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Year of Yes: How to Dance It Out, Stand In the Sun and Be Your Own Person

by Shonda Rhimes (Goodreads Author)

4.06 · Rating details · 36,006 Ratings · 4,324 Reviews

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Paperback, 336 pages

Published November 10th 2015 by Simon & Schuster

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Dec 17, 2015 Shanley rated it did not like it

Ok so I know this review is more of a personal vendetta than an actual reflection of the book itself, but I had to stop reading 5 minutes in when she criticized the idea of being "a quiet librarian in Ohio." As an actual quiet librarian living in Ohio, all I have to say is: what's wrong with that?!

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Mar 01, 2016 Darth J rated it it was ok

Shelves: disappointing, slow, non-fiction

300 pages of Shonda rambling

Oh, how I wanted to like this. To think the book from the woman who owns Thursday night prime time could be so trivial is more shocking than most of the characters she kills off. I wanted to root for her like Tyra, but kept feeling like she was just meandering and bragging about things while rarely reaching a cohesive point.

The thing is that the book isn't boring, and her writing style seems much like her personality: quite pleasant. She just has such a roundabout way ...more

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Oct 24, 2015 Rachel Watkins rated it it was amazing

Shelves: arc, strong-girls, biography

Who knew this was what I needed to hear? Shonda Rimes did. A gifted writer who has created some of America's beloved television characters, Rimes tells it like it is and reveals her flaws, insecurities, and weaknesses all while sharing the story of the greatest challenge she made for herself. YEAR OF YES gives hardcore helpful advice on how you can't do it all, it's okay to admit you need help, and saying YES to yourself comes in many forms. Highly recommend to all women!

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Nov 11, 2015 Kerry rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Shelves: memoirs

I like the spirit behind this book and I like the author a lot, but I really disliked the tone of the writing. I just felt like: get to the point already.

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Jun 12, 2017 Heidi The Hippie Reader rated it really liked it

Shelves: memoirs, non-fiction

Shonda Rhimes' heartfelt memoir about the power of embracing who you are and having the courage to set aside what you are not.

Though outwardly successful, Shonda was miserable. Between over-working and her introverted tendencies, she turned down every invitation and social event. The ones that she was forced to accept were anxiety inducing trials or complete blanks because of panic attacks.

Shonda didn't even realize she was unhappy until, one Thanksgiving, her sister tells her that she doesn't s ...more

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Nov 29, 2015 Jenny Kim rated it really liked it

Dear Ms. Shonda Rhimes,

I want to be your friend. You don't know me but I want to be your friend. Since I'm requesting a friendship I should start by being honest first. I'm sorry but I've never watch any of your show. And I have to apology again since I will unlikely watch them in the future. It's not you, it's me.
But thank you for saying yes for a year, and writing your experiences in a funny, frank, honest book which felt like we had a long conversation over a delicious lunch as if we were f ...more

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Nov 23, 2015 Lucy Haynes rated it it was ok

It was OK - it wasn't what I expected it to be.... an inspiring tale of someone taking on the world with one simple response to any question - "YES!". It was sadly more egotistical and focused around a handful of experiences within that year - no doubt profound to Shonda, but not thoroughly inspiring to the reader.

If you like Shonda Rhimes and want to learn more about her, then great, this book is for you.

For someone that doesn't like talking about herself, she does a really fabulous job of tal ...more

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Jan 26, 2016 Diane rated it really liked it

Recommended to Diane by: Eryn

Shelves: memoirs, inspirational, audiobooks, year-long-project, hollywood

This was a surprisingly good book about confronting your fears and being more open to new experiences. Shonda Rhimes is the writer and producer of several popular TV shows, including "Grey's Anatomy," "Scandal" and "How to Get Away With Murder." A self-described introvert, she realized she was always turning down opportunities to attend gatherings because she would rather stay home with her kids or just keep working.

So she challenged herself to spend a year saying yes to things that scared her, ...more

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Jan 25, 2016 Gary Anderson rated it did not like it

I wasn't going to say anything about this book because I abandoned it. Then the publisher advertised it on my Facebook feed, inviting my comments. I left a negative comment based on what I read, which the publisher then deleted. So here goes.

The self-indulgent twaddle in this book became nauseous early on. Rimes spends a surprising amount of time talking about whether or not certain situations will cause her to poop her pants. I pulled the plug when she speculated about the sex life and drug abu ...more

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Nov 10, 2015 Didi rated it really liked it

Recommends it for: People who love Shonda Rhimes but like reading humanistic memoirs

Recommended to Didi by: Simon & Schuster

I was happily surprised when I was approached by a representative from Simon & Schuster asking me if I was interested in reading Year of Yes by Shonda Rhimes in exchange for an honest review. I couldn’t refuse. I knew Rhimes’s book was due to be released soon and wasn’t sure if I’d be able to pick it up to give it a try.

Even though my work schedule has butchered my reading and blogging for the moment, I’m still managing to read a bit here and there. Year of Yes was my latest conquest and it ...more

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Feb 09, 2017 Britany rated it really liked it

Shelves: audiobook, people-mag-rec, non-fiction, bookriot, 2017, memoir

Shonda Rhimes narrates the audio version of this book, which took this book to the next level for me. This book read just like one of her famously written shows. I could her the characters she created coming to life and spinning off parts of Shonda. While she certainly didn't share any tough childhood experiences, or struggles. She managed to inspire and give hope for those that don't dream, but do. She shares real instances of body image and stage fright, and breathed life into the woman behind ...more

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Feb 23, 2016 Jeremy Klavens rated it did not like it · review of another edition

Shelves: book-club

Honestly, this book could've have been 150 pages. She repeats herself SOOOOOOO much. Did you know she's a writer? She is. She's a writer. She makes stuff up for a living, cuz guess what? She's a writer.

Although the focus of the book is purportedly about how Shonda Rhimes finds a way to love herself, I can't help but think she loves herself quite a lot. Part of me hates saying that because, well, good for her. She should be proud, happy, and fulfilled. I think that's great. Even though I don't c ...more

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Jan 15, 2016 Jessica Woodbury rated it really liked it

Shelves: audiobooks, authors-of-color, memoir

I do not like many memoirs. And I do not like many inspirational books. And yet here I am, really liking Shonda Rhimes' inspirational memoir. Initially I had my doubts. I'm a divorced single parent trying to make waves in a new career and scraping through to get food on the table. She's arguably the biggest thing in television, running her own production company, and while she's a single mom, she's got a nanny, a support system, and plenty of money. How does someone who has it all inspire you? H I do not like many memoirs. And I do not like many inspirational books. And yet here I am, really liking Shonda Rhimes' inspirational memoir. Initially I had my doubts. I'm a divorced single parent trying to make waves in a new career and scraping through to get food on the table. She's arguably the biggest thing in television, running her own production company, and while she's a single mom, she's got a nanny, a support system, and plenty of money. How does someone who has it all inspire you? How do they write a book that doesn't just make you hate them for all the great stuff they have in their life?

Well, if you're Shonda Rhimes, you happen to be a great writer with a strong voice and a flair for the honest joke. You don't need to be a fan of her shows, but if you've watched the first season of Grey's Anatomy, you'll recognize the voice quickly. The way Cristina Yang and Meredith Grey talk to each other? That's how Shonda Rhimes writes. That's her voice you were hearing. So if you have watched her shows, you'll find you recognize it pretty quickly. It almost seems like you're already really good friends who know each other well. And it does go a long way to helping you get comfortable with her.

Also there's one important thing. Shonda Rhimes *knows* her privilege. She lays it all out there. She is writing not about how her life is so great, but about how her life was so great and yet she wasn't actually living it and enjoying it. All of us face some of the problems she confronts in one way or another. Even though some chapters didn't apply much to my life, I still enjoyed listening to her. (She reads the audiobook. I highly recommend it. There are a few parts of the book where she is getting ready for a speech and the book features the live readings of those speeches, which are both really really really good speeches, so that's an added bonus.) And there were parts of this book where I thought, "Yes, that's true, that's something I can change in my own life."

This book is of particular use for introverts and writers. Being both of those things is a huge part of who Shonda is and where her obstacles came from. ...more

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Jan 04, 2017 Trish rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: nonfiction, art, memoir, america, family, film

Is there anyone out there who doesn’t think Shonda Rhimes is something special? She has got it all going on, creating TV characters (in a time frame that would cripple most of us) for several shows that reflect the best and worst of ourselves. She is a genuinely interesting personality. So it was something of a shock to discover she is an introvert who would much rather stay home reading and writing in her PJs than get out there and take her place on stage.

But of course Rhimes is an introvert. Is there anyone out there who doesn’t think Shonda Rhimes is something special? She has got it all going on, creating TV characters (in a time frame that would cripple most of us) for several shows that reflect the best and worst of ourselves. She is a genuinely interesting personality. So it was something of a shock to discover she is an introvert who would much rather stay home reading and writing in her PJs than get out there and take her place on stage.

But of course Rhimes is an introvert. How else could she find all those voices in her head, both in time and creativity? But the introvert part meant that Rhimes was refusing some “best time of your life” invitations to do things where she would be feted, admired, and all that, but she could also find people to admire. She decided, for one year, to say “yes” to invites that she would ordinarily eschew.

She was in a good position to do it. Though it complicated some aspects of her life, she had the family and financial resources to make up any shortfall. It was fascinating when she discovered her children are extroverts, and nothing like herself. She does that humble-brag thing, where she says something like “three hot-as-fire TV shows, three children, sleeping, eating, working, writing has been kicking my ass lately.” Yeah, girl. I bet. Harumpf.

But Rhimes is no humble-brag. Not very long after that she tells us about her struggles to do things that she isn’t as good at as TV shows and imagination, like living consciously, victoriously, really. Here she is, the most successful woman any of us can imagine, with a fun job with fun people in a fun city, and she is pulling in and shutting down, feeling old, getting fat. Good lord, what does that to us?

It’s like a disease. But I get it. It is easier, sometimes, to live in one’s imagination. I do it, too. Not even writing books, me, just reading them. One can do it in a balanced way, or in an unbalanced way. Rhimes is here to tell you (and you don’t have to listen, but then, well, good luck out there) how it feels to recognize and slowly heal that sickness. It might be a little like, “Hi, my name is Jennie, and I am an introvert,” but again, there are healthy ways to be and unhealthy ways, and most of us know instinctively which is which. When it gets bad enough, you might want a little Shonda to brighten your day. She’s funny, she’s smart, and she’s been there.

We certainly get a look into the way Rhimes speaks, and thinks, if we didn’t already get plenty of that through her characters. (We knew she liked red wine, for instance.) She answers for us things she really shouldn’t have to answer—like deciding not to get married. Maybe it helped her to write that part down, at least so she has some ready answers the next time someone comes to her with what she calls “Big Questions.”

Speaking of which, one of the more fascinating parts of this book for me was her response to the “Why is diversity so important?” question. I would never have thought to ask that question, and that is sort of the way she answers it:

"...one of the dumbest questions on the face of the earth, right up there with 'Why do people need food and air?' and 'Why should women be feminists?'

…I really hate the word diversity. It suggests something…other. As if it is something…special. Or rare.

Diversity!

As if there is something unusual about telling stories involving women and people of color and LGBTQ characters on TV.

I have a different word: NORMALIZING.

I’m normalizing TV.

I’m making TV look the way the world looks. Women, people of color, LGBTQ people equal WAY more than 50 percent of the population. Which means it ain’t out off the ordinary. I am making the world of television look NORMAL.

…The goal is that everyone should get to turn on the TV and see someone who looks like them and loves like them. And just as important, everyone should turn on the TV and see someone who doesn’t look like them and love like them. Because perhaps then they will learn from them.”

There is only one thing that confuses me about this memoir: is introvert now “bad” and extrovert now “good”? Rhimes spent a year

“trying to be as cocky and immodest and brazen as I can. I’m trying to take up as much space as I need to take up. To not make myself smaller in order to make someone else feel better. I’m allowing myself to shamelessly and comfortably be the loudest voice in the room.”

I guess that is not quite clear to me. So this is the goal? To take up more space, to impose one’s will? I understand being happy in the world. I understand not backing down from who you are. I’m not sure why that has to drown out others. But I’m glad Rhimes feels better at the end of it. As long as she isn’t just making that up for our benefit.

Writing, pitching, producing & showrunning - WELCOME to Shonda's @masterclass! More info: https://t.co/fB4cnOa0qz -Shonda's Squad pic.twitter.com/iJAdo1RfPK
— shonda rhimes (@shondarhimes) December 15, 2016

...more

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Nov 15, 2015 Liz Logan rated it did not like it

Shockingly, the problems of a zillionaire TV mogul and my problems have zero overlap. So: nope.

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May 26, 2016 madamereadsalot rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

I listened to this audiobook the last two days and I really adored it. Going into this book, I didn't know that it was by the writer of shows like Greys Anatomy, Private Practice and How to get away with murder. Neither did I know who this Shonda Rhimes even was. But the title caught my attention: 'Year of Yes.'

Year of yes. Since I'm a person who struggles to say YES on a daily basis, that title made me want to read this book. I discovered that for autobiographical books, audiobooks work best f I listened to this audiobook the last two days and I really adored it. Going into this book, I didn't know that it was by the writer of shows like Greys Anatomy, Private Practice and How to get away with murder. Neither did I know who this Shonda Rhimes even was. But the title caught my attention: 'Year of Yes.'

Year of yes. Since I'm a person who struggles to say YES on a daily basis, that title made me want to read this book. I discovered that for autobiographical books, audiobooks work best for me. I lay in the sun tanning, did housechores, showered, ate my dinner, while listening to this book. In these cases, I find it hard to sit down with aphysical book only concentrating on one thing, when I can do others while listening to the story. So far I listened to 'You're never Weird on the Internet. Almost.' and 'Reasons to stay alive' on audible. And it is such fun to listen while doing other stuff.
Well, so much for my 'Yes!' to audiobooks. ;-)

Back to the book. Shonda Rhimes who narrates has a deep and pleasant voice. I can't handle audiobooks whose narrators have a scratchy voice. So that one was an important reason for me to choose the audiobook. I always listen to the audiosamples first before deciding. One or two times, I have already decided against buying an audiobook because of that....
But Shonda Rhimes is nice to listen to. Also that woman is fierce and yet so very sensible. I'm still missing that fierceness in myself, but that definetly is an inspiration. All her insecurities, all her saying 'no' to life, that really seems familiar to me. Rolling thoughts of what could possibly go wrong around in my head until I decide to let a opportunity pass. Until I say no. And I'm fast with saying no. It's basically my initiate reaction to anything new. No.

But seeing how a Year of Yes, changed her. Made her feel more confident. Made her more happy. This is an inspiration to me. Even though some of her Yes'es involved saying No to other people. Because this was her Yes to herself. I'm just like that as well. Not wanting to hurt anyones feelings. Not wanting anyone to dislike me. But in the end sometimes people drag you down und saying no to them, even if they leave you and you lose a friend, can be a big yes for yourself.

All in all, I didn't like all content. There was a lot about her children, when she stated her opinion on being a working single mother. This part, being a single AND childless AND not especially a workaholic made it seem like my own achievements meant nothing compared to hers. That even though she tells us, everyone should live life like they want to, I still felt like I'm living my life wrong. Because I'm twentyseven, single, childless, currently not sure if I like my job at all and so on.
But later that feeling of discomfort when she talked about her children, ebbed away. Later she stated, that you don't have to get married (She doesn't want to.) you even don't have to have any children if it just isn't for you. And if it is, you can still be a mom with 40. So that gave me a feeling of relief.

Basically I like the message, that she doesn't like it when people praise her for her diversity in her TV-Shows. Black women, asian women, white women, gay and straight people. Because the term diversity makes it seem like something special. When the correct term would be normal. Because there are all different kinds of normal. Everyone is normal. So she wants to 'normalize' TV.
And this is the basic message I really adore. Because this means I am normal. You are normal. No one is wrong. (Only Jack the Ripper. Dude is totally wrong.)

So yes to this book as well. I liked it. It made me smile and laugh at times. It had several nice messages. It is an inspirational read not only for women. And it was nice to listen to.

4.75 ...more

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Jan 31, 2016 Karina rated it liked it

Shelves: read-in-2016

A fun and sometimes enlightening journey of personal growth. I enjoyed myself a lot on various occasions but it failed to truly hit the spot. It was funny, honest, and entertaining non the less. I'd still recommend it especially if you are a fan of her work. One of those quick/nice treats that come in book form.

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Aug 01, 2016 Wanda rated it liked it

Shelves: biography-memoirs, non-fiction, female-authors, read-in-2016, public-library

A combination of memoir and self-help book, The Year of Yes was a quick and easy read. It is written in a very conversational tone (unlike many books in the self-help genre) and that may put off some readers. So help me, I had absolutely no idea who Shonda Rhimes was and I must confess that I have never seen any of her TV shows. The writing in this book left me wondering about the writing for the shows—she must put on a different hat for writing those, for I can’t imagine this style producing aw A combination of memoir and self-help book, The Year of Yes was a quick and easy read. It is written in a very conversational tone (unlike many books in the self-help genre) and that may put off some readers. So help me, I had absolutely no idea who Shonda Rhimes was and I must confess that I have never seen any of her TV shows. The writing in this book left me wondering about the writing for the shows—she must put on a different hat for writing those, for I can’t imagine this style producing award winning programming.

If you are looking for a little inspiration to get out of any ruts that you have become comfortable in, this book may be helpful. I might warn you away from it if you are unemployed, as her obvious enjoyment of her high-powered job could be a bit hard to take. But I do think she shines a much-needed spotlight on some particularly female career problems, namely being able to claim our success without embarrassment and not shying away from telling our workmates exactly what we want and need. I’m sure that non-caucasian readers will benefit from reading about Rhimes’ experiences with being asked repeatedly about being a successful African-American woman.

One chapter which younger readers will potentially find useful was the one on sorting out real friends from hangers-on. Not all of us are successful enough to have hangers-on, but I think we all at some point or another realize that not all the people we hang out with are really our friends. They are there for what they can get and when you actually ask them to give in return, you will see their true faces. To bravely purge these people from your life is a liberating experience and Rhimes describes it well.

I admired Rhimes’ honesty regarding her refusal to get married. As she said, when she was engaged, she received more approval from friends and family than she did for all of her other achievements (not inconsiderable) combined. Why does society still do this to women? You may have a full, wonderful life, but if you aren’t married, you quickly get the message that nothing else matters. As one of those rebels who refuses to marry, I very much appreciated her description of her decision to break off wedding plans, despite the disappointment of her family. She has chosen to adopt children, which I find admirable.
...more

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Oct 31, 2015 Xueting rated it it was amazing

Shelves: favorites, non-fiction, biographies-autobiographies-memoirs, i-borrowed-this, unputdownable

I love love love this book. It makes me want to really take care of myself and love myself more. If anyone needs an inspirational self-help kinda read, whatever your main struggle in life, this book will help make you feel so much better. Even if you're not looking for particular advice on a thing, like me, read it too. Because we can always do with more self-encouragement and love from others, and Shonda Rhimes gives that here! She is such a lovely role model and friend! Yeah I do feel like we' ...more

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Nov 14, 2015 Black Claire Beauchamp rated it it was amazing

Beautiful! A game changer. I'm going to try to take her words to heart because the knowledge she imparts is wise, true, and unapologetically real. Every woman should read this book.

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Nov 13, 2015 Ziba rated it liked it

"I think a lot of people dream. They are busy dreaming, the happy people, the really successful people, interesting, powerful, engaging people? Are busy doing."
.
Just finished Year of Yes! YES! It was at times a bit down putting when Shonda described how she used to be and how she used to see herself as too big and too this and that but it picked up and became an empowering and inspirational read. Some quotes l'll carry with me forever.

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Oct 03, 2016 Julie Ehlers rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: books-about-creativity, famous-people

At first glance, I'm not the obvious audience for this book: I've never seen even a single episode of one of Shonda Rhimes's shows. (I'm not bragging or anything—I'm just not a big TV watcher.) So I didn't pick up Year of Yes because I was a big fan. I picked it up because the description resonated with me: Shonda and I are both introverts who have to work to force ourselves out of our comfort zone. I've even done something similar to the Year of Yes already; a few years back, I chose a word of At first glance, I'm not the obvious audience for this book: I've never seen even a single episode of one of Shonda Rhimes's shows. (I'm not bragging or anything—I'm just not a big TV watcher.) So I didn't pick up Year of Yes because I was a big fan. I picked it up because the description resonated with me: Shonda and I are both introverts who have to work to force ourselves out of our comfort zone. I've even done something similar to the Year of Yes already; a few years back, I chose a word of intention for myself: Brave. For that year, if I wanted to do something and the only thing stopping me was fear, I HAD to do it. No exceptions. It was a great year, and I kept it up for a while longer, but eventually I fell back into my comfort zone, which is where I am ensconced at the present time. I needed inspiration to get back out of it, and this book seemed like an ideal motivator.

I have to admit, though, that I wasn't immediately drawn in. The book is very well written, but Shonda's style grated at first. She takes a while to build up to whatever point she's making, adding many humorous stylistic flourishes along the way. Initially, it was a bit much for me, but eventually I got used to it and even began to enjoy it. Shonda became like that theatrical friend who always injects drama or performance into her conversations but can tell a story better than anyone.

Not surprisingly, the book also provided a lot of useful advice on saying yes. Shonda worked on saying yes to event invitations she would have turned down in the past, but she also worked on developing courage in her relationships, both personal and professional. My favorite quote was something like: "Freedom lies across the field of the difficult conversation"—a philosophy I agree with completely. We need to be able to have honest conversations with the people we're close to, even if those conversations are occasionally unpleasant, and the fact that she included so much of this in the book made it especially meaningful. There were also chapters on saying yes to saying no—no to working too much, or to allowing people to take advantage of her. Obviously, for many of us, saying no can be just as important as saying yes, so all this was helpful too.

There was also a lot of really interesting information on Shonda's creativity—how her work affects her life and vice versa. Her views on this subject were unique and fascinating to me, and a lot of it was really personal. I appreciated how much of herself Shonda was willing to reveal; it made the whole book feel honest and real.

If I had one complaint, it's that a few chapters didn't quite fit with the theme and seem to have been included just because Shonda had a lot to say on those particular topics. But it was all still a fun read. If you're a fan of Shonda's shows, I can't see how you could fail to love this. But even if you're just looking for an entertaining, interesting look at a creative person's life and how she learned to shake it up, Year of Yes is definitely worth a try. ...more

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Jan 08, 2016 Naoms rated it it was amazing

Shelves: library, audiobook, favorites, memoirs-nonfiction-autobiographies, audiobooks, read-in-2016

Originally Posted at: Confessions of an Opinionated Book Geek

I like to start every year with a memoir/autobiography/Non-fiction book by someone who I respect and who inspires me. As an aspiring television writer who wants to turn at least one of my many pilot scripts into an actual TV show you can imagine that Mindy Kaling, Tina Fey and Amy Poehler are on my “read” shelf. I love those women and they inspire me in every way, but do you know who my be all and end all of TV inspiration is? You gues ...more

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Mar 12, 2016 Flannery rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: audiobooks, liked-listening-prob-hate-reading, memoir, read-in-2016, ltaw

I would say I'm a 4 or 5 out of 10 on the Shonda-Rhimes-Television-Show-Enjoyment-Index-That-I-Just-Made-Up-Right-Now. I watched maybe two seasons of Grey's Anatomy and then stopped. I watched two seasons of Scandal and then gave it up. I watched a few episodes of How to Get Away with Murder and then never watched any more. I think those shows are better than a lot of what's out there, but I just never found myself compelled to keep going. I felt exactly the same way about this audiobook. I like I would say I'm a 4 or 5 out of 10 on the Shonda-Rhimes-Television-Show-Enjoyment-Index-That-I-Just-Made-Up-Right-Now. I watched maybe two seasons of Grey's Anatomy and then stopped. I watched two seasons of Scandal and then gave it up. I watched a few episodes of How to Get Away with Murder and then never watched any more. I think those shows are better than a lot of what's out there, but I just never found myself compelled to keep going. I felt exactly the same way about this audiobook. I liked hearing Rhimes talk about her life in broad gestures, but that's all it was. In other memoirs that were hugely successful to me as a reader (e.g. This Time Together: Laughter and Reflection and Born Standing Up: A Comic's Life) I truly felt I was listening to an intimate reflection on parts of their lives. I was moved, I laughed and I walked away feeling like I understood them more as a person. After listening to Year of Yes: How to Dance It Out, Stand In the Sun and Be Your Own Person, I know a few more details about Shonda Rhimes: She is very busy, she has three kids, she is shy, she has a large family, her parents are happily married, she identifies with Christina Yang from Grey's Anatomy and she considers herself a former pushover. But I honestly felt like she did not release any of her true feelings into her memoir. It's as if she approached this memoir as a script with herself as the character she was writing about.

I understand that Rhimes has used this overarching idea of saying 'yes' to things and that her decision to do this more often for a year changed her outlook on life. That's great. But I kind of feel like I got as much information on the overall theme of the book from the title as I did from the book. As a self-help book, this fails, because there is very little actual advice beyond agreeing to things that scare you and being confident in your decisions. As a memoir, this was only marginally successful for me as a reader because it was mostly just broad strokes. She included actual audio footage from a few speeches she gave and I thought that perfectly summed up the feeling I got from this book: Generally inspirational. Mildly introspective. A little bit of something for everyone. But it just wasn't a lot of anything for me. ...more

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Nov 12, 2015 Lauren rated it really liked it

I was slow to warm to this book - I loved the idea of the topic and enjoy Rhimes' work on television, but initially found her writing to be too casual and chatty to really hold my attention. After putting it down for a few days, I picked it up again and found that I read half the book in one sitting. Rhimes is confessional and funny, writing with a wit and rhythm that probably works best when read aloud (of course, she writes for TV!). Once I adjusted to that rhythm, I couldn't get enough - many ...more

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Feb 20, 2017 Iara Picolo rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

que mulher meus amigos, que mulher.

flag 13 likes · Like · see review

Jun 10, 2016 Lindsay rated it it was amazing

Recommended to Lindsay by: Book Riot Community

Shelves: biographymemoir, non-fiction, favorites, audio, adult

Holy cow, that was good in so many ways. I had initially just picked it up because I heard the audio (read by Rhimes) was great--I'm finding lately that I'm becoming increasingly inclined to check out an audiobook for its reader alone and not necessarily the story...weird. Anyway, it quickly turned into this mega personal moment, being so perfectly timed on the verge of graduating with this second <<>> Master's degree and maybe finally having all the free time that I never had during ...more

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Jan 11, 2018 Erica rated it it was amazing

Shelves: non-fiction, women-and-girls, biographical, famous-figures, sisters, audiobook, inspiring, girlfriend-power, bffs, great-narration, feminism-as-a-grownup

There's so much I want to say about this book but it appears I have no way to express myself.
I'd started to review it a few times but backspaced my words away. One review was a letter to Shonda, explaining why we should be friends. Nothing has felt right, though.

All I can say that I felt an outpouring of love for this book.

I wasn't necessarily in this to get pointers from her journey; I took my own version of that journey years ago and mine was much different and much shorter. But I loved hearin ...more

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Feb 11, 2016 Gail rated it it was amazing

Maybe it’s because this was an audio read for me, and Shonda was SO DARN DELIGHTFUL speaking its words in my ear, but this was a definite five-star read for me. I’ve been a fan of this woman’s shows for quite some time (though admittedly I don’t watch Grey’s or Scandal at present) and I admire the way she OWNS.HER.LIFE. Without apology. Without the “Who me? I don’t deserve this” lack of confidence so many women can fall for as a trapping of their own success.

On the surface this book may seem an ...more

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Nov 25, 2015 Kelly Hager rated it it was amazing

I was so excited when I received an email pitch for this book because I am a huge fan of Shonda Rhimes. (I love all her shows, including Private Practice!) And it turns out I didn't even know because now I want to marry her. (If either of us wanted to get married which, as it turns out, we don't.) Maybe we can be best friends or live across the hall or something.

Anyway. You know how sometimes you read a book at the exact perfect time and it just becomes this huge source of inspiration? That's Ye ...more

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About Shonda Rhimes

In this poignant, hilarious, and deeply intimate call to arms, Hollywood’s most powerful woman, the mega-talented creator of Grey’s Anatomy and Scandal and executive producer of How to Get Away with Murder reveals how saying YES changed her life—and how it can change yours too.

She’s the creator and producer of some of the most groundbreaking and audacious shows on television today: Grey’s Anatomy, In this poignant, hilarious, and deeply intimate call to arms, Hollywood’s most powerful woman, the mega-talented creator of Grey’s Anatomy and Scandal and executive producer of How to Get Away with Murder reveals how saying YES changed her life—and how it can change yours too.

She’s the creator and producer of some of the most groundbreaking and audacious shows on television today: Grey’s Anatomy, Scandal, How to Get Away with Murder. Her iconic characters—Meredith Grey, Cristina Yang, Olivia Pope, Annalise Keating—live boldly and speak their minds. So who would suspect that Shonda Rhimes, the mega talent who owns Thursday night television (#TGIT), is an introvert? That she hired a publicist so she could avoid public appearances? That she hugged walls at splashy parties and suffered panic attacks before media interviews so severe she remembered nothing afterward?

Before her Year of Yes, Shonda Rhimes was an expert at declining invitations others would leap to accept. With three children at home and three hit television shows on TV, it was easy to say that she was simply too busy. But in truth, she was also afraid. Afraid of cocktail party faux pas like chucking a chicken bone across a room; petrified of live television appearances where Shonda Rhimes could trip and fall and bleed out right there in front of a live studio audience; terrified of the difficult conversations that came so easily to her characters on-screen. In the before, Shonda’s introvert life revolved around burying herself in work, snuggling her children, and comforting herself with food.

And then, on Thanksgiving 2013, Shonda’s sister muttered something that was both a wake up and a call to arms: You never say yes to anything.

The comment sat like a grenade, until it detonated. Then Shonda, the youngest of six children from a supremely competitive family, 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 creating imaginary friends to her devotion to creating television characters who reflected the world she saw around her (like Cristina Yang, whose ultimate goal wasn’t marriage, and Cyrus Beene, who is a Republican and gay). And it chronicles her life after her Year of Yes had begun—when Shonda forced herself out of the house and onto the stage, appearing on Jimmy Kimmel Live, and giving the Dartmouth Commencement speech; when she learned to say yes to her health, yes to play and she stepped out of the shadows and into the sun; when she learned to explore, empower, applaud, and love her truest self. Yes.

This wildly candid and compulsively readable book reveals how the mega talented Shonda Rhimes, an unexpected introvert, achieved badassery worthy of a Shondaland character. And how you can, too. ...more

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The Princess Diaries 2, Royal Engagement: Movie Scrapbook

Grey's Anatomy Pilot: A Hard Day's Night (1x01)

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“I am not lucky. You know what I am? I am smart, I am talented, I take advantage of the opportunities that come my way and I work really, really hard. Don’t call me lucky. Call me a badass.” — 131 likes

“There is no list of rules. There is one rule. The rule is: there are no rules. Happiness comes from living as you need to, as you want to. As your inner voice tells you to. Happiness comes from being who you actually are instead of who you think you are supposed to be. Being traditional is not traditional anymore. It’s funny that we still think of it that way. Normalize your lives, people. You don’t want a baby? Don’t have one. I don’t want to get married? I won’t. You want to live alone? Enjoy it. You want to love someone? Love someone. Don’t apologize. Don’t explain. Don’t ever feel less than. When you feel the need to apologize or explain who you are, it means the voice in your head is telling you the wrong story. Wipe the slate clean. And rewrite it. No fairy tales. Be your own narrator. And go for a happy ending. One foot in front of the other. You will make it.” — 102 likes

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