This book is hilarious. Aziz Ansari is known for discussing his navigation of the dating scene in his stand-up, and this book really takes it to the next level. It’s definitely not your typical comedian-wrote-a-book read. The book is filled of extensive research and data (Ansari worked closely with a social scientist), but it never loses his voice or humor. As a 22-year-old fully immersed in this exact dating scene, it’s a fascinating but lightweight read.
Never Have I Ever: My Life (So Far) Without A Date | Katie Heaney
The frustration of having a crush on a cute stranger has never been captured so perfectly. Heaney’s descriptions of her friends, herself, and her ill-fated crushes are intelligent and relatable. This memoir is surprisingly insightful and just tremendously fun to read.
Anna and the French Kiss | Stephanie Perkins
I have to confess, I love cheesy romance novels, and this has all the potential to be just that–except there’s a pleasantly surprising amount of substance to this one. This young adult novel focuses on Anna, an American spending her senior year of high school abroad in Paris, where she meets the perfect guy–who, of course, is already taken. The characters are smart, likeable, and most of all, believable. But the best part is that it’s the first of a trilogy, focused around the same school and the different characters within it, and Anna and St. Clair get to make cameo appearances in the subsequent novels as well.
How Dogs Love Us | Gregory Berns
If you love dogs, you will love this book. Gregory Berns is a neuroscientist who had the idea that in order to figure out what his dog was thinking–a question all dog owners can relate to–he had to scan the dog’s brain with an MRI machine. He and his team face all kinds of technical, legal, and behavioral obstacles in their quest, but find some amazing results.
Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (And Other Concerns) | Mindy Kaling
One of the best comedic books in my opinion (and one of the best titles), Mindy Kaling’s collection of essays covers everything from what makes the perfect best friend to what is the perfect amount of fame. Kaling’s voice is so honest and conversational and just so great, I want her to be my best friend. And her new book Why Not Me? just came out a few weeks ago, so if you read this and want more Mindy (and you definitely will), it’s a great follow-up.
Good list! I’m reading Everything Bad is Good for You by Steven Johnson. The premise is that pop culture is actually making us smarter! I’m loving it!
Oh man, I love that. I’m totally for the purpose of pop culture in our intellectual life–I’ll have to check it out!