Why Not Me? is an intriguing read that will motivate many

Why Not Me by Mindy Kaling
Penguin Random House
228 pages

Why Not Me by Mindy Kaling is a very captivating book that catches the reader’s attention by the realism it provides and through its inspiring message that if you follow your dreams anything can happen. Kaling has written Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (And Other Concerns). Why Not Me is Kaling’s autobiography.

The 38-year-old TV star and author brings realism into  this book right from the first sentence about her first day of seventh grade. The anxiety she shows is very relatable. It is comforting to see that we feel the same way and have the same type of life as a celebrity, showing that everyone is equal whether you’re famous or not. She talks about how she was one of us, sitting at home watching TV and wishing to be the person on the shows. Kaling always wanted to be a famous celebrity where everyone would know her and stop her on the streets and say, “Hey can we take a picture?” Eventually she succeeded in being, what she calls, “a little bit famous.”

Kaling talks about how her career really started taking off, who got her started into the acting and writing industry. Greg Daniels mentored her throughout her whole career, helping her out with her writing and acting career. Kaling

was twenty four years old when she was in a Broadway play. Moving into TV acting was tricky because she had not known anyone from Hollywood. After Greg and she met, he mentored her through her time as an actor for the show The Office, acting in many movies and even getting her own show: The Mindy Project.

Kaling talks about how being an actor has its pros and cons; for example, she says when it comes to making out with other actors, the director constantly re-shoots those awkward moments. She describes she and her scene partner are looking at each other feeling uncomfortable because they have had to make out and re-shoot the same scene for thirty minutes and her scene partner is a married man.

I started watching her show The Mindy Project years ago. Then when I found out she started writing books I immediately had to buy both! Once I started reading her book Why Not Me, I was instantly hooked because she writes what’s on her mind and doesn’t hold anything back. Another strength is that her writing is very intriguing which makes you want to keep reading and I barely put the book down.

“People get scared when you try to do something, especially when it looks like you’re succeeding. People do not get scared when you’re failing. It calms them. But when you’re winning, it makes them feel like they’re losing or, worse yet, that maybe they should’ve tried to do something too, but now it’s too late. And since they didn’t, they want to stop you. You can’t let them.”

This autobiography written by Mindy Kaling is a very uplifting book that can give others, especially women, confidence and the encouragement to pursue anything they want. It is understandable and fitting for all readers. She brings this aspirational vibe through the whole book and that made me want to keep reading. I recommend this book to young adults and especially young women.