Mindy Kaling “Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me?” Review

While on my beach vacation back in August, I finished a book I had been meaning to read for a long, long time- Mindy Kaling’s Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me?. I’m generally a fan of the books female comedians put out (I loved Tina Fey’s Bossypants and Chelsea Handler’s collections have me almost peeing my pants), so I was looking forward to this one.

Although there are things that Kaling and I don’t have in common, like our ethnic background, high school experiences (hers sounded terrible, while mine was enjoyable), and our various jobs prior to and after college, I still found myself enjoying her stories. Sometimes, it’s even more interesting to read about people’s lives that are different than yours rather than too similar. Mindy and I share the same sense of humor, stubborn ambition, and love of pop culture. And sometimes that’s all that matters.

But then there are the stories and sentiments Kaling describes that fit into my life a little too well, like the chapters “Men and Boys” and “I Am Not an Athlete”. Amen, sister. Whether she’s telling the tales of her babysitting adventures for a rich family (where she gossiped about N*Sync and ate all the Bagel Bites in the freezer) or the hilarious excuses she has used to leave a party (the classic “Irish Exit” which I clearly need to master), she does so in a way that makes you feel embarrassed for her- but in a good way.

I ended up finishing the book in 3 short beach trips, which means it definitely kept my attention even in the hot weather. Her highs and lows showed just how far she has come from her days as a chubby child to one of comedy’s best writers and actresses. I now truly wonder, “why was everyone hanging out without Mindy”?