Why Mindy Kaling’s new book is our #1 must-read this fall

Our love for Mindy Kaling knows no bounds. The actress and writer has helped create some of our favorite TV shows of all time; consistently drops major life wisdom in interviews; and never fails to make us laugh, whether on screen or on the page. Mindy Kaling is basically our collective BFF and all-around life hero; so, when we first heard that she was releasing a follow-up to 2011’s Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (And Other Concerns), we had quite the fangirl freakout.

Why Not Me? is the highly-anticipated “part two” to Mindy’s hilarious memoir — and it totally lives up to the hype. The book follows Mindy’s journey (so far) through adulthood, including her brief stint in a sorority, her experience dating President Obama’s security guard, and her take on why friend breakups can be so much worse than the regular kind.

“If my childhood, teens, and twenties were about wanting people to like me, now I want people to know me,” Mindy writes in the intro for Why Not Me? — and we think this book is the perfect start.

Here are just a few reasons why we think Why Not Me? is an absolute must-read.

Mindy gives us her best (and most hilarious) beauty tips

Let’s be clear: Mindy is no stranger to making fun of unrealistic beauty standards. That being said, every human likes to look good — and there’s zero shame in pampering yourself every now and then. In the first segment of her book, Mindy shares her ultimate beauty secrets, including how she keeps her hair “on fleek,” her go-to pose on the red carpet, and her secret weapon when she hasn’t gotten enough sleep.

We get the inside scoop on the day-to-day at The Mindy Project

Hollywood often feels like a distant, glamorous dream land — but in reality, it takes a lot of hard work to make our favorite TV shows and movies come to life. In Why Not Me?, Mindy breaks down a day on set of The Mindy Project, and shows just how much goes into making the show as amazing as it is.

The book reminds us that it’s impossible to please everyone

Rather than focusing on other people’s opinions, it’s far more important to foster your relationship with yourself. Mindy has always acknowledged that she values being liked, but in Why Not Me?, she’s quick to remind us that being liked isn’t everything.

She dishes on her (totally weird) relationship with B.J. Novak

Both Mindy and B.J. have always been super open about the fact that their friendship is anything but normal. In Why Not Me?, Mindy shares some amazing stories about the two — and explains why they’re “soup snakes,” not soul mates.

Itproves that hard work and persistence pays off

The Mindy Project  — then known as The Untitled Mindy Kaling Project — was initially rejected by NBC before it found a home on Fox and then Hulu. Mindy refused to be dissuaded by the rejection and stuck to her guns; and we couldn’t be happier she did.

It’s a major comfort for any struggling twenty- or thirty-something

Adulthood is weird, difficult, and rarely as fun as we imagined it would be. In Why Not Me?, Mindy tackles all of our adulthood woes with hilarity and incredible insight — and it’s perfect for anyone feeling lost in the throes of a quarter life crisis.

Why Not Me? is available right here.