When I read Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? years ago, I had been watching The Mindy Project on my television. And the show was before it became famous, I was even worried they would cancel it off.
It may have something to do with the fact that there weren’t enough shows that revolved around a WOC, and an Indian woman at that, who did not look perfect (in the Hollywood standards). Or maybe it was just because it was damn funny.
So I picked the book up and was absolutely surprised because not only this woman made the snarky early twenties in me laugh but also made me pause and think about things that were not spoken out so loudly then. Needless to say I loved this chirpy, crazy woman and her writing. Obviously when I heard she had another book out, I had to grab it.
I know I might be reviewing it a little late (as per my usual these days) but I am doing it anyway. So let us read ahead to know how Why Not Me? fared on my grown up scale, shall we?
In Why Not Me?, Mindy Kaling keeps it real. She doesn’t sugar coat it nor make it sound like her life is a miracle. She says how the show’s success changed her. She talks about her insecurities which changed later into confidence, but she doesn’t belittle them. She talks about her flaws as they are. More than all, she is freaking hilarious.
There were some chapters that were a little so-so but the ones that were good were really good. There is a chapter on her confidence which was the best of the book and I loved it.
It’s just that, the truth is, I have never, ever, ever met a highly confident and successful person who is not what a movie would call a ‘workaholic.
Things that worked for me
Her cheerful yet honest voice that made it like we are best friends than a writer and reader.
I couldn’t help cheer a WOC who made it through sheer hard work. She is definitely a role model.
I loved her pieces on confidence and her imaginary alternate life.
Things that didn’t work for me
I didn’t find her as relatable as she was in Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? but maybe it was just me missing the dorky Mindy.
You might not enjoy this one as much if her shows didn’t appeal you.
Bottom – line
I love Mindy and that is exactly why I picked this book and I was quite happy with it. It is not a life changing book but it made me laugh a few times and kept me engaged till the end.
Though, I didn’t love it as much as I did the first book, I would recommend ‘Why Not Me?’ to anyone who wants to read a funny, celebrity memoir.
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Have you read this one? Do you read celebrity books? What is your favorite celebrity memoir? Let us talk.
There are a few perks of being a person (that’s me!!) who reads all the genres of books. The best thing would be being able to switch from a super cute YA romance to a feminist masterpiece without much ado. Once in a while it helps me to move away from the fictitious world to the more serious real world. And this week I will let you know what I thought about three non fiction books that were sent to me for review.
Let us quickly get on to this week’s review shots, shall we?
Tanya’s poetry on the plight of women all over the world in the form of poetry would move you to tears. Taking a leaf from her own and others’ lives she reflects on everything that drives women or oppress them. She talks about motherhood, womanhood, feminism, sexuality, Christianity and racism. I am glad that she speaks about the strong and loving men in her world as well.
My personal favorite would be “Raising Cane for its Sugar” that talks about the preference for male child, which is still a thing that happens in Indian culture as well. It would be hard to read Every Watering Word without the truth hitting hard.
Final thought: Bitter truth
Recommended to: Anyone who calls themselves feminist and lovers of poetry.
It has been a while since Chris sent me a copy of his book but it came at a right time when I was contemplating my move to a self hosted website (yes it seems a long time ago) and / or stepping up a business for myself. Internet Business Insights is a wealth of information for anyone who is thinking of or has already set up an online business.
Chris has insights from 101 successful entrepreneurs who have made it already in the internet business world. He asked them questions on what works and what doesn’t. Sure it gets repetitive over a while, because there are patterns and those patterns are the ones you need to watch out for. Internet Business Insights is not a book that you can read at a stretch, you should do what I did – take it one at a time.
Final thought: Massive number of Q & A about making it in the internet business world
Recommended to: Anyone who has or going to set up an online business.
It has been a while since I laughed this much at something I shouldn’t be. Oh, okay not so long ago because I was laughing at this same book about 3 years ago. Alli Brosh is my kind of person. By that I mean someone messed up but in a good way. Okay not so good. Whatever.
If you are a person who has ever been on the internet you should have see Allie’ website Hyperbole and a half. No? Then you should have at least seen this drawing that has been around the web for a while now. Yes that is Allie’s work.
See you know her! And you need to read her book, if you have not already.
Even if you have never heard of her or her drawings, you should read it.
Okaye seriously, I have not read any online comics that has made me giggle as much as Allie has. She talks about serious stuff lie depression, loneliness and cake and all I can think of is how awesome she is. I am giving up. I don’t think I can do a proper review of her book. Just go read it.
Final thought: You HAVE to read it or at least check her blog out.
Recommended to: Anyone and everyone
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So what do you think of this week’s choices in the review shots? What genre you do not read at all and why? Let us talk.
Love him or hate him but you can not get enough of him. He is everywhere these days – cinemas, Netflix and of course his books. We love his films as much as his books. We adore his quotes and novellas as do we his chilling book. Yes, I am talking about the one and only Stephen King. He turns 70 today, September 21, 2017. So what better way to celebrate his birthday than talking about my experience with him and sharing some of his quotes that I love.
My relationship with the King of Horror has not been smooth. I read my first King, Gerald’s Game when I was about twelve. Yes, yet another of those books I had laid my hands when I was not supposed to. I had just then ventured out of the Sidney Sheldon‘s, and the book was something I was not prepared for then. Or ever would be. I thought the plot was grotesque and horrifying. But the writing stuck to me, and I willed my way till the end courageously and was smart enough to avoid any of his works for a long time.
Years later, my then boss gifted me a copy of the Four Past Midnight, a collection of novellas for my birthday, and I used it as a bookend, terrified of the size of the book as well as the possible nightmares it might evoke for a while. As my fate would have it, someone placed a bet daring me to read the book. I read the first one One Past Midnight and had to drop off the challenge thanks to the terrifying nightmares.
It took another three years to convince me to try another King and this time the greed of getting more books pulled me in. A friend of mine, an ardent King’s fan, offered to give me some of his books if I read one of his favorites, Rose Madder. Read this to find what I thought about the book. And like they say, the rest is history. From then on there was no stopping me, and in the past two years I have read quite a few of his seventy, yes you heard it right 70, books.
Until I read Rose Madder, I had associated Stephen King to the horror and supernatural elements and the nightmares that follow, but this book made me fall for the writer that King is. I feel in love with his writing style, his attention to details and more than everything else, the way he can captivate the attention of the reader all through his crazy imagination spell. I admire the way he can make us adore a character that is necessarily sinister and make us realize it is the human nature that is more sinister than the supernatural elements.
With his success as a commercial writer who has a large following, his take on writing and writers have become even more famous than some of his books. His book On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft should be on the compulsory read list for any budding writer. Here are some of my favorite quotes of his:
It ain’t the blows we’re dealt that matter, but the ones we survive. Rose Madder
Reading a good long novel is in many ways like having a long and satisfying affair. Skeleton Crew
Come to a book as you would come to an unexplored land. Come without a map. Explore it, and draw your own map…A book is like a pump. It gives nothing unless first you give to it. Hearts in Atlantis
God grant me the serenity to accept what I cannot change, the tenacity to change what I may, and the good luck not to fuck up too often. ‘Salem’s Lot
I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again. When you find something at which you have talent, you do that thing (whatever it is) until your fingers bleed or your eyes pop out of your head. On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft
For a King fan, it is a good time to be. This year has been great with the IT and The dark tower on the cinemas and The mist and Gerald’s Game (soon to be) on Netflix. So let me know what you think of the king of horror. Did I include all your favorite quotes? Wanna add anything? Share in the comments please.
Generally my mid week posts involve discussions or tags where we get to talk a lot. But not today. In fact I am gonna have a cheat day and talk about a book. No, it is not going to be a review in my usual sense. To be honest this is not going to be a book that I read normally. Curious? Keep reading. *excited grin*
I saw the review of Kawaii Doodle Class somewhere and I knew this was the one book that could solve ALL my problems. Well, not solve all my problems but at least make me forget my worries about the long pending reviews of books I have received for reviewing or the ones on my TBR shelf. Who am I kidding? Those are not my worries. I love that I have loads of books to read and review. Okay.. I mean whatever worries I had, Kawaii Doodle Class made me forget. Intrigued? Read on.
Disclaimer: Thanks to the Author and Netgalley for the free copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
Growing in a family that is inclined very much towards arts and crafts, I have always believed I had to have a creative vein. Even when my several attempts on arts have proved otherwise, I hold on to the hope that some day I would find some art form that I might be good at. So I requested the book that promised to teach step by step instructions to draw these cutest doodles with so much to lose. Yeah Kawaii literally means cute.
First of, the whole book was DAMN CUTE (I know I am overusing the term). The step by step instruction made it even for a craft challenged person to follow, though there were a few redundant steps. Hey who cares, they look adorable. The book teaches to draw day to day items like food and drinks, holiday things and even monsters. I personally loved the monsters (That doesn’t mean I draw them any better).
The entire book may have been for a younger generation but that would not stop you (adult, I mean) from enjoying it all the same. This can surely be a great gift to young and adults alike. I can already think of at least 2-3 people who would enjoy this. I can’t stop gushing over this overtly adorable book. Grab Kawaii Doodle Class already, I say.
You have heard it all. From your grandfather, your uncle and aunts all through your childhood every single time you request a story. And oh when you are all grown up a repeat of them several times a day especially when you don’t request them at all. Yeah I am talking about Mahabharata and the stories that take place just around it. Then came your television series that gave us an image or a face to connect to the epic that we have been hearing all along.
Yet of late it is becoming too much of a disconnect from all those moral stories we have been hearing, thanks to new age corporate lives we are living in. Truth maybe harsh but I couldn’t possibly understand why and how a story about family feud, a gory war and especially that involves too many marital relationship could relate to my current life. Or so I thought, till I started reading the book ‘Corpokshetra: Mahabharata In The MBA Yug‘ by ‘Deepak Kaul’. Read on to know what my skeptical brain thought about it.
Author: Deepak Kaul Genre: Fiction – humor Characters: Mahabharata The story-line is very simple and in fact the entire story is literally written on the blurb, which goes like this. The Pandavas have returned home after 13 years of exile. And they are demanding their stake in Hastinapur Inc. But the Kauravas, led by the haughty Duryodhana, aren’t ready to give them a penny. The battle lines are drawn, only this war is in the present-day Kurukshetra – the corporate boardroom. As the Kauravas and the Pandavas don their sharpest suits, Krishna – the wily Consultant – strategies for peace. This is a humorous, modern take on the Mahabharata (with due apologies to Rishi Ved Vyas). An epic story retold for the MBA generation. The attempt to try and relate an epic into the modern times that we live in is commendable. The naughty and witty Krishna as we read or heard from our ancestors has been appropriately dubbed to be a consultant. I was wondering how the book was going to explain Dhraupadi being married to five men at the same time in the modern world, thankfully the book didn’t attempt to. Better left untried than to fail miserably at it.
The book had its own quirky moments like having to block gambling sites in Yudhishtra’s laptop or turning Sun God to Movie Star or the talks about Bloody Marys. And converting all the specialized battles to games like golf, cricket and even Arm wrestling.
I wish the editorial had spent a little more time and effort to avoid glaring typos. The language and the style of the author’s writing is simple yet funny, hopefully it agrees more with the target audience than others. To summarize the whole Mahabharata into 120 pages is a feat and it is just at the correct length to behold the reader’s interest. Bottom-line: Short, quirky breezy read.
Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher free of cost in return for an honest review.
when I was about twelve. Yes, yet another of those books I had laid my hands when I was not supposed to. I had just then ventured out of the 
‘s, and the book was something I was not prepared for then. Or ever would be. I thought the plot was grotesque and horrifying. But the writing stuck to me, and I willed my way till the end courageously and was smart enough to avoid any of his works for a long time.
, a collection of novellas for my birthday, and I used it as a bookend, terrified of the size of the book as well as the possible nightmares it might evoke for a while. As my fate would have it, someone placed a bet daring me to read the book. I read the first one 
and had to drop off the challenge thanks to the terrifying nightmares.
. 
should be on the compulsory read list for any budding writer. Here are some of my favorite quotes of his:
somewhere and I knew this was the one book that could solve ALL my problems. Well, not solve all my problems but at least make me forget my worries about the long pending reviews of books I have received for reviewing or the ones on my TBR shelf. Who am I kidding? Those are not my worries. I love that I have loads of books to read and review. Okay.. I mean whatever worries I had, 
‘ by ‘Deepak Kaul’. Read on to know what my skeptical brain thought about it.