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

The author and main figure of the memoir, Rhimes conveys both her strengths and her flaws throughout the book. In one respect, Rhimes lives a life that is unfamiliar to her readers due to her career: She interacts with well-known actors, writers, and other figures within the media daily. She is privileged to attend elegant events and engagement and interacts with world-renowned figures such as President Barack Obama and media mogul Oprah Winfrey. On the exterior, Rhimes comes across as a confident and powerful person, due in large part to the success her television shows and media company have achieved. Educated, intelligent, and well-liked, the memoir provides a deeper version of Rhimes’s complex inner life than what is often viewable from the outside.

Rhimes paints herself as a natural introvert—most comfortable when she is alone writing and fearful of many aspects of public and social interaction. Some of her insecurities stem from her feeling awkward and unattractive as a child. Yet, Rhimes, through the nurturing of loving parents and the privilege of a rich education, grew to a capable and skilled writer. Honing her craft was a natural pursuit for her, as her family has always valued ambition and success.