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

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

Publication Date: November 1, 2011

Publisher: Crown Archetype 
Source: Book Purchased by Reviewer

Buy it at: Amazon / Barnes and Noble

My rating: 2 out of 5 stars

Synopsis (from Goodreads):

Mindy Kaling has lived many lives: the obedient child of immigrant professionals, a timid chubster afraid of her own bike, a Ben Affleck- impersonating Off-Broadway performer and playwright, and finally, a comedy writer and actress prone to starting fights with her friends and coworkers with the sentence “Can I just say one last thing about this, and then I swear I’ll shut up about it?”

Perhaps you want to know what Mindy thinks makes a great best friend (someone who will fill your prescription in the middle of the night), or what makes a great guy (one who is aware of all elderly people in any room at any time and acts accordingly), or what is the perfect amount of fame (so famous you can never get convicted of murder in a court of law), or how to maintain a trim figure (you will not find that information in these pages). If so, you’ve come to the right book, mostly!

In Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me?. Mindy invites readers on a tour of her life and her unscientific observations on romance, friendship, and Hollywood, with several conveniently placed stopping points for you to run errands and make phone calls. Mindy Kaling really is just a Girl Next Door-not so much literally anywhere in the continental United States, but definitely if you live in India or Sri Lanka.

I am so saddened to say that I just did not enjoy this book as much as I hoped I would. In fact, I truly thought it would be the funniest thing I would read all year. But alas, here I am, unfazed by the writing and comedy style of the author. 

Which is not to say that this is not a funny book. There were at least five jokes that I truly laughed out loud at, but that was about it. The rest felt sort of dry and uninteresting. And the ending felt very, very forced. Like the author ran out of things to say so she just kind of jabbered on trying to find her next joke. 

So this was not as epic as I hoped (for me!), but for the people that did find it humorous and enjoyable. I'm glad that you were able to see the joy that I had hoped to see. And for those considering reading this book and wondering if you should, I say: Take a chance! One man's trash is another man's treasure and what I find boring you may find beautiful. So go forth and read my friends!