Rating: 3.5/5
Favorite Quote:
"The problem was I didn’t want just anyone’s company. I wanted the company of funny, smart, like-minded people. That’s when I realized something about myself: I would rather be lonely than bored"
Funny, quick read.
She had me at the title!!!
This short read was filled with Kaling's humor and down-to-earth thoughts/feelings. Wish it was a little longer or deeper, but it definitely left me wanting to read more of her books/essays.
I feel the same, Mindy. Just because I want people to like me doesn't mean I want to hang out all the time.
Please Like Me [But Keep Away] is an apt title for the anecdotes in this hilarious and refreshingly honest essay. Mindy gets vulnerable as she reminisces about her ninth birthday, where her parents volunteered to throw her a party. While this offer would make most kids jump for joy, Mindy was filled with dread because she (incorrectly) believed that her Indian parents "would accidently mess up some important aspect of the quintessential American birthday party". Though the fear of being judged is not unique to immigrant kids and/or children of immigrants, it is nonetheless a prevalent feeling that first and second generation kids experience because they worry about being othered; they worry that they are either too much of one identity and not enough of the other. [Interestingly, these questions about identity and assimilation reminded me of Russel Peters' story about how his dad attempted to become Canadian by hosting a backyard barbecue where he unfortunately decided to grill some rice because he thought that's what Canadians do.] As the essay progresses, it continues to maintain a serious tone with Mindy revealing that she battles social anxiety. She also pushes back against the idea that all celebrities love socializing, so Mindy's revelation came as quite a surprise. Yet, by writing so openly about her experiences, Mindy not only enables readers to easily relate to her but to realize that they are not alone in their struggles.
This short little book really made me chuckle! Loved these totally relatable stories about being socially awkward and yet wanting people around. She also mentions her friendship with BJ Novak, and I love that friendship and I miss one of my close friends while reading the same.
Nice read, only if you can relate to.
"I would rather be lonely than be friends with non-friends. Losing friends is hard, but losing fake friends, as it turns out, is pretty damn easy."
Shi'tare
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