Books of humorous essays can be hit or miss. Too often, the collection lacks cohesion or the humor can feel cloying. Scaachi Koul’s debut, One Day We’ll All Be Dead and None of This Will Matter, is the rare collection in which none of the essays feel expendable. Rather, each one is well-crafted and thoroughly entertaining, balancing keen insight with effortless, acerbic wit. Koul’s essays largely center around her identity and how it was shaped by her upbringing in Calgary as a child of Indian immigrants, the racism (both subtle and overt) she’s experienced growing up in a predominantly white neighborhood, and the sexism embedded in both Western and Indian cultures. Her experiences feeling like an outsider undoubtedly helped influence her perspective, which is uniquely her own. The topics of her essays range from her fear of flying and stance on arranged marriages, to awkward encounters with her bikini waxer and the rise of rape and surveillance culture. Regardless of how light or dark the subject at hand is, her finely-tuned comedic voice shines through. One of her most powerful essays is titled “Fair and Lovely” (named for a skin-lightening cosmetic product marketed to South Asian women). Here, she explores cultural reverence for continue...