Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? and Other Concerns

I heard Mindy Kaling on WTF Podcast, where the host eventually wore her down with backhanded compliments about being "busy" or "punctual" or "ambitious" without ever calling her funny, and eventually she snapped back something like: "You know what? Just because I have discipline doesn't mean I'm not funny. Just because I'm not fucked up or dead or drug addicted like some other people doesn't mean the font flows less freely for people like me." If Mindy Kaling has to work super hard at what she does, I wouldn't know: this reads so well, so effortlessly! It's funny and engaging and relatable from start to finish. The title is misleading; Mindy Kaling is self-depricating to great effect but never wallows in it. I loved this! So much better show more than Michael Showalter's extremely uncomfortable and self-conscious meta-bio. show less

After reading and enjoying Tina Fey's Bossypants, as well as watching every available episode of The Office, I was super interested in reading Mindy Kaling's book. I can tell you now, she did not disappoint.

Before reading Kaling's book, I had read a few varying reviews and was nervous to move forward. But to be honest, I don't see why anyone would view this book negatively. No, it's not a story that makes you feel changed or enlightened. But it's not supposed to, because it's not a story. It is the life of a successful comedy writer and actress. I don't know what was expected of this novel by other reviewers, but I went into it with an open mind and came out having enjoyed the few hours it took me to read the book.

Kaling begins the show more novel as expected, reminiscing on her childhood and presenting stories relevant to who she is now and what she has accomplished. The book is laid out much more like a collection of essays on her life and experiences rather than a chapter book, which I think is very effective. We don't want to read a day-by-day account of Kaling's life, nor do I think she would want to write such a book. She presents us with anecdotes and lists that allow her comedic voice to shine, and make us feel like we've gotten to know her a bit better. She's not shy about liking or disliking her coworkers. She presents her life as it is, without trying to convince us of some kind of glamourous and shiny Hollywood facade.

And now, if I could just find a way to spend a night out of the town with Mindy. Let's be honest: she'd be fucking brilliant. show less

TOO FUNNY. yes, it's light, chatty, sometimes stuff is filler. but whatever! by her own admission this is a book you are supposed to finish in two days. Is it Moby Dick? No. But this doesn't replace Moby Dick. It replaces looking at cute animals on the internet for a couple of days, or whatever it is that you do to waste time in a pleasant, happy manner. It replaces... looking at and writing goodreads reviews.

This book is Mindy Kaling's memoir of her journey from a chubby, awkward kid who adored SNL and Monty Python to a famous TV writer and actress (and, later, showrunner, although this book came out before "The Mindy Project" got going). She writes about being a relatively unpopular child whose friends' interests didn't quite align with her own, about moving to New York City and finding unexpected success with her Off-Broadway play "Matt & Ben," about meeting Greg Daniels and landing her role as Kelly Kapoor on "The Office," about her hatred of comedy roasts and her self-described uselessness as a writer (for a brief period) on SNL, and about her funny and frustrating experiences in Hollywood. There's a little bit about romance, but mostly show more in the abstract; this book is not a tell-all, by any means. And while Kaling does address her identity as an Indian American, as well as her totally-normal-but-big-for-Hollywood size, these aren't the focus of her book, and nor should they be. Instead, this memoir offers a fun, lighthearted look at Kaling's life and career in television.

This book is exactly what you'd expect it to be if you're familiar with Mindy Kaling's persona and style of comedy. It's as if your good friend, the one whose crazy escapades you like to live vicariously though, is chatting to you after a late night of drinking wine and watching romantic comedies. It's very light and very funny, and I enjoyed it immensely; it would make excellent plane reading. One of my favorite sections was the chapter on "Types of Women in Romantic Comedies Who Are Not Real," which debunks the myth of the beautiful klutz. (Because seriously, "klutzy" seems to be the go-to flaw for writers who still want their heroines to be cool and witty and gorgeous and without actual flaws. Do any of us really know smart, hot women who fall down the stairs on a regular basis?) I also loved the list of possible Hollywood movies coming to theaters soon, including "Crest Whitestrips," "Untitled Jennifer Lopez Sonia Sotomayor Project," "Street Smart," and "Street Stupid" ("Street Smart" sequel). Some of them do sound frighteningly plausible! So, bottom line: this is a funny, enjoyable book by a woman who is both successful and relatable. If you like Mindy Kaling, you should definitely check it out! show less

Loved this book so much! It was a fun, quick, and most enjoyable read. I was really interested in reading this book because I watched Mindy on “The Office” (I am big fan of the show!) and also I sometimes watch her new solo show “The Mindy Project”. The book starts of with a witty introduction of what to expect of the book and launches into her childhood years. It then talks about her teenage years and her adult years; how she got started in TV, the experience of working on “The Office”, etc.

In between these chronicled events of her life she discusses everyday topics such as: what her personality is like, how men should treat a lady, what defines a best friend, and many other things. It’s these additions to the book that show more making reading it so great and gives it the comedic factor. I definitely laughed out loud many times while reading. What I really appreciated the most about this book is Mindy is just so “real”. She has a very likeable “down-to-earth” personality and is a great storyteller which I connected with and I think other readers will too. She is one of the many celebrity friends “in my head”. show less

Not quite a memoir but also not quite a collection of essays, this feels a bit like delving into Mindy's brain into a curated tour of the bits she thinks are funniest or most interesting. It's entertaining and if you're a fan of hers, you'll enjoy it but not a must-read.

I loved this book. It was funny and light and refreshing. Side effects of reading this book: started following Mindy Kaling on Twitter; taking her advice that tweets should take less than 45 seconds to compose, or you are doing it wrong; relaxing about losing 10 pounds (sort of); considering joining a community theater stage crew (turns out community theater in SF is actually for professionals only; bummed); checking out her defunct blog, and following the shopping cues even though they are 2 years old; becoming more open to the idea that shopping might not be torture; considering buying more clothes that are not t-shirts, per her thoughts on dressing during one's early thirties. In short, this book became my best friend for the four show more days that I spent reading it. Love! show less