So Many Steves: Afternoons with Steve Martin

Steve Martin is more candid than he’s ever been about his creative life—in this engrossing audio-biography centered around a series of conversations recorded over many afternoons at home with his friend and neighbor, writer Adam Gopnik.

Steve Martin met his good friend Adam Gopnik three decades ago, and in that time, Gopnik has always marveled at Martin’s ability to flourish in a wide variety of artforms: magic, comedy, art collecting, writing, and music. In So Many Steves, New Yorker writer Adam Gopnik creates a new type of profile: a year’s worth of conversations with Martin where Gopnik pulls back the curtain on his friend’s illustrious career.

This biography places you in Martin’s apartment across from Steve and Adam, listening as their conversation flows from Steve’s first job in a magic shop to selling out stadiums as a standup comedian, starring in major motion pictures, writing his first novel, teaching himself to play the banjo, and starting a respected art collection. Through it all you’ll hear clips from Steve Martin’s iconic stand up routines and movies as well as excerpts from his writing and tv appearances, all knit together by an original banjo score created and played by Steve.

Widely praised for his dada persona and portrayal of funny-yet-relatable parents, Steve shares behind the scenes anecdotes from his films―L.A. Story, The Jerk, Three Amigos, and more―giving listeners a taste of life on set. More than a history, this series of intimate conversations between old colleagues reveal Martin's thoughtful approach to both art and life. As Steve develops as an artist, challenging himself with learning new crafts, Adam sees his friend growing and evolving as a person: becoming warmer, more gregarious, and even more gracious.