Book Nook - Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me?

Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me (and Other Concerns) by Mindy Kaling:




I don't watch much TV, so I've never seen The Office (but I have heard of it) and I can't tell you the last time I watched Saturday Night Live (10 years ago, maybe).  But for some reason, I've been reading lots of funny books by ladies who write for and perform on these shows.  First it was Bossypants by Tina Fey and then recently, Girl Walks Into a Bar by Rachel Dratch - both were books than I really loved.  And through online reviews and comments about those books, I discovered Mindy Kaling's Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me?

I wouldn't call this book "funny" (for that, 1st place goes to Bossypants).  But the author, Mindy Kaling of The Office, has lots of humorous observations about her life and the people in it.  I think I only laughed out loud towards the end, during the fake eulogy, which I think was actually written by someone else.  But, even though it's not laugh-out-loud funny, I certainly smiled and nodded my way through the book and could definitely relate to her on many, many occasions (being scared of the high dive, not fitting in with the blonde cheerleader crowd and others).

There are chapters titled "my favorite 11 moments in comedy" and "the day I stopped eating cupcakes."  Also, "why do men put on their shoes so slowly?" and "revenge fantasies while jogging."  So, obviously, this book is not for everyone.  But I loved the lighthearted musings and felt like I really got to know Mindy Kaling by the end of the book.  And of course, now I see her everywhere (well, on the internet at least).  She talks about how close she is with her mom, so when I saw in a recent interview that her mom died of cancer, I was genuinely saddened by the news.  I also learned that she has her own show now - even though I don't personally know her, I'm rooting for her success.
One thing to note: there are a few f-bombs in the book.  I listened to it on book-on-CD (narrated by the author), so just beware if your kids are around to overhear.  She also mentions to the book-on-CD listeners that there is a section in the hard-copy version in which there are a bunch of pictures.  She encourages listeners to swing by and flip through it next time you're in a bookstore.   I'll have to do that!

-Cheryl