One factor not to be ignored in the success of Steve Martin's novella is his popularity as a comedian, as a solo act, in skits on television's Saturday Night Live, and as an actor in numerous movies such as The Jerk, Planes, Trains & Automobiles, Father of the Bride, and Bowfinger. As a result, it would seem that name recognition alone might have caused Martin's book to gain bestseller status. However, while the general public can identify Martin as a comedian and as an actor in feature films, even his fans might not readily identify him as the author of those same films they enjoyed, an essayist published in the New Yorker, or a playwright. Steve Martin's finest work has been as a writer, so Shopgirl's success should be no surprise.

Steve Martin's fans also may enjoy, Pure Drivel, a compilation of his essays that originally appeared...