Wednesday, January 27, 2016

Year of Yes: How to Dance It Out, Stand in the Sun, and Be Your Own Person - By Shonda Rhimes

To begin: A side note: I tried reading two books at the same time (this and my January themed book; A Tree Grows in Brooklyn). It is a talent that I do not yet possess and will likely need to possess if I want to even think about making it to 50 books this year. It's just difficult for me to go from one book to another, mid-story. That being said; I am now reading A Tree Grows in Brooklyn and will get that post to you at a later time.

Ok.So.

For anyone who has watched and enjoyed an episode of Grey's Anatomy, Scandal, Private Practice or even How to Get Away with Murder, you will be jive well to the writing style that Rhimes uses in YoY. She is coloquial, intimate, and has a sassy sense of humor throughout. (She refers to sex as her "client" having "meetings"; her client being her "vajayjay." See? It's sassy. Funny. Quirky.

The book takes you on a year long (plus more) journey of her deciding to say "yes" to any and everything that frightens her; she is spurred into this journey by 6 words that her sister says to her at Thanksgiving "You Never Say Yes To Anything."

First she says yes to a commencement speech for her Alma Mater; Dartmouth
Then she says yes to playing more with her children...
Yes to taking care of her body...
Yes to speaking the whole truth...
Yes to acknowledging her true feelings on relationships; romantic and otherwise....

Yes to etc...

Each chapter is a small "Yes" Journey.

How can saying Yes to those things that frighten you make you a truer more honest version of yourself, like Shonda? If we were all sitting and drinking wine and discussing this: I imagine this would be one of the questions the book would probably create for us as a discussion starter.

It's not really a "Self Help Book. She doesn't give the reader explicit instructions in every chapter on how to better their own life, but you do get a little inspiration simply from her writing style and her words on her own experiences. "I can be a 'doer', rather than a 'dreamer'." "I can be a Cristina Yang and 'be my own sun.' " (Sounds a little hippie, I know. But it didn't feel like that when I was reading it).

This was not an "OH MY GOD. It Changed My Life Book" for me. Although it might be for some people. I have a friend who read it and absolutely loved it and has been inspired to be a DOER in his endeavors.

But. It kept me engaged because I love Shonda's writing. I got sucked into Grey's many years ago and I go along with her on all of the non-believable, believable, fantastical plots; because I really do like her writing. The woman is talented, ya'll. And I think she makes some valid points throughout the 300 pages.

I would say this is a great summer/vacation/beach/airplane book. It has sass, humor, reads quickly, and doesn't condescend to those readers actually struggling with "saying yes" (#LikeMe).

Would I recommend. Yea sure! Why not? It's a fun, easy read that will make you at least think about a few deeper issues that are probably laying dormant ;)




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