The Year of Yes

I did not like this book at all. It was a very slow read. I expected so much more from this book due to the positive reviews. Disappointed.

This book surprised me. I was expecting fluffy chick lit, and instead got a real memoir, full of the good, the bad, and the ugly. It amuses me that other reviewers are so shocked and disgusted by Maria's sexual life; the book does not profess to be a self-help book. She obviously makes some horrible choices, and is not ashamed of admitting it. It is a funny recounting of the highlights from a hilarious year. Yes, of course she's name dropping and lit dropping and talking about herself - she's describing herself as an NYU student in her twenties. I dare anyone to find me an NYU student in their twenties who doesn't. What impressed me the most about this book was that it began as one thing "I need to get a date with a decent guy", and ended in a completely different place; how saying "yes" to the universe allows you to find yourself. This is a journey that most of us should go on, even if we don't follow the same rules as Maria.

Not afraid to tell the truth, Maria Headley writes with humor, compassion, and sensitivity, honoring the human spirit. She's willing to shake off social and family programming, examine and toss out resistance, judgment, and prejudice, use the power of her intentions, follow her heart, and be open to what comes her way. Then choosing consciously.

Need I say more? This book is about so much more than dating, men, or even women. It's about life and how to find yours. In her plight to broaden her mind when it comes to the world of dating, Maria discovers beauty in all types of people. More importantly, this adventure helps her to discover a little of herself in the process. It's a brilliant and highly entertaining journey that you as the reader find yourself going on alongside her. Everyone should read this book! We will all find a little of ourselves in Maria's journey, and in the end we'll have laughed, fretted, and hopefully learned a little in the process.

When this book was handed to me, I though, "Oh, man, looks like chick-lit..." Okay, it kinda is, but there's definitely something here for everyone. Headley has accurately captured a facet of New York City that seems to be slowly vanishing: a sense of adventure that, when brought out of the self and into the world, can't help but affect innocent bystanders. In short, what makes New York New York. It isn't the coffee, it isn't the bagels, it isn't the rundown tenement buildings, it's the people. For those who have never lived in NYC, here's your chance to see what it's like, all from the point of view of one of those who make the city what it is. From a technical standpoint, the writing is first-rate: a fine balance of humor, sensitivity and the absurd. Read it and enjoy.

I picked up this book expecting that it would be a fun read. Not only was it fun, it was well-written, hilarious, and utterly personal. I also found that the author's plight (a life filled with negativity and a tendency toward 'no' a la Nora Joyce) hit close to home: Who hasn't found herself sick to death of rejecting all that life has to offer? I think this is a great book for anyone who has had a few bad dates and has decided that something must change.