‘An Object of Beauty’ by Steve Martin

They say the funniest people are often the saddest. Whether that is true or not; Steve Martin, mostly known for starring in (and writing!) irresistibly silly comedies like ¡Three Amigos! and Planes, Trains and Automobiles , appeared to be a pretty decent and serious novelist when his first book Shopgirl came out.  His 2010 novel An Object of Beauty , a sly portrait of New York’s art scene, was met with great enthusiasm. Speaking of a homo universalis: besides being an actor, novelist, stand-up comedian and screenwriter, Martin knows how to play the banjo as well.