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This is actually the audiobook I was most looking forward to listening to and it was only OK. I’m not sure why. Maybe my expectations were just too high.
I read Mindy Kaling’s book, Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? when it came out a few years ago and I loved it. I follow her on social media and watch her show, which is awesome, so of course I was totally psyched when she came out with this book.
Although I didn’t love it, I have to talk about some of the awesome things this book deals with.
Kaling talks about body image when it comes to her own relationship with her body and what it takes to look good in Hollywood. Aside from the requisite starving yourself (which Kaling does not do, or at least she says she doesn’t do), she covers makeup tips, style tips, and how Hollywood women get that great hair (hint: not all of it grew on their own heads).
Kaling opened up with this and that’s largely what turned me off this book. Part of me was wondering if the whole book was going to be style tips and I don’t even know why I assumed that. I got some great information that I’ll definitely use if I ever find myself in Hollywood, but I didn’t find it all that interesting.
What I did find interesting was Kaling talking about her career, her show, and being “the best kind of famous.” She talks about what being on “The Office” did for her and how she transitioned into writing and starring in her own show. She also talks about the politics behind Fox dropping the show, followed by the slew of offers she got from other networks, including Hulu (which is the sole reason I bought a Hulu subscription).
Kaling also talks candidly about why she loves filming sex scenes and the fact that everyone who says they don’t is lying. This book is probably worth reading/listening to for that chapter alone.
Kaling ended the book with a lecture on confidence and hard work that was actually pretty great. I don’t agree with her 100% on the hard work front, but I see what she’s getting at. And her recipe for confidence/success is the best I’ve heard yet. Way to go out with a bang, Mindy.
What about you guys? What did you read/listen to this week? Anything that was worse (or better) than you were expecting? I want to hear all about it!