I finished Why Not Me in less than 18 hours (eight of which I was sleeping) which is probably why my husband would have preferred me checking out Miss Kaling’s latest from the local library but he was clearly delusional if I was waiting for 32 other people to finish first. Besides I already have my own waitlist forming between friends and family members so it was clearly a must-buy.
I have avoided reading the other reviews of Why Not Me because I wanted to read this one with no preconceived notions (it’s the same reason I’m not reading ya’lls Felicia Day reviews either). I unabashedly love Mindy Kaling. I didn’t hate Kelly Kapoor and I was devastated for the 6 days the Mindy Project was cancelled; I also follow Mindy on Instagram and if I had a Twitter I’d be following her there too.
Her writing is so personal; her books are both easy reads because they feel like a very long, very one-sided conversations with a new friend.
Mindy covered her early years in Is Everyone Hanging Out With Me (and other concerns) so she focuses on her new found minor fame that has occurred since becoming the star on her own TV show. She is somewhere in-between “double-take-at-the-airport famous” and “[wearing] makeup when they exercise” famous. I enjoyed her sharing how this minor fame has changed her, in many ways, for the better. She also is incredibly honest about all the smoke and mirrors used to make her look her very best on TV, in magazines and on the red carpet. I’m seriously considering investing in a cinematographer.
She works hard and isn’t ashamed about being enthusiastic. Potentially controversial opinion, but I think Mindy Kaling could be on the same female role model tier as Amy Poheler and Tina Fey.
If you don’t like Mindy Kaling you aren’t going to like her book, but if you don’t like Mindy Kaling why are you reading her book? She is a refreshingly real person, despite her celebrity, and I am absolutely positive we would be best friends if we ever met.
“People’s reaction to me is sometimes “Uch, I just don’t like her. I hate how she thinks she is so great.” But it’s not that I think I’m so great. I just don’t hate myself. I do idiotic things all the time and I say crazy stuff I regret, but I don’t let everything traumatize me. And the scary thing I have noticed is that some people really feel uncomfortable around women who don’t hate themselves. So that’s why you need to be a little bit brave.”
