I find comedy to be the best pick for distracted reading situations, like on a plane. With that, I loaded my Kindle with memoirs by female comedians, to keep me laughing during our Europe vacation.
PLOT - Emmy-nominated writer and actress, Mindy Kaling gives us stories involving her childhood with immigrant parents, how she broke into comedy and working on the American version of The Office. Kaling writes about her relationships, artistic ideas and her physical appearance. The range of topics included in, Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me, may be broad, but the comedic tone is consistent. You will laugh.
LIKE- Kaling's voice= love it. Her writing is informal and warm, like hearing stories over wine with your best friend. She has some great stories, but ultimately, it's her voice that kept me engaged. Tell me anything Kaling, I'm listening!
Just after reading Kaling's memoir, I also read Amy Poehler's Yes Please ( although I reviewed Poehler's first) and I felt let-down by Poehler. Both Kaling and Poehler are very funny women, but I felt like Kaling had better stories and observations, or maybe she was just more selective about what she included in her book.
Most memorable was learning how Kaling got her big break, by writing and performing a Ben Affleck/Matt Damon spoof off-broadway with one of her friends. Kaling was Ben. Take a moment to let that mental imagine sink in. Besides being such a quirky beginning to show-biz, I love this story because Kaling took her pop-culture passion and put it to work. Clearly, she had no idea that this little play would take off. Throughout, Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me, Kaling mentions her unabashed love for low-brow, pop-culture. It's refreshing and relatable. She is proud of who she is and defends the things that she enjoys, her attitude really makes me like her.
DISLIKE- Nothing. I was eager to buy more from Kaling and elated to discover that her new book, Why Not Me, is set to release on September 15, 2015.
RECOMMEND- Like to laugh? Get Mindy Kaling's Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me. It's hilarious and even inspirational.