My rating 5 out of 5.
I have wondered about her greatness and imagination all the time. This is a very interesting piece presented with self-deprecating humor. She is having an engaging conversation with the reader throughout. Her style seemed to resonate with the mental talk she portrays on her shows sometimes, blunt, deep, and to the point. The talks that sometimes serve as a preamble or an impactful conclusion.
Plot
It was revealing to note that she had fears around public presence and this book starts with how a family situation served as a reflection point for her. She turned it into a phase of saying “YES” to all uncomfortable things that she had avoided any earlier to see how life treated her then.
It’s a heartfelt account of how she overcame fears of public speaking/presence and turned to address some other decisions such as marriage, schooling managing and spending time with kids, changing priorities, etc. She takes us through stigmas, mental talks on how she addressed those, and I want to stop and give her credit here.
Caution
Don’t read this thinking it may give you some insider view on her show characters. It is a great memoir touching only those aspects that she is comfortable to reveal (being an introvert). I have looked forward to reading this more as I am an ardent fan of “Grey’s Anatomy”.
When I read through I could sense she has shown a part/phase of her life through her characters. Her passion for creativity and work and to follow it as a soul calling is evident via “Christina”. Her motherhood through “Meredith Grey”. One can see her strong bossy/disciplined managing style via “Miranda Bailey”. A liking for wedding prep/gowns via “Izzie”, her portrayal of Alzheimer’s via “Ellis Grey”. And her reflective and mentoring edge via “Webber”.
To summarize
It is a well-written account of shonda’s journey of being famous, successful, exhausted, and busy at the same time. Eventually, she talks about being selective on what she would prefer in life, unlike the “have it all” approach.
It also talks about subtleties of accepting appreciation, giving gratitude, and the need to say “NO” when you actually feel so. All very well woven with emotion and humor. My favorite quote from her book “Put one foot in front of the other”, the context and the simplicity of it was amazing.