Please Like Me

The executive producer and creator of Never Have I Ever, terrified by her fortyth birthday, muses on the value of true friendships and the embarrassing responsibilities that come with maintaining them.

Yes, Mindy Kaling is the gregarious star of Hollywood who shared twelve selfies from one Oscar celebration on social media, but her smile required effort. In this frank and amusing essay, Mindy discusses her social anxiety, which she believes was caused by the white cheese slices her parents brought to her ninth birthday celebration. Thirty years later, not much has changed, least of all the fear of eternal judgment. It's probably best to simply move on.

Nothing Like I Imagined is the debut novel from the celebrated novelist, actor, director, producer, and New York Times bestselling book. Mindy Kaling reveals the most recent episodes of her busy life in Hollywood in these essays. They should be read or listened to in one sitting. In either case, they're flawless.