I am a huge fan of Steve Martin in all his iterations, but I've been especially impressed by his writing. An Object of Beauty didn't quite top Shopgirl for me, but I really enjoyed it. As someone who has studied Art History and interned at an auction house, I loved Steve Martin's insights in to the art world with its changing and idiosyncratic trends, as well as the personal stories of Lacey and Daniel. I had never really thought about how art trends are connected to (and determined by!) the political and financial climate in a practical way - in school, the connection between art movements and politics always seemed more theoretical or reactive to me. This book has drastically altered my viewpoint in this area, and was a smart and reflective read that was beautifully written.