Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (And Other Concerns) by Mindy Kaling

In the mid-2000s, actress and writer Mindy Kaling was hired as a writer for an NBC mid-season replacement based on a hit British sitcom. That show was The Office, which became one of NBC's biggest shows. In Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (And Other Concerns), she writes about her childhood, her early auditions and successes, behind-the-scenes stories of Hollywood, and, best of all, her opinions on almost anything.

In a year of strong writing and performances by very funny women (Bossypants, "Bridesmaids"), Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? easily sits alongside the best. Mindy Kaling is funny and smart and conversational in a great way. The pieces are short and precise and have both humour and heart. It's been awhile since I've thought "Man, that celebrity and I could be such great friends!" but I kind of think that about Mindy Kaling. There are some times where I would roll my eyes and be like, "Whatever, Mindy" (like the piece in here about how indignant she got when a cupcake store approached her about promotional tweeting) but then we would watch a Will Farrell movie and go get some donuts and talk about awkward dates. I listened to the audiobook, and the chatty, breezy tone of the book contributed to this thinking. I've heard that the audiobook of Bossypants was like inviting Tina Fey to your bookclub; listening to Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? was like riding the bus with Mindy Kaling and being confident that you were the funniest people on board.

Want more? Mindy Kaling had a website!

Find it at IndieBound.

Read it with:
Matt and Ben by Mindy Kaling and Brenda Withers
Bossypants by Tina Fey
Seriously, I'm Kidding by Ellen DeGeneres
Are You There, Vodka? It's Me, Chelsea by Chelsea Handler