On the surface, Mindy Kaling, the writer/director/actress from NBC's The Office, and I don't have much in common. She's the Dartmouth graduate daughter of Indian parents, she's employed in her dream job(s), she's younger than me--though not as much younger than me as her youthful appearance would suggest, she also is far more interested in fashion than I am or have ever been.
One thing we seem to share, though, is that weird balance of supreme confidence and devastating insecurity that I've mentioned here before (#6 on this list). Her confidences and insecurities are both on display in her collection of musings Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (And Other Concerns). These are short pieces on topics ranging from Hollywood to summer camp to girl friendships to body image issues to men's chest hair* to her writing "process" (hint: ideally it does not involve leaving her bed). In short, they are all over the map--but even the most potentially fraught topics are handled with a deft touch.
Kaling's book is something I read on a whim after seeing her interview on The Daily Show With Jon Stewart. Like many "celebrity" offerings, it's light reading, but unlike many others, this one's not fluffy. It's smart and funny and revealing--but not in let-me-tell-you-all-about-my-horrible-childhood way.
In my steady diet of books, Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? was perhaps not the most nutritious offering of the month, but the calories definitely were not completely empty and I don't regret one bite.
Masked Mom's One-Word Review: Fun.
*Spoiler alert: she's for it and finds adult men with clean-shaven chests a little suspect.
The Art of Thriving ~Studio News4U
3 months ago
Love the title-- I'm going to check it out. Sounds like what I need now after finishing those damn Hunger Games books. Grrr. Sorry, I digress.
ReplyDeleteMasked Mom, I look up to you and your superb writing practice. No, really. You amaze me.
Aww, thanks Melanie. I have the first Hunger Games book sitting in the next room--haven't taken the plunge yet.
DeleteBy the third one in the Hunger Games series, I regretted having started them. Engrossing but GRIM. Especially when I started renaming the Arena victors/victims after people at work ;)
DeleteLove it!
DeleteIt's on my list, along with Tina Fey's BossyPants. Both sound fun, thanks for confirming.
ReplyDeleteI loved Bossypants! Let me know what you think of them when you get there. :)
DeleteI just finished Tina's Bossypants, and I'm now reading Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me.
DeleteWhich one did you like best? I confess I'm liking Mindy's better. I blame it on being "too young" to understand many of the references in Bossypants but to tell the truth I think it's my humor that's a little different from hers. I really enjoyed several parts in the book, but some chapters I was pretty lost...
The age thing makes perfect sense to me. I think Mindy's book was more conversational and personal than Tina's in some ways, too. Tina's had a bit more of an edge to it, I guess I'd say. I'm not sure I preferred one over the other--but Mindy's was more purely funny (less edge) and definitely more revealing.
DeleteYes! That's it!
Delete^ Larissa, Bossypants was awesome. Snort-out-loud funny in several places.
ReplyDeleteIs Everyone Hanging out Without Me is on my Nook, just waiting for a long flight. Can't wait to dig in!
It would be the perfect airplane book, I think. Hope you enjoy it.
DeleteIt really was good MHalf!
DeleteI was thinking I have so many books on my list...but the spoiler cinched it. I've got to read it now!
ReplyDeleteI hope you enjoy it--it's a pretty quick and entertaining read.
DeleteSounds like a great read. I love finding out that celebrities have more talents than just acting. (It's also refreshing to not have to listen to them complain about their lives.)
ReplyDeleteIf she wasn't so goofy (and she is), she would actually be kind of intimidating with what she's accomplished.
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