Request for clarification by Researcher davidsarokin on Wed 7 Nov 2007 - 2:05 am UTC:

oneisnotprime,

First...very good name you chose for yourself.

Second, it's possible to access the Hayden Library online and look for
books by call numbers, that is, according to their shelf arrangement in the
library.  

There are quite a number of Martin's right next to George RR, including he
of SNL fame, Steve Martin.  Here are two of his books as they appear in
Google Books listings:

http://books.google.com/books?id=pfHDswP_D_oC&printsec=frontcover&dq=the+pleasure+of+my+company+steve+martin&psp=1#PPP1,M1
The Pleasure of My Company: A Novel By Steve Martin

http://books.google.com/books?id=Tn5TlkhW0RQC&printsec=frontcover&dq=pure+drivel+steve+martin&sig=XXS4QhoJsqYNgxYcUEIHwzQizQ4#PPP1,M1
PURE DRIVEL By Steve Martin


A fair amount of the book content is available at the above links.  To tell
the truth, though, they don't quite sound right, from your description.

Some other books listed nearby (there are many!):

 HAYDEN STACKS   

PS3563.A7239 A7 1983  
Fevre Dream / George R.R. Martin.

PS3563 .A72329 F5 1984
Final harbor : a novel / by David Martin

PS3563.A72355 B76 2005
Branwell : a novel / Douglas A. Martin

PS3563.A72376 L84 2000 
 Luck : a novel / Eric Martin

PS3563.A72376 V57 2007
The virgin's guide to Mexico : a novel / by Eric B. Martin

PS3563.A7238 M64 2005  
Molly Anderson : the saga of a pioneer woman / Etta Pruitt Martin

PS3563.A724 E8 2005
Escape to the promised land / Herbert Woodward Martin

PS3563.A724 Z84 2004 
Herbert Woodward Martin and the African American tradition in poetry 

PS3563.A724346 P37 2000
Parabola : shorter fictions / Joe Martin

PS3563.A7293 P57 2003
The pleasure of my company : a novel / Steve Martin

PS3563.A7293 P87 1998 
 Pure drivel / Steve Martin

PS3563.A7293 U53 2002 
The underpants : a play / by Carl Sternheim ; adaptation by Steve Martin



Anything ring a bell?  Perhaps Parabloa, the Joe Martin book, as he sounds
a bit of an absurdist:

http://joemartin.us/


Let me know what you think.

David

Request for clarification by Researcher davidsarokin on Wed 7 Nov 2007 - 4:34 pm UTC:

The links to the Steve Martin books may not be working properly, but if
not, a simple search on the title should bring up listings in Google Books
and Amazon.com where you can "look over" the books themselves.

David

Request for clarification by Researcher pinkfreud on Wed 7 Nov 2007 - 6:29 pm UTC:

When I read your description, the first thing that sprang into my mind was
"Cruel Shoes," a bizarre and wonderful collection of stories and poems
written by the actor/comedian Steve Martin.

The introduction to the book:

"You are walking down a country road. It is a quiet afternoon. You look up
and far, far down the road you see someone walking toward you. You are
surprised to have noticed someone so far away. But you keep walking,
expecting nothing more than a friendly nod as you pass. He gets closer. You
see he has bright orange hair. He is closer- a white satin suit spotted
with colored dots. Closer-a painted white face and red lips. You and he are
fifty yards apart. You, and a full-fledged clown holding a bicycle horn are
twenty yards apart. You approach on the lonely country road. You nod. He
honks and passes." 

There are four pages of excerpts from an earlier, shorter version of "Cruel
Shoes" here:

http://www.compleatsteve.com/miscellany/cruelshoes_1.htm

Does this ring a bell (or honk a clown horn)?

Request for clarification by Researcher davidsarokin on Wed 7 Nov 2007 - 8:21 pm UTC:

oneisnotprime,

Thanks for the update, and good luck.

Before driving out, you might want to check out the books online.  Head to
the ASU library call number search page:


http://library.lib.asu.edu/search/c


and search on:

PS3563.A723


then do another search on:

PS3563.A724


That should show you just about everything that's on the shelves near the
George RR Martin books.

David