Was my culture just a spectacle for the white majority, or were they meaningfully connecting with a diverse narrative? To be sympathetic, Jess had to be a pretty-but-not-too-pretty, nice, likeable Indian girl, defined by her culture and her inability to fit into the western world. Where did this leave me, as a fellow Indian girl, who was less compliant, less likeable? Tracey Wigfield saying," Women always take bad behavior by men and twist into somehow our fault. It makes more sense to us that we are somehow wrong than the possibility that a man is being rude," is a great quote and fact. This was a fun start to Mindy's new essay collections. This one talked about culture, religion and identity. Mindy wonders what religious aspects she wants to introduce to her daughter as she raises her. I was laughing from the start, of course and it was cute to hear a story about her daughter.

Big Shot - 4 Stars - Mindy shares a lesson she learned about generosity and expecting gratitude. She gives her readers endless curiosity over who “Max Davis” really is. She also shares a day in her life as a kind of bonus essay. In which Kaling learns the difference between appearing generous and being generous. Kaling is one hundred percent right that most people getting labelled as big shots are white men so it's awesome that she's getting out there and shattering expectations that a woman of color can't be a big shot, too.The list of things guys should do. It would not be ok for a man to write this about women, and it's not ok for women to write it about men. Even if it is 'funny'.

Hilarious…Kaling knows her strengths, and plays to them brilliantly…Aside from that effortlessly conversational tone and her pitch-perfect humor, Kaling’s biggest strength here is curatorial. She gives us the candy we came for—the advice, the anecdotes, the straight talk on body image—but sprinkles in something extra.” — Entertainment Weekly, A- In Why Not Me?, Kaling shares insightful, deeply personal stories about falling in love at work, seeking new friendships in lonely places, attempting to be the first person in history to lose weight without any behavior modification whatsoever, and believing that you have a place in Hollywood when you’re constantly reminded that no one looks like you.It’s about time, then, that the prolific multi-hyphenate has entered the world of publishing with a new imprint. Starting today, Mindy’s Book Studio will publish titles from a diverse roster of new and established literary voices. In honor of the launch, Kaling is recommending some of her favorite recent reads that also happen to make great gifts. “I love Bridget Jones as much as Agatha Christie,” she says, “but all of my favorite books have one thing in common—they’re cinematic.” What do we fight about? I wish I could say they were big, smart, philosophical issues about writing or comedy, but sometimes they’re as small as “If we do that cold open where Kevin dumps a tureen of chili on himself, I will quit this show.” We did that cold open, by the way, and it was a hit, and I’m still working at the show. I can get a little theatrical.”

We both think the best day at work is a day when someone is having a birthday and there is free cake to be scored . . . also very impressive that her babies are publicly faceless and yet still very cute. i, too, am a publicly faceless person but i don't think i pull it off with that level of pizzazz.I didn't relate to her life, the camp story (tedious, went nowhere),her high school 'crew', who identified themselves by a word made up of of each person's initials (boring- they did nothing interesting or funny!) and her bitchiness about her friends once they stopped hanging out came across as very callous. Because one friend liked horses she comments- I hope she found a nice horse to run off with (better than hanging with you, it seems) and making fun of people's looks and dress ("I may not have been that pretty, but at least I wasn't five inches taller than the guys') You have to have a certain voice to pull off that kind of talk and not come across as nasty. Mindy K. does not have that skill. Still, I did find myself wishing for just a little bit more heft here. It's definitely still lightweight reading overall, despite the moments where she gets real. But it accomplishes its purpose. It makes you laugh, and you come away knowing Mindy Kaling (hopefully the real one) just a little bit better. Work hard, know your shit, show your shit, and then feel entitled. Listen to no one except the two smartest and kindest adults you know, and that doesn’t always mean you parents. If you do that, you will be fine.”

Never Have I Ever follows Los Angeles teen Devi Vishwakumar (Maitreyi Ramakrishnan), who is navigating all the usual trials and tribulations of being a teenager: dating, identity, popularity, and the demands of her family and cultural life. Plus, bonus content! An up-close-and-personal look at what Mindy does all day, including “executive producing” and gift wrapping. The workday at The Office writers’ room started at 10:00. I would arrive around 10:15, sometimes later, at which point the showrunner would give me a dark look that told me he was very aware of my lateness and that we would be talking about it later.” This was exactly what it wanted to be. It felt like sitting in an LA coffee shop and chatting with Mindy for a few hours, hearing a bunch of funny anecdotes, and getting to know her a little better. And since we're already on topic, Mindy Kaling writing about her childhood and coming-of-age was one of the funniest and relatable things I've read as of late. Which is why the title essay was one my favorites:After reading Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me, I fell fast and hard for Mindy Kaling. However, by Season 3 of The Mindy Project I was more like this . . . Once Upon a Time in Silver Lake - 3 Stars - A short, weird tale of a night out with her best friend BJ. I’m not sure what we are supposed to derive from the story. It a good party antidote though. Mindy Kaling is an actor, writer, producer, and director. She currently stars in the Hulu original comedy series “The Mindy Project," which she also writes and executive produces.