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Off the Stacks: ‘Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (And Other Concerns)’ by Mindy Kaling

Off the Stacks: ‘Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (And Other Concerns)’ by Mindy Kaling post image

Off the Stacks is a weekly-ish feature where I highlight a nonfiction book I’m curious about but will probably run out of hours in the day to actually read. I’m hoping that by highlighting titles this way, I can encourage other people to give the book a try, and, if it’s great, consider nominating it later this year for the Indie Lit Awards. Consider these books stamped with the “Sophisticated Dorkiness Seal of Curious Approval.”

is everyone hanging out without meTitle: Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (And Other Concerns)
Author: Mindy Kaling
Publisher: Crown Archetype
Nonfiction Type: Personal essays
Topics Covered: Immigrant childhood, feminism, comedy, television, entertainment, Hollywood, friendship, romance

What It’s About: Mindy Kaling is an Emmy-nominated author and actress on one of my favorite shows, The Office. She’s also a comedian, playwright, and astute observer of what it’s like to be a female in comedy in Hollywood.

Why I Want to Read It: I love The Office, and I love Kaling’s Twitter feed, which makes me think the book will be right up my alley. I’ve been disappointed by some books by young, female essayists (Sloan Crosley’s I Was Told There’d Be Cake let me down), but I get sense this will be more astute. I really liked some of what Kaling had to say in a recent piece she wrote for The New Yorker about chick flicks, which included gems like:

I regard romantic comedies as a subgenre of sci-fi, in which the world operates according to different rules than my regular human world. For me, there is no difference between Ripley from “Alien” and any Katherine Heigl character. They are equally implausible. They’re all participating in a similar level of fakey razzle-dazzle, and I enjoy every second of it.

And since when does holding a job necessitate that a woman pull her hair back in a severe, tight bun? Do screenwriters think that loose hair makes it hard to concentrate?

Who Else Might Like It: Fans of Tina Fey or Nora Ephron, The Office fanatics, women in comedy, movie lovers

Reviews:

Comments on this entry are closed.

  • Trisha December 9, 2011, 9:36 am

    That little excerpt on romantic comedies has me thinking I might like this one too…

    • Kim December 11, 2011, 1:15 pm

      I think Kaling is a lot more astute about what it means to me a young, female comedian/writer than some others I’ve read. I liked that particular piece a lot!

  • Amused December 9, 2011, 12:22 pm

    I love her on the Office so I am intrigued by this one too!

  • bermudaonion (Kathy) December 9, 2011, 3:42 pm

    This one’s been getting great reviews!

  • Unruly Reader December 10, 2011, 12:20 pm

    Your review just made me need to place a hold on this book… this very minute! (just opened another window to pull up the library catalog)

    • Kim December 11, 2011, 1:15 pm

      Yay! I’ve been on hold for this one for awhile. I’m anxiously waiting for it to come.

  • Aths December 10, 2011, 2:48 pm

    I wasn’t really sure of this one initially, but those few passages you shared makes me feel that I may like this book too! I will try to look for it!

    • Kim December 11, 2011, 1:15 pm

      I’m really hoping the book keeps up that tone. I think it’s quite enjoyable.

  • Kailana December 10, 2011, 9:28 pm

    I actually started reading this, but because I am not really reading at all I never got very far… I really must get back to it!

    • Kim December 11, 2011, 1:16 pm

      I can’t wait to hear what you think!

  • Meg December 12, 2011, 8:43 am

    I’m also a huge fan of “The Office” and was very excited to see Kaling had a book coming out! I’m hoping Santa is bringing me a copy — or I might have to run out and get my own . . .

    • Kim December 14, 2011, 8:14 pm

      I’m waiting anxiously for this one from the library. I’m very excited!