SHOPGIRL

Meet Mirabelle, the shopgirl who sells gloves at Neiman Marcus, and the two loves in her life--"Mr." Ray Porter, an older man who loves women, and Jeremy, a slightly lost young man who is in love with her. Through his fluid, even, relentless reading, Steve Martin tells of the dysfunctional lives of his characters and their lack of connection with each other. Martin uses highly illustrative vocabulary to reveal the psyches of men in their relationships with women. Despite Martin's flawless narration, the story never comes to life for the listener, who becomes as frantically bored as the main character. M.B.K. © AudioFile 2001, Portland, Maine [Published: FEB/MAR 01]