Every time I watched The Office, the character of Kelly Kapoor literally drove me crazy. Her crazy mood swings, all the emotional drama, the vicious mind games…she was a drama mama if there ever was one! So when I heard that Mindy Kaling was writing a memoir, I was skeptical to dive in. If anything, I thought it would read like an 8th graders diary, filled with “he said, she said” stories and decorated with little doodles and hearts in the margins.
Boy, was I wrong….sort of.
Filled with the same wit and cheeky humor that makes Mindy Kaling so darn loveable, albeit ridiculous, on The Office and The Mindy Project, Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? is a funny and enjoyable read, perfect for a day when you just need a simple distraction or a little harmless celebrity gossip. In her book, she talks about all kinds of topics, including being Indian, being chubby, doing what you love and loving what you do, her lady crush on Amy Poheler, relationships, rom-com’s, being unathletic, loving your nerdiness, and even how to deal with heart break. Her writing style is very conversational, so it feels as if she’s sitting right there telling you all about her embarrassing high school stories and the fun times she had hanging out with the old school SNL crew. You may even find yourself saying, “Me, too!” out loud as you read about her thoughts on body image, gym class, and stupid high school crushes.
Written in small essays that feel like you’re talking to your BFF on the phone or over lunch, Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? covers everything from Mindy’s hilarious beginnings as a Ben Affleck impersonator to her work on The Office and The Mindy Project. Speckled with embarrassing photos from her BlackBerry, as well as quotes that can only be Kaling originals, Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? is proof that Mindy has some killer confidence and, unlike so many of her generation, has the ability to remain true to herself every step of the way.
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