Mindy Kaling

NATIONAL BESTSELLER The star of the Harold and Kumar franchise, House, and Designated Survivor recounts why he rejected the advice of his aunties and guidance counselors and, instead of becoming a doctor or “something practical,” embarked on a surprising journey that has included confronting racism in Hollywood, meeting his future husband, and working in the Obama administration, in this entertaining and refreshingly candid memoir. You Can’t Be Serious is a series of funny, consequential, awkward, and ridiculous stories from Kal Penn’s idiosyncratic life. It’s about being the grandson of Gandhian freedom fighters, and the son of immigrant parents: people who came to this country with very little and went very far—and whose vision of the American dream probably never included their son sliding off an oiled-up naked woman in the raunchy Ryan Reynolds movie Van Wilder…or getting a phone call from Air Force One as Kal flew with the country’s first Black president. With intelligence, humor, and charm on every page, Kal reflects on the most exasperating and rewarding moments from his journey so far. He pulls back the curtain on the nuances of opportunity and racism in the entertainment industry and recounts how he built allies, found encouragement, and dealt with early reminders that he might never fit in. He describes his initially unpromising first date with his now-fiancé Josh, involving an 18-pack of Coors Light and an afternoon of watching NASCAR. And of course, he reveals how, after a decade and a half of fighting for and enjoying successes in Hollywood, he made the terrifying but rewarding decision to take a sabbatical from a fulfilling acting career for an opportunity to serve his country as an Obama White House aide. Above all, You Can’t Be Serious shows that everyone can have more than one life story. Kal demonstrates by example that no matter who you are and where you come from, you have many more choices than those presented to you. It’s a story about struggle, triumph, and learning how to keep your head up. And okay, yes, it’s also about how he accidentally (and very stupidly) accepted an invitation to take the entire White House Office of Public Engagement to a strip club—because, let’s be honest, that’s the kind of stuff you really want to hear about.

“Brilliant, hysterical, truthful, and real, these essays illuminate the path for our future female leaders.”—Reese Witherspoon A diverse group of celebrities, activists, and artists open up about what feminism means to them, with the goal of helping readers come to their own personal understanding of the word. “As a feminist who loves pink, I give this brilliant book of essays an enthusiastic ‘YES.’”—Mindy Kaling Feminists Don’t Wear Pink and Other Lies is a collection of writing from extraordinary women, from Hollywood actresses to teenage activists, each telling the story of her personal relationship with feminism. Often funny, sometimes surprising, and always inspiring, this book aims to bridge the gap between the feminist hashtag and the scholarly text by giving women the space to explain how they actually feel about feminism. Published in partnership with Girl Up, a campaign of the United Nations Foundation, and curated by writer and Pink Protest founder Scarlett Curtis, this book’s contributors include: Bridget Jones (by Helen Fielding) • Saoirse Ronan • Emma Watson • Jameela Jamil • Kat Dennings • Keira Knightley • Alicia Garza • Jodie Whittaker • Whitney Wolfe Herd • Beanie Feldstein • Zoe Sugg • Angela Yee • Akilah Hughes • Evanna Lynch • Chimwemwe Chiweza • Alison Sudol • Lolly Adefope • Elyse Fox • Charlie Craggs • Charlotte Elizabeth • Alaa Murabit • Trisha Shetty • Tapiwa Maoni • Lydia Wilson • Amy Trigg • Tanya Burr • Karen Gillan • Swati Sharma • Bronwen Brenner • Emily Odesser • Emi Mahmoud • Gemma Arterton • Lauren Woodhouse-Laskonis • Tasha Bishop • Skai Jackson • Maryam and Nivaal Rehman • Nimco Ali • Amika George • Jordan Hewson • Alice Wroe • Claire Horn • Dolly Alderton • Rhyannon Styles • Grace Campbell  • Liv Little • Olivia Perez