From the Bookshelf of Ultimate Popsugar Reading Challenge…

Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me?

Mindy Kaling

Finish date: January 2, 2015

Discussion: 2015 Challenge Prompts

Find A Copy At

Libraries

Group Discussions About This Book

Showing 2 of 51 topics — 2,511 comments total

2015 Challenge Prompts

Prompt 25: A book you were supposed to read in school but didn't
By Ann · 67 posts · 992 views

last updated Jan 17, 2023 03:51PM

Prompt 39: A book with magic
By Ann · 48 posts · 446 views

last updated Jan 02, 2019 05:46AM

showing 10 of 33 topics view all »

What Members Thought

Apr 02, 2016 Christina rated it really liked it

Shelves: popsugar-2016-reading-challenge, nonfiction

A version of this review appeared on my blog, drinkingandink.

Popsugar 2016 Reading Challenge: A book written by a celebrity.

Mindy Kaling is not actually your best friend, but after reading this book, you may feel like maybe she is. She’s your charming, funny, wildly successful,slightly neurotic, very girly best buddy, whom you love constantly even as you find her kind of obnoxious at times. And that’s great, as far as I’m concerned: especially in the comedy world, being confident, occasionally o A version of this review appeared on my blog, drinkingandink.

Popsugar 2016 Reading Challenge: A book written by a celebrity.

Mindy Kaling is not actually your best friend, but after reading this book, you may feel like maybe she is. She’s your charming, funny, wildly successful,slightly neurotic, very girly best buddy, whom you love constantly even as you find her kind of obnoxious at times. And that’s great, as far as I’m concerned: especially in the comedy world, being confident, occasionally obnoxious and not always likeable has been a staple for men for what feels like forever. Comedy girl power!

I realized right around when she talked about her favorite comedy bits that Mindy Kaling and I would not actually be best friends, even in “this celebrity is my best friend” fantasy world (I don’t think I’ve ever had one of those fantasies, but if I did I think I’d pick someone nerdier, and/or more outspoken on social issues. Mark Ruffalo, maybe). Anyone who loves Will Ferrell to that extent and I are not going to be best friends any time soon. Also, I’m not into shopping. And that’s both the strength and weakness of this book: there’s enough in here that probably everyone can find something to relate to, but you may only really love the parts you can relate to. So here are the things I can relate to, and the parts I particularly loved:

- Where she takes on John Cougar Mellencamp and touts the advantages of being a quiet, overlooked kid in high school. This struck me as accurate, and then I read the whole thing to my husband, who is the authority as he actually went to high school, which I didn’t, and he confirmed that it struck a chord with him as well.
- One-night stands and her conversation with her Excited Sexually Liberated Friend. This was the part of the book that made me laugh so hard I couldn’t speak. Partly because it was just so funny, but mostly because it was JUST SO TRUE. I have been that friend. The Mindy friend, not the ESLF.
- Body image things. As someone who also falls into the “average American woman” size, I do feel it’s a weird place to be, just in general. It’s confusing when you know you’re not actually being discriminated against because of your size but you’ll also never be categorized by society as “hot” because you have body fat. And if you’re in Hollywood, I’m sure it must be a million times worse. Although she says it wasn’t cool of her to do what she did, I actually think Mindy’s shining moment in this book is when she makes the stylist fit the dress to her rather than the other way around.
- Men vs. boys. I’m married to a man, but I definitely dated boys in the past. I think she’s completely right about where the dividing line is, and I now feel slightly better about the fact that I’ve definitely met “boys” my age, and thought I was the only one who thought there was something slightly wrong there. You’re in your early thirties! Why are you surprised to learn that bureaucracy is a thing that exists? Why are you considering another, only slightly related grad program as you reach the end of your current one?
- Types of women in romantic comedies. Having also grown up in a household that watched a metric f-ton of romantic comedies (I love you, family, but why? So many of them were so bad), I can confirm the existence of these types. Also, when does this Mindy Kaling low-budget romantic comedy she was pitching in one scene get off the ground? I feel like someone as aware of the tropes who also really loves romantic comedies might make an actually good one.
- Almost anything childhood-related. And here, can’t we all relate to that in some way? No childhood came without weird humiliations, diving board or not.

So, no, Mindy is not your best friend, but the way she writes, you could be fooled into thinking she was for a little while. ...more

1 like · Like · see review

Jan 20, 2015 Sarah rated it it was ok

Shelves: american-nonfiction

I wanted to like this book so much more. But I guess I should have done my research into Mindy Kaling before picking this up, because had I known anything about her other than that she's a comedian, I would have realized I was going to dislike it. She spends a lot of time just telling people they should buy more expensive clothes, or how she loves expensive clothes - which means I didn't even laugh. It was just so incredibly shallow, even for someone who is not expected to write a book that's ac ...more

1 like · Like · see review

Nov 21, 2013 Melissa rated it it was amazing

Hilarious, uplifting and inspiring! Mindy Kaling ROCKS!!!

http://www.chicklitcentral.com/2014/0... ...more

1 like · Like · see review

Jan 24, 2013 Jennifer rated it liked it

Shelves: humor, nonfiction, library-book, kindle

Funny, sure. But somehow I went from loving Mindy and wishing we were besties to being a bit over the over-the-top. Part of it is that the structure of the book supported continued vapidity (is that a thing?). Might have liked it better in hardback, where I could really see the photos. But for me, it was just meh.

Like · see review

Aug 28, 2013 Rachel rated it really liked it

Shelves: memoir

So much fun! I love Mindy Kaling and I listened to the audiobook which she narrated so driving to work was just like sitting with a friend listening to her tell me all her stories and opinions. I had a smile on my face through the whole book and laughed a bunch.

Like · see review

Dec 16, 2011 stephanie rated it liked it

Shelves: memoirs, 2012, laughed

oh, mindy.

this reminded me of something one of my best friends would have written. which i think is the best part of this book - i want mindy to be my friend because i think we would get along really swell.

she is hilarious and down to earth.

i love that she wants to get married and have kids and believes in real marriage. (i love amy poehler and will arnett even more after this book. oh AMY POEHLER, YOU ROCK.)

it's an easy quick read that will make you laugh. perfect for your teenage daughter! ...more

Like · see review

Jul 11, 2012 taeli rated it liked it

finished audiobook 7/6/12

Autobiography by Mindy Kaling. Unfortunately, in the world she lives in, size 8 is fat.

Like · see review

Feb 14, 2012 Julianne Dunn rated it it was amazing

Hilarious. I laughed out loud so many times when reading this book.

Like · see review

Nov 28, 2011 Beth rated it really liked it

I thought this book was hilarious!

Like · see review

Mar 25, 2015 Nadine in NY Jones rated it liked it

Shelves: memoir-and-autobiographical-essays, humor, essays, audio

Mindy Kaling talks about stuff. Sometimes it makes me laugh.

Not really much of a book here, but it's enjoyable enough to listen to in my car. Mindy is the kind of person that anyone would want to be friends with.

I could have done without the last 10% or so, the bit about her funeral and eulogy. It just wasn't interesting. ...more

Like · see review