Why Not Mindy?
March 15, 2016
“If my childhood, teens, and twenties were about wanting people to like me, now I want people to know me. So, this is a start.”
So ends the introduction to Why Not Me?, the 2nd book by author Mindy Kaling. It foreshadows her book that is not only filled with hilarious anecdotes, but also openness and honesty throughout each chapter.
When Kaling’s first book Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (And Other Concerns) was published in 2013, the response to the book was not entirely positive. Some readers found the book to be a bit much when it comes to blunt, straightforward advice, but this is why I believe Kaling thrives as a writer in television and her autobiographies. Kaling is not always polite in the way that she gets her point across, but this is something that many readers appreciate as well. It is nice to read a book written by an author who has no reservations in her writing.
Again, in Why Not Me?, Kaling shows no hesitancy in sharing her thoughts, as crass as they may be. In this book, Kaling writes about her life as a sorority girl in college, some halfway romantic stories, and her job as a writer and producer of The Mindy Project, which is the Fox and Hulu sitcom she created. Kaling masters the art of coming off as real, honest and open, while also still leaving a mystery that causes the reader to close her book and think, “How does she do it?”
As a female writer and entertainer, Kaling is one of the most important of our time. Not only was Kaling an executive producer, director and writer for The Office, she also was the voice of Disgust in the 2015 film Inside Out. For Why Not Me?, she won the Reader’s Choice Award for Best Humor Book in 2015. This may be because she is a hilarious writer, but it also probably has to do with her humility as well. With chapter titles such as “(Minor) Fame Has Changed Me”, “Unlikely Leading Lady”, and “How to Get Your Own TV Show (and Nearly Die of Anxiety)”, it is easy to see that Kaling is humble about her experiences and her place in life.
I would argue that Kaling’s voice should be heard by many. She is down to earth in her writing style, causing many of her readers to say “I want to be her best friend!” I cannot disagree with this, as reading her works have made me feel inspired to not only be like her, but also to set goals and reach them as a writer. If you haven’t read Kaling’s books yet, I would recommend that you grab both of them and find a comfy seat, because once you start reading her works you will not be able to stop yourself.