martin funny, charming, musically talented, and a fine actor. As a writer I give him a solid B/B+. He’s not a bad writer, but not one whose words would get published as hardback books if he weren’t already famous. So, you don’t need to run out and buy Steve Martin Writes the Written Word: Collected Written Word Works by Steve Martin. You can get it when it comes out in paperback. Or I bet it’s better with him reading it as an audiobook. You’d get all that wryness and tongue-in-cheek-itude better.

There are short stories, odd lists, and two novellas in this collection, including Shop Girl, which became a show or movie or something. I found it okay, but didn’t really like the characters. The Pleasure of My Company, a story written from the viewpoint of a very neurotic but likable fellow, I enjoyed more.

It occurs to me that much of Martin’s ability to make you laugh comes from tone of voice or slapstick, neither of which come across very well written in written words works.

I left the book at the condo so someone else could read it, though they tried very hard to return it to Anita.

Fish update

I did promise yesterday to show you the rosy red minnows that went in the fish pond yesterday. They all came up at feeding time, so I could get photos in the murky water. They’re busy chowing down on that algae.