Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (and Other Concerns) in Pick-a-Shelf

Apr 01, 2015 Carrie rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: humor, non-fiction, pop-culture, biography-memoir

It was an ok audio book. Funny momments but nothing out of the ordinary.

2 likes · Like · see review

Jun 21, 2016 Joanna rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: biography-memoir, nonfiction, audiobooks, 2016-read, rws-2016-summer

This book is inevitably compared to Bossypants by Tina Fey. Even the author makes the comparison early in the book. And frankly, I enjoyed Fey's book a bit more than this one. But still, this is an enjoyable collection of the author's stories and thoughts. I enjoyed hearing her read it aloud in the audiobook. I preferred the memoir and personal stories to the more direct humor pieces (e.g., the story about being insulted by a soccer player in high school was much better than the list of alternat ...more

Like · see review

Feb 03, 2013 Joanie rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: non-fiction, bookclub, memoir, from-the-library, audio-book, funny-stuff, 2013

Before reading this I knew very little of Mindy Kaling other than that she played Kelly on "The Office." I had no idea how involved she was in the behind the scenes aspects of the show or just how funny she is. While this book wasn't as funny as "Bossypants" it was definitely an enjoyable read. You get the impression that Mindy Kaling is a smart, funny, likable person. ...more

1 like · Like · see review

May 23, 2025 Sabrina rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: 52in52_2025

I am not someone that you would call a fan of The Office. I didn't really watch any of the seasons fully through. I can say that if I was flipping channels, sometimes I would land on the show and might half-heartedly watch an episode, or I would leave an episode on in the background while doing something else. So, I'm not fully familiar with Kaling's character on the show.

But I have known that Mindy Kaling is a writer, and largely a comedy writer. And, since so many people seemed to love the sh I am not someone that you would call a fan of The Office. I didn't really watch any of the seasons fully through. I can say that if I was flipping channels, sometimes I would land on the show and might half-heartedly watch an episode, or I would leave an episode on in the background while doing something else. So, I'm not fully familiar with Kaling's character on the show.

But I have known that Mindy Kaling is a writer, and largely a comedy writer. And, since so many people seemed to love the show The Office, I did expect her book to be funny, even though it does not just focus on the show. One of the more substantial chapters in the book is devoted to The Office, and Kaling admits that it is one of the more substantial chapters because the show did comprise a significant part of her life. (When I say substantial, I mean that this particular chapter is more like a 15 -18 page chapter rather than a 2-3 page chapter, which some chapters in Kaling's book are.

Overall, the book has it's funny moments, some of which are even laugh out loud, but I will say that some of the book I simply found annoying; well, more like one aspect of the book I found annoying. Kaling recalls her childhood and how she was chubby. Along with this chapter recollecting on her chubbiness, she does include some pictures of her younger self. And well, let's jut say, I don't know that I would call her chubby or fat (which she does refer to her younger self as). She looks just like your normal not too thin, not fat or obese child. I don't necessarily find that fact that she referred to her younger self as chubby, and she does make a clear point of talking about how as an child of Indian parents there was a certain pride to her being chubby rather than really skinny. What I find annoying is that she continues at various points throughout the book to refer to herself as heavy or fat. I'm not fully sure that she really sees herself this way or she if she is merely focusing on how Hollywood labels here since she admits to not being "model thin". She does later in the book mention stylist who she was working with for a photoshoot who had brought dresses that were all size 0 - 2 and that they simply would not work for her curvy size 8 body. Ummm...hello, when did size 8 become fat? (I do particularly like this chapter because I think it's great social commentary on not only the fashion industry but societal expectations of women, especially women in Hollywood.)

Some of the best chapters I think were when she focused on her life in college (in New York) and then struggling to break into comedy writing when she was living in New York. I also thought that here insights into her career and how she got started with writing for The Office were really interesting.

Kaling's quick and sharp wit do come through really well in most of the book, so I think it was a good solid enjoyable read. ...more

Like · see review