Review: Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (And Other Concerns) by Mindy Kaling
POSTED BY mrenart ON January 9, 2012
by Megan
After finishing this book, I immediately felt the urge to submit a best friend application to Mindy to see if she’d take me.
Many other like-minded readers have had the same reaction, judging by the results of my google search “Mindy Kaling best friend”. The first result simmers with a plaintive cry: “What do you think it would take to get Mindy Kaling to be my best friend?“ A review on Amazon simply declares “By the end of this book, you will want Mindy Kaling to be your best friend.”
How does she inspire all this longing?
Here is someone who had, by most definitions, a very normal upbringing. It might even teeter more toward Strict Street. Kaling had no TV rights during the week while growing up, because weeknights were for homework. Only on very special occasions was a treat like Seinfeld allowed. Hard work was a fact of life in her household—both parents worked one or two jobs with long hours and long commutes, and Mindy never heard either one utter a word of complaint.
This ethic followed her to Hollywood, where most looking for fame feel they deserve it simply by showing up on a red carpet and pouting. Mindy had no problems putting in 16 hour days to fulfill her career dreams. In short, Mindy is rooted in practicality, a refreshing quality that pervades her entire book.
Her take on John Cougar Mellencamp’s song “Jack and Diane” for instance, challenges the idea that this song is an anthem of sorts, based on the ‘normal’ American high school experience of hangin’ around after school, talkin’ n’ kissin’ till late at night. “Why are these kids not home doing their homework? Why aren’t they setting the table for dinner or helping out around the house? Who allows their kids to hang out in parking lots? Isn’t that loitering?” You sound like my mother, Mindy. And I agree with you (but high school Megan is grumbling a bit.) She concludes with reminding us of the chorus (Oh, yeah, life goes on, long after the thrill of livin’ is gone) and is offended that loiterin’ n’ talkin’ are considered (by Mellencamp’s standards) to be the best part of life.
I could go on and on about other parts of the book that made me shoot a desperate wish to the Universe that we become best friends, but that would basically entail me repeating every sentence I read. And that would basically be her entire book. So instead, reader, I’ll leave you with some of her finer points outlined in “Best Friend Rights and Responsibilities”:
I MUST BE 100% HONEST ABOUT HOW YOU LOOK, BUT GENTLE
I WILL TAKE CARE OF YOUR KID IF YOU DIE
I WILL TRY TO LIKE YOUR BOYFRIEND FIVE TIMES
I WILL HATE AND RE-LIKE PEOPLE FOR YOU
What’s not to like about this girl? Mindy, let me know if you’re in the market for a new BFF.
Megan
Tags: book, Mindy Kaling, review
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