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Year of Yes: How to Dance It Out, Stand In the Sun and Be Your Own Person
The instant New York Times bestseller from the creator of Grey’s Anatomy and Scandal and executive producer of How to Get Away with Murder shares how saying YES changed her life. “As fun to read as Rhimes’s TV series are to watch” (Los Angeles Times).
She’s the creator and producer of some of the most groundbreaking and audacious shows on television today. Her iconic characters live boldly and speak their minds. So who would suspect that Shonda Rhimes is an introvert? That she hired a publicist so she could avoid public appearances? That she suffered panic attacks before media interviews?
With three children at home and three hit television shows, it was easy for Shonda to say she was simply too busy. But in truth, she was also afraid. And then, over Thanksgiving dinner, her sister muttered something that was both a wake up and a call to arms: You never say yes to anything. Shonda knew she had to embrace the challenge: for one year, she would say YES to everything that scared her.
This poignant, intimate, and hilarious memoir explores Shonda’s life before her Year of Yes—from her nerdy, book-loving childhood to her devotion to creating television characters who reflected the world she saw around her. The book chronicles her life after her Year of Yes had begun—when Shonda forced herself out of the house and onto the stage; when she learned to explore, empower, applaud, and love her truest self. Yes.
“Honest, raw, and revelatory” (The Washington Post), this wildly candid and compulsively readable book reveals how the mega talented Shonda Rhimes finally achieved badassery worthy of a Shondaland character. Best of all, she “can help motivate even the most determined homebody to get out and try something new” (Chicago Tribune).
She’s the creator and producer of some of the most groundbreaking and audacious shows on television today. Her iconic characters live boldly and speak their minds. So who would suspect that Shonda Rhimes is an introvert? That she hired a publicist so she could avoid public appearances? That she suffered panic attacks before media interviews?
With three children at home and three hit television shows, it was easy for Shonda to say she was simply too busy. But in truth, she was also afraid. And then, over Thanksgiving dinner, her sister muttered something that was both a wake up and a call to arms: You never say yes to anything. Shonda knew she had to embrace the challenge: for one year, she would say YES to everything that scared her.
This poignant, intimate, and hilarious memoir explores Shonda’s life before her Year of Yes—from her nerdy, book-loving childhood to her devotion to creating television characters who reflected the world she saw around her. The book chronicles her life after her Year of Yes had begun—when Shonda forced herself out of the house and onto the stage; when she learned to explore, empower, applaud, and love her truest self. Yes.
“Honest, raw, and revelatory” (The Washington Post), this wildly candid and compulsively readable book reveals how the mega talented Shonda Rhimes finally achieved badassery worthy of a Shondaland character. Best of all, she “can help motivate even the most determined homebody to get out and try something new” (Chicago Tribune).
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Community Reviews
I have really mixed feelings about this book.
I really did enjoy the way it was written. It's witty and intelligent. You can clearly hear Shonda's voice in every line, and interestingly sometimes you also hear Meredith Grey and Olivia Pope's voices. Shonda is likable and the books reads casually like you're sitting down for coffee with an old friend. My favorite parts of the book was when she opens up to the reader like they are a friend, a part of her tribe, one of her "ride or dies".
The drawback for me is when the book begins to read like a resume and Shonda's narrative sounds like that what which you would hear in a job interview. "What's your biggest weakness?" "I just love work too much!" There is a very large part of this book which revolves around name dropping and spitting off accomplishments like it's a competition.
I don't have an issue with Shonda's pride in her accomplishments. In fact, the section on owning your own accomplishments, or as she calls is "bad-assery", and taking a compliment was one of my favorites int he book. But when she just goes on and literally lists every award she's won, every talk show she's ever appeared on, etc. it becomes really difficult to not only stay interested, but to relate. Sidenote: if you want to play a drinking game with this book, take a shot every time she mentions how she "owns Thursday night".
All in all, I would recommend this book to those who are familiar with Shonda's work. If you've been watching Grey's, Scandal, Private Practice, and How to Get Away With Murder, since they began airing, then you will highly enjoy this show. If not, a lot of the references might go over your head (they did for me since I only watched a few seasons of Grey's and have not watched How To Get Away with Murder). It's an easy read, and like I said, it's casual, witty, and honestly funny. Just don't go into it thinking you'll learn a lot about your own life. This is not a self-help book, it's not an advice book, it's an autobiography on a year and a half of Shonda Rhimes's life.
I really did enjoy the way it was written. It's witty and intelligent. You can clearly hear Shonda's voice in every line, and interestingly sometimes you also hear Meredith Grey and Olivia Pope's voices. Shonda is likable and the books reads casually like you're sitting down for coffee with an old friend. My favorite parts of the book was when she opens up to the reader like they are a friend, a part of her tribe, one of her "ride or dies".
The drawback for me is when the book begins to read like a resume and Shonda's narrative sounds like that what which you would hear in a job interview. "What's your biggest weakness?" "I just love work too much!" There is a very large part of this book which revolves around name dropping and spitting off accomplishments like it's a competition.
I don't have an issue with Shonda's pride in her accomplishments. In fact, the section on owning your own accomplishments, or as she calls is "bad-assery", and taking a compliment was one of my favorites int he book. But when she just goes on and literally lists every award she's won, every talk show she's ever appeared on, etc. it becomes really difficult to not only stay interested, but to relate. Sidenote: if you want to play a drinking game with this book, take a shot every time she mentions how she "owns Thursday night".
All in all, I would recommend this book to those who are familiar with Shonda's work. If you've been watching Grey's, Scandal, Private Practice, and How to Get Away With Murder, since they began airing, then you will highly enjoy this show. If not, a lot of the references might go over your head (they did for me since I only watched a few seasons of Grey's and have not watched How To Get Away with Murder). It's an easy read, and like I said, it's casual, witty, and honestly funny. Just don't go into it thinking you'll learn a lot about your own life. This is not a self-help book, it's not an advice book, it's an autobiography on a year and a half of Shonda Rhimes's life.
I am myself a huge Greys Anatomy fan. Especially due to the representation and the goal of Shona Rhimes. Therefore, I listened to her audio book and heard about the persona Cristina etc. It was an wonderful listening experience since she narrates the book herself.
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Loved it, I felt like I found someone just like me who was able to flourish beyond herself without limitations. Makes me want to push harder in life!!!!!
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