One thing you need to know about me is that I love Mindy Kaling. I loved the writing for The Office, I loved her as Kelly Kapur, I love her in The Mindy Project, and I now I can say that I love her book.
I’ve been wanting to read her book for a while, and I was delighted when my good friend (and ex-roommate) sent it to me in the mail. That was a week ago, and since then I’ve finished the book and re-read all of my favorite sections.
The book reads almost like a blog. It’s autobiographical, but it also contains small bits with her thoughts on just about anything including a chapter called “Karaoke Etiquette” and one called “Best Friends Rights and Responsibilities.”
If you’ve seen the Mindy Project, you’ll notice traces of Mindy Lahiri (her character in the show), but this Mindy is smarter and more down-to-earth. Mindy Kaling doesn’t sugar coat anything. She writes exactly what she’s thinking in a conversational, hilarious voice that is so Mindy.
I particularly enjoyed reading about the challenges she faced after graduating college but before becoming a successful actress and writer. As a college student chasing after my own dreams, it’s comforting to read about someone who has achieved success, yet is still relatable and real. She’s so relatable, in fact, that I felt like I was reading a book about myself written by someone infinitely smarter and funnier.
This is a great book for casual, light reading. By the end of the book you’ll wish Mindy was your best friend and you’ll desperately try to get her to Tweet you back (hypothetically, of course).
Dorm Diaries 