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  • Year of Yes

  • How to Dance It Out, Stand in the Sun and Be Your Own Person
  • By: Shonda Rhimes
  • Narrated by: Shonda Rhimes
  • Length: 7 hrs and 4 mins
  • 4.6 out of 5 stars (379 ratings)

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Year of Yes cover art

Year of Yes

By: Shonda Rhimes
Narrated by: Shonda Rhimes
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Publisher's Summary

2017 Audie Award Finalist for Audiobook of the Year

The megatalented creator of Grey's Anatomy and Scandal and executive producer of How to Get Away with Murder chronicles how saying yes for one year changed her life - and how it can change yours, too.

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

And there was the side benefit of saying no for an introvert like Shonda: nothing new to fear.

Then Shonda's sister laid down a challenge: Just for one year, try to say yes to the unexpected invitations that come your way. Shonda reluctantly agreed - and the result was nothing short of transformative. In Year of Yes, Shonda Rhimes chronicles the powerful impact saying yes had on every aspect of her life - and how we can all change our lives with one little word. Yes.

©2015 Ships at a Distance, Inc. (P)2015 Simon & Schuster, Inc.

Critic Reviews

"What makes this such a powerful audiobook is that, behind her colloquial language and assertive style, you can appreciate the work it took for someone this shy to begin making public appearances and to perform this excellent inspirational audio." ( AudioFile)

What listeners say about Year of Yes

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

I couldn't stop listening!

What did you like most about Year of Yes?

I loved the way she presented such a deep vulnerable message. It was a wake up call for me and I'm totally inspired by it.

What did you like best about this story?

It was raw. It's a true representation of the vulnerability of being comfortable with ourselves.

Which character – as performed by Shonda Rhimes – was your favourite?

Her defiant resistance is something I could seriously relate to.

Did you have an emotional reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

It was like she was speaking about me not to me. It was a wake up call and I could totally relate so at times I was shocked and stunned and others I was feeling inspired and empowered.

Any additional comments?

I thank Shonda for sharing this journey with us and presenting it in such an entertaining way that you can't help but accept the messages she is telling us. Loved it!

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4 people found this helpful

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    1 out of 5 stars
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    2 out of 5 stars
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    1 out of 5 stars

Repetitive drivel from an entitled workaholic.

I struggled to finish this. The concept and title sounded enticing, and this was my reason for purchasing. However, discovering this author also wrote Grey's Anatomy explained a lot of my irritation as I detest that show, and always found the main female character infuriating.

Summary: Wildly successful and overachieving woman gets really busy with work and kids and starts going out socializing again. She then attaches inflated, trite, philosophical tenets to this change in lifestyle by endlessly repeating herself and trying to be witty.

Terrible. Awful. Don't bother.

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3 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Say YES to this book

I loved this book. I feel like Shonda is my friend. I spent the last 30 minutes listening in my car driving and smiling like an absolute idiot ear to ear. Shes obviously an incredible writer, but shes also an awesome orator and a really cool person. The book is fantastic and I would go as far to say the audiobook is even better.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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Honest and entertaining

An open and honest story which had me hanging on every word. I loved how real she was about her struggles but also the Cleary way she mixed humour into it. It was like listening to an old friend you hadn’t seen in years

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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An uplifting listen

A book full of Shonda’s big beautiful personality disguised as a self help book. I just love books that are narrated by the author. If you love Becoming, Michelle Obama, you will love this.

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  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars
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    1 out of 5 stars

Great writer but boring content

She is a very good and definitely can write a hell long story of anything - even boring things. I thought the book is about how she faced and overcame real challenges but nope, it’s about how difficult it is to say yes to self care and be social and talk more to people. I got to chapter 6. The whole chapter is about how hard it is say yes to hiring a nanny because she wants to be a proud mum who brings up good kids herself but she couldn’t and doesn’t like to be seen as one who relies on nanny. First world problems. I skipped to some chapters but couldn’t found any good stories. Disappointing

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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Amazing and insightful

Loved this book! So vulnerable and raw, and it gave me a deeper understanding of her incredible characters. There were parts that were so brilliant I had to pause and re-listen.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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I thought I knew all my Yeses

But Shonda Rhimes taught me there were more yeses to say. Yes, to play. Yes, to me. Yes, to writing my own story.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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Yes!!!

What is there left to say???
Yes!!!
Brilliant book. Written as wonderfully as everything else she writes.
Love that it’s narrated by Shonda herself. I really feel like we’ve spent quality time together and I’m better for the experience

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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Amazon

A fabulous story and very thought provoking. Shonda raises a number of issues that will resonate with women of all ages.

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