''The Pleasure of My Company'' is a 2003 novel by

Steve Martin Stephen Glenn Martin (born August 14, 1945) is an American actor, comedian, writer, producer, and musician. He has won five Grammy Awards, a Primetime Emmy Award, and was awarded an Honorary Academy Award in 2013. Additionally, he was nominate ...

, which tells the story of the life of Daniel Pecan Cambridge, an introverted young man with obsessive-compulsive disorder. The novel revolves around Daniel, his obsessions, and his interactions with the world around his home in

Santa Monica, California Santa Monica (; Spanish: ''Santa Mónica'') is a city in Los Angeles County, situated along Santa Monica Bay on California's South Coast. Santa Monica's 2020 U.S. Census population was 93,076. Santa Monica is a popular resort town, owing t ...

Characters

Daniel Pecan Cambridge is the book's protagonist. Daniel has obsessive-compulsive disorder, and thus acts out compulsive behaviors such as stepping over cracks in the sidewalk. Elizabeth Warner is a real estate agent whom Daniel falls in love with from afar. Zandy is a pharmacist at the local

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whom Daniel develops a crush on before he meets her. Daniel's grandmother is a kind, wealthy woman who sends him letters and checks throughout the novel. Philipa is an intelligent and attractive actress who lives upstairs from Daniel with her boyfriend Brian and her dog Tiger. She is one of Daniel's closest friends. Brian is Philipa's athletic boyfriend. Daniel is indifferent to him at first, but eventually they become friends. Clarissa a college student who is studying to become a psychologist. She meets with Daniel twice a week to evaluate him, but their relationship becomes more personal.

Other

stated in an interview with

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that if ''The Pleasure of My Company'' is made into a film, he would like

Ashton Kutcher Christopher Ashton Kutcher (; born February 7, 1978) is an American actor, producer, entrepreneur, and former model. He is the recipient of various accolades, including a People's Choice Award, and nominations for two Young Artist Awards, a ...

to play Daniel. 2003 American novels Novels about obsessive–compulsive disorder Novels set in Santa Monica, California Novels by Steve Martin Hyperion Books books {{2000s-novel-stub