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    Year of Yes: How to Dance It Out, Stand In the Sun and Be Your Own Person
    Unavailable
    Year of Yes: How to Dance It Out, Stand In the Sun and Be Your Own Person
    Unavailable
    Year of Yes: How to Dance It Out, Stand In the Sun and Be Your Own Person
    Ebook320 pages4 hours

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

    By Shonda Rhimes

    4/5

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    About this ebook

    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 Bridgerton, For the People and How to Get Away with Murder , reveals how saying YES changed her life - and how it can change yours too. 

    With three hit shows on television and three children at home, Shonda Rhimes had lots of good reasons to say no when invitations arrived. Hollywood party? No. Speaking engagement? No. Media appearances? No. 

    And to an introvert like Shonda, who describes herself as 'hugging the walls' at social events and experiencing panic attacks before press interviews, there was a particular benefit to saying no: nothing new to fear. Then came Thanksgiving 2013, when Shonda's sister Delorse muttered six little words at her: You never say yes to anything. 

    Profound, impassioned and laugh-out-loud funny, in Year of Yes Shonda Rhimes reveals how saying YES changed - and saved - her life. And inspires readers everywhere to change their own lives with one little word: Yes.

     
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherSimon & Schuster UK
    Release dateNov 10, 2015
    ISBN9781471157332
    Author

    Shonda Rhimes

    Shonda Rhimes is CEO of the global media company Shondaland.  With a focus on innovation, Rhimes’s company approaches storytelling through brand partnerships, merchandise, and content for film, streaming, audio, digital, and editorial. In her career, Rhimes’s work has been celebrated with numerous awards including induction into the Television Academy Hall of Fame. She has shifted the entertainment industry’s business model and changed the face of television. 

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    Related categories

    Reviews for Year of Yes

    4/5

    352 ratings47 reviews

    What did you think?

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    Review must be at least 10 words

    • 5/5
      Turns out that I love TV writers talking about themselves. Mindy Kaling, now Shonda Rhimes...TV writers are my kind of people.
      If you write for TV - assemble a memoir, narrate the audiobook, and just send it my way.
    • 5/5
      I really enjoyed this novel. Shonda Rhimes had incredible professional success, but found that she was shutting out most of the world outside of her tv show and her children. Some of her changes during her "year of yes" really resonated with me.
    • 4/5
      I was so moved by this book I cannot even put it into words. As an avid fan of Grey's Anatomy, so many of the words I read and stories Shonda Rhimes was gracious enough to share put so many things into perspective for me. I loved it!
    • 4/5
      I really enjoyed this book. A lot.

      But Shonda Rhimes uses this weird sentence construction all the time. That thing where a person starts a sentence with a question when it really shouldn't be a question.

      Let me give you some examples from Shonda herself.

      "My mother? Looks incredible."
      "And that yes? Turned out to be something much more terrifying."

      I could keep going. I really could. I counted as I read, and she did it 69 times. But you get the idea.

      She also says the kind of things that drive me crazy:

      "Am I kidding me?"
      "I give good story."
      "I had to drink about it."

      I don't know why it drives me crazy, but it does.

      But despite all of that, I really liked this book. Rhimes is a wildly successful woman who shares the same insecurities and worries as everybody else. Her decision to say yes to everything that scared her was terrifying for her, but she did it anyway, because she wanted to grow.

      I love that she was open about her weight, and her nervousness during interviews. I love that she admitted to using "Athlete Talk." I love that she wasn't satisfied where she was - even after "owning Thursday nights" - and she did what she needed to do to improve herself and her life, because she wanted to.

      And if I can ignore that writing style that reads like nails on a chalkboard to me, because I just can't stop reading? Then it's a good book.
    • 4/5
      I loved this! I'm a big fan of Shonda Rhimes' shows, but I knew nothing about her. You get a glimpse into life in Hollywood TV, but through the eyes of an introvert who wanted to be a writer and never dreamed of being famous. She tackles issues relating to motherhood, being a woman and a personal of color, weight, personal happiness, and more. It reads as very real and unglossed over, although there are subjects she very clearly skims past as well.
    • 4/5
      I really enjoyed this book. A lot.

      But Shonda Rhimes uses this weird sentence construction all the time. That thing where a person starts a sentence with a question when it really shouldn't be a question.

      Let me give you some examples from Shonda herself.

      "My mother? Looks incredible."
      "And that yes? Turned out to be something much more terrifying."

      I could keep going. I really could. I counted as I read, and she did it 69 times. But you get the idea.

      She also says the kind of things that drive me crazy:

      "Am I kidding me?"
      "I give good story."
      "I had to drink about it."

      I don't know why it drives me crazy, but it does.

      But despite all of that, I really liked this book. Rhimes is a wildly successful woman who shares the same insecurities and worries as everybody else. Her decision to say yes to everything that scared her was terrifying for her, but she did it anyway, because she wanted to grow.

      I love that she was open about her weight, and her nervousness during interviews. I love that she admitted to using "Athlete Talk." I love that she wasn't satisfied where she was - even after "owning Thursday nights" - and she did what she needed to do to improve herself and her life, because she wanted to.

      And if I can ignore that writing style that reads like nails on a chalkboard to me, because I just can't stop reading? Then it's a good book.
    • 4/5
      I really enjoyed this book. A lot.

      But Shonda Rhimes uses this weird sentence construction all the time. That thing where a person starts a sentence with a question when it really shouldn't be a question.

      Let me give you some examples from Shonda herself.

      "My mother? Looks incredible."
      "And that yes? Turned out to be something much more terrifying."

      I could keep going. I really could. I counted as I read, and she did it 69 times. But you get the idea.

      She also says the kind of things that drive me crazy:

      "Am I kidding me?"
      "I give good story."
      "I had to drink about it."

      I don't know why it drives me crazy, but it does.

      But despite all of that, I really liked this book. Rhimes is a wildly successful woman who shares the same insecurities and worries as everybody else. Her decision to say yes to everything that scared her was terrifying for her, but she did it anyway, because she wanted to grow.

      I love that she was open about her weight, and her nervousness during interviews. I love that she admitted to using "Athlete Talk." I love that she wasn't satisfied where she was - even after "owning Thursday nights" - and she did what she needed to do to improve herself and her life, because she wanted to.

      And if I can ignore that writing style that reads like nails on a chalkboard to me, because I just can't stop reading? Then it's a good book.
    • 5/5
      Don't just stand like Wonder Woman, be Wonder Woman. I loved this book. It made me laugh, cry, break out in goose bumps, and really take a look inside of this introvert. I listened to the audiobook and don't think I would have enjoyed it as much had I read the book. Being able to hear her actual speeches was amazing.
    • 4/5
      I was so moved by this book I cannot even put it into words. As an avid fan of Grey's Anatomy, so many of the words I read and stories Shonda Rhimes was gracious enough to share put so many things into perspective for me. I loved it!
    • 5/5
      This memoir was inspiring, funny, heartfelt, and honest. Just to name a few attributes, though there are plenty more. I think that Shonda really let down her guard in this one and allowed herself to be truly vulnerable, which was important for the memoir to work. She accomplished this, and in turn, I fell in love with her. I fell in love with her spirit, her awkwardness, her sass. Even if you have no idea who Shonda Rhimes is, or maybe don't even watch her shows, this book is beyond all that, and I feel anyone could enjoy. It comes off almost as a self help book without truly trying to be preachy or...self helpish. You can get inspired by Rhimes' approach to a year of yes, and inspired by the outcome. You can get inspired in your own life by reading what can happen when you simply begin saying yes to things. I recommend this book to anyone who loves Shonda's TV shows, but beyond that, I recommend it to anyone who may feel like they are in a slump or a time of their life where the motivation isn't there. This can serve to show you that sometimes one simple word can change everything. Simply put, Inspiring!
    • 4/5
      This was a funny breezy sort of book that spoke of female empowerment and that we all can have it. Of course, I loved all the asides about Gray's Anatomy but her message is what will stay with me.
    • 4/5
      Witty, insightful, and often thought provoking. A quick, fun read, but with substance. I knew very little of Shonda Rhimes and had never watched any of her TV shows, but decided to pick this up after catching part of an NPR interview she did The good news is you don't have to know anything about her previous work to enjoy and learn something from this book.
    • 3/5
      The author, Shonda Rhimes, is clearly in the genius category. Anyone who can have long-running, concurrent Thursday-night prime time shows is not your typical writer. This book is inspirational in the approach to Saying Yes as a way to engage more successfully with life. Her life seemed pretty full even before she embarked on the Year of Saying Yes. Her three writing jobs and her three children, plus extended family life seem to be quite enough to fill all the available hours. Yet, by saying Yes, she extends the joy and learns much more about herself. I appreciate that the author was also able to discern when it was appropriate to say No. I found the conversational writing style irritating and repetitive.
    • 4/5
      This is a fun, witty and inspiring book. She is self-deprecating(although she specifically says she isn't) and honest in the best possible way. Part memoir and part self-help book, but minus the holier than thou undertone. Just Shonda explaining how, and why, she was unhappy with her life and the steps she took to try and rectify the situation.
    • 4/5
      I didn't know much about Shonda, other than she's created some of my favorite shows, but after reading her book, I just adore her! She gives a lot of insight and encouragement for the reader to be confident, proud of their accomplishments, and say 'yes' to enjoying life by sharing her own journey. Her book is often funny, and very enjoyable. I'm glad I read it.
    • 5/5
      I am not a fan of personal growth books, but I am a fan of Grey's Anatomy. And now, I am an even bigger fan of Shonda Rhimes. This is a fantastic look at how our fears and insecurities can hold us back from saying 'yes' to opportunities and experiences. And also, how those same fears and insecurities keep us from saying 'No' when we really don't want to do some things. Since I've read this book, I've passed on copies to 3 friends. It's definitely the type of book that would be a perfect book discussion among a group of women. Life changing and eye opening.
    • 3/5
      Shonda Rhimes writes like she's sitting around chatting with a friend. However, she's also really repetitive. Yes, this book is filled with wonderful advice, inspiring personal stories, and is incredibly relatable. Wonderful. Inspiring. Relatable.Wonderful. Inspiring. Relatable. Should I say that one more time?Despite the repetition, it's a fun, quick read.
    • 5/5
      Shonda Rhimes is an amazing talent and person inside and out. We are definitely friends in my head. I read this book four times before I put it down because it has so much wisdom in it. If you want to change your life for the better, pick up this book and just start saying yes.
    • 4/5
      One Thanksgiving Shonda Rhimes's sister told her that she never says yes to anything. Rhimes mulled that over for awhile and realized her sister was right: she turned down pretty much every opportunity that would have challenged her in new ways or that scared her. She decided that was no way to live and embarked on "the year of yes," where she would say yes to everything. The book chronicles that year and explores what Rhimes learned by making it a prerogative to say yes. It's funny and insightful and feminist and body positive, and I enjoyed it a lot. I wouldn't describe it as self-help (there's no plan to follow or anything), but rather inspiring, in a way that feels real and organic rather than Inspiring. Recommended.
    • 4/5
      An autobiography by the producer/writer of "Grey's Anatomy" and "Scandal". Although I don't watch any of the shows Shonda works on, her book was recommended and loaned to me by my boss. I found the writing to be engaging and easy to read. It kept me interested and I enjoyed it. Even though I can see where she certainly comes off a little egocentric (and much more outgoing, even prior to her "Year of Yes", than she assumed herself to be), I could still identify with much of what she was saying. As an introvert myself, I know how hard it is to get out there and put yourself in uncomfortable situations where you must deal with people. Also, she has really accomplished quite a lot and broke out of the stereotypical mold many women find themselves in. My favorite part was probably the description of her parent's marriage. I love the visualization of the ducks imprinting on each other, very sweet!Overall, I liked the book and would certainly recommend.
    • 5/5
      good
    • 5/5
      What a book! I loved Shonda's writing style, honesty & humor on real life challenges.
    • 5/5
      Truly an amazing read- just the right mix of hurt and healing to be encouraging!
    • 5/5
      Shonda's brilliance is her ability to be herself regardless of the stage or crowd. Her authenticity...rather, her fearlessness to display said authenticity is marvelous. Just like Grey's Anatomy, I plan to reread this book time and again because I know I'll find another story, another perspective...another way to stand in the sun and be my own person.
    • 5/5
      She was so real, and I felt she was talking to me.
    • 5/5
      "You don't get an award for participating or for simply being you."
    • 5/5
      Another of the many books I picked up at the beginning of the year when Audible ran the sale for books New Years Reads and another of the ones from that sale to absolutely, fantastically knock my socks off.

      Not that I should have been all that surprised given that I have a deep love for all of the Shonda writing that can reach my world (when I'm in a tv watching movie, that is, since this last year has been super lax in that.) I million outtaken seconds related to her show and an amazing story of her life and the effect of the word Yes on her life. There was laughing, wincing, nearly tearing up, and I walked away from it smiling.

      I will totally read any and all other things she writes, too.
    • 5/5
      I can't believe I didn't have to get on a waiting list at the library to read this. It was just sitting there with all the other new releases, so I grabbed it because I had heard Shonda Rhimes' Fresh Air interview several weeks ago and the book sounded intriguing.

      I want my own copy, so I can highlight phrases and re-read and be inspired. It was more than intriguing. Gave me much to think about with my own career and life choices. Loved it.
    • 5/5
      This was a great book. Shonda is so open and honest (even though she says she’s a liar!) The book resonated with me way more than I expected it to. If you are looking for a pick me up or a personal development book that’s not corny, this is the book for you!
    • 3/5
      Read this for my book club, and while the writing is not my style, the stories challenged me to think about saying yes to more good things in my life. I suspect this would be better as an audiobook. 3.5 stars.