So, even though I still haven't got round to posting my full post on The Mindy Project (watch this space), I haven't exactly been quiet about my growing obsession with Mindy Kaling (just the other day I discovered a speech she gave to Harvard Law graduates earlier this year, and boy is it perfect. Damn). So the next step was, of course, to read her book. And all I can say is that it did not disappoint. Just the introduction had me in stitches; there's a particular section called 'Alternate Titles For This Book' that I think takes the award for the most hilarious list I've ever read.
I don't know how it's possible, because she's an incredibly successful Hollywood writer and actor and I'm an unemployed graduate living with my mum, but I feel like I have so much in common with Mindy. I also have so much respect for her, and she is so incredibly deserving of her success. Her book is really easy to read, and each chapter, whether a list, an essay or an anecdote, is perfectly crafted to hilarity. I realised reading this book that that Mindy Lahiri and Mindy Kaling are more similar than I thought (you know what they say, write from experience). You get to hear the true story behind some of the hilarious situations Mindy (and indeed other characters) gets into on the show. In conclusion, this book is currently only £3.50 on Amazon, and for entertainment value per pound, you're getting a ridiculously good deal.
I don't know how it's possible, because she's an incredibly successful Hollywood writer and actor and I'm an unemployed graduate living with my mum, but I feel like I have so much in common with Mindy. I also have so much respect for her, and she is so incredibly deserving of her success. Her book is really easy to read, and each chapter, whether a list, an essay or an anecdote, is perfectly crafted to hilarity. I realised reading this book that that Mindy Lahiri and Mindy Kaling are more similar than I thought (you know what they say, write from experience). You get to hear the true story behind some of the hilarious situations Mindy (and indeed other characters) gets into on the show. In conclusion, this book is currently only £3.50 on Amazon, and for entertainment value per pound, you're getting a ridiculously good deal.
So, I'm not going to say I didn't like Bossypants, but I think reading it straight after Mindy's book was a mistake. I don't know why I feel a connection to Mindy that I don't to Tina Fey; they're both significantly older than me, successful, intelligent and funny, yet it's Mindy that I want to be my best friend. I think maybe I'm slightly intimidated by (scared of) Tina Fey. She seems like an adult, she's married, she has children etc. I doubt she'd want to fangirl with me about the millions of TV shows I watch.
Anyway, moving on. The book. It's good, but to me, not anywhere near as good as Mindy's book. Bossypants is more biography than IEHOWM?, and although it was definitely interesting, it just made me feel like I've missed my chance. I know, I know, it's not all about me, but reading a book like this it's hard not to compare your life and choices to those you are reading about. There are definitely some laugh out loud moments in the book, but not as many as I'd expected, or hoped for. I expected to hear some stories about writing Mean Girls, but there were only one or two passing references. I think what says it all is the fact that I read it just under two weeks ago, but am struggling to remember anything that happened, whereas I can still recall specific scenes from The Shining Girls that I read over two months ago.
Orange Is The New Black | Piper Kerman
It was fun to try to identify which character was which (as they have different names in the show), and even which parts of which characters were merged to make new ones in the show. Quite a few things in the book happen in the show, but at different points in the story, to make it more dramatic, and I suppose, TV friendly. But here's the bit I didn't really like, if I was Piper Kerman I'd be pretty pissed off with just how much is changed from the book. I don't want to say that the TV show makes prison seem harder than it is, because how the hell would I know, but they do seem to take small instances from the book and really blow them out of proportion. For example, I think there's one mention of lesbian sex in the book, whereas the show makes it seem like that's all people do. I don't know, but it just makes me reconsider the authenticity of the show. Which I shouldn't! Why does it matter really? The show's fantastic, it's perfection.
I don't really know what I'm trying to say here, but I wouldn't recommend reading the book if you're a die hard fan of the show like I am. I wonder if I saw the Harry Potter films before reading the books I'd feel like this? I love the show so much, but now I know that it really is fictional, I feel like I love it just a tiny bit less. I don't know, maybe I just need to re-watch the show, it has been about a month.
The Cuckoo's Calling | Robert Galbraith
Damn this book was good. I didn't have any expectations for this book going in, I just knew it was by J.K. Rowling, and therefore had to read it (bad I know). I've not really read a proper murder mystery before, but if they're all as good as this, I'll definitely be reading more in future (starting with the sequel to this!). Although this book is long, I didn't find anything superfluous. Just enough time is spent introducing the characters as exploring and developing the story. I couldn't put this book down; from page one I needed to find out who the killer was! And it wasn't easy, throughout the book my opinion on 'who done it' changed multiple times, pretty much every character that was introduced was a suspect, and I loved it! The characters are all fully fleshed out and intriguing, from the books' protagonist all the way through to the victims doorman and driver. Altogether a great book that I would recommend to anyone with a bit of time on their hands (as I said, it's long).Volume One | Volume Three
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