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

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narrated by Mindy Kaling

The basics: Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (And Other Concerns) is part memoir, part humor, part observations, and part musings by comedian and writer Mindy Kaling.

 My thoughts: Going into this book, I had a positive impression of Mindy Kaling, even though I never really watched The Office or The Mindy Project. I didn't know much about her life or background, aside from her more recent success, and I thoroughly enjoyed the snippets and anecdotes as much as the longer narratives in this memoir.

I expected this book to be funny, and it is. Kaling has a gift for delivery, and she was the perfect choice to narrate her own memoir. I enjoyed the book so much more because of her narration; it felt more personal. Her delivery helped distinguish between the more humorous and more thoughtful sections, but the most satisfying aspect of this book is that Kaling at times manages to be both humorous and thoughtful.

Soon after I finished listening to this audiobook, Mr. Nomadreader and I started watching The Mindy Project, and now we only have a few episodes of season 2 left. Particularly early in the first season, there are familiar jokes from the memoir. Even more entertainingly, it was fun to see which attributes of herself Mindy the tv show creator gives Mindy the character. Fans of the show will find some familiar things in this memoir, and if you're not yet a fan of the show, you will be by the time you finish reading or listening to this one.

 The verdict: Kaling has written a memoir that is hilarious, introspective, insightful and illuminating. It strikes the perfect balance between memoir and humor. It has depth and humor. The audio production was fabulous, and her narration gave even more insight into her experiences.

 Rating: 4.5 out of 5
Length: 4 hours 37 minutes (242 pages)
Publication date: November 1, 2011 
Source: library

 Convinced? Treat yourself! Buy Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (And Other Concerns) from  Amazon (Kindle edition--only $4.99!)

Want more? Visit Mindy Kaling's website, like her on Facebook, and follow her on Twitter.

As an affiliate, I receive a small commission when you make a purchase through any of the above links. Thank you for helping to support my book habits that bring more content to this blog!

Comments

  1. AnonymousJuly 26, 2014 at 3:43 PM

    I've never watched Kaling's shows, but i do seem to like what I see of her from the paparazzi. And as far as audio books go, I think this one sounds great. Thanks.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Laurie CJuly 27, 2014 at 11:14 AM

    I only know her from hearing about this book, but I listened the audio edition of Bossypants and enjoyed it, even though I didn't really know Tina Fey, either!

    ReplyDelete

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