The Year of Yes

I just finished reading this book a little while ago and I'll have to say that it is already one of my favorites. Maria Headley is quite a talented writer with a strange view of the world that is worth experiencing for yourself. Her story is one of the funniest I've read, but also quite tender. She has a profound love for this world and everyone in it that leads her to explore more options both for her own romantic entanglements and for ways to express love to her fellow man/woman. If you have a real fear of sex and all things sexy, this is not the book for you. It is not explicit, but she does get it on quite a bit. On the other hand, if you like sexy books; you will not be disappointed in the least. I really learned a lot about how women view sex and sexuality from this book which is significant because I've been married for a while now. Maria is straight forward with the "how's" and "why's" of her sexual freedom and her motivations in that area. I can't say I always agreed with her, but it was a hell of a ride reading about her exploits. So, to sum up: Big fun, lots of sex, moments that will tug at your heart strings or at least pluck them a bit, and a happy ending. Give her a try.

Plainly, this book's poor reviews confuse me. But I appreciate them; after its title spent much of the past decade on my must-read list, I finally purchased a quality used copy for a very affordable one cent and found it well worth more than the price. Your negativity plus my open mind - the dueling motifs at the very heart of this memoir - resulted in a karmic payback for me. Thank you.When I was, coincidentally, the same age as the author, I also became a fan of playwright Robert Schenkkan after reading his astonishing epic The Kentucky Cycle. And I admit, when I learned of this book written by his wife, I, too, balked a bit at its premise: tired of her fruitless love life, a single woman spends a year accepting every date offered her. Not only does she live to tell about it - and finds true love in the process - her escapades are enough to fill a book!"Must be nice . . ." I thought dejectedly.And then I got over myself.Let the overly-estrogenated eat their own. The author's clumsy decisions, the likes of which many people make at 21, are part of the whimsy of this memoir. Perhaps dressing provocatively was not part of your youthful repertoire, but not seeing past your jealous judgment as an older adult reveals an immaturity that would do us all a world of good if it were, pardon the expression, off like a dirty shirt.Indeed, Ms. Headley makes profound observations about character, love, and life as a human being; qualities many of us found relatable a few short years ago through the wildly popular television series Sex and the City. When the subject matter is fictionalized, it draws raucous applause. In real life, it draws cat claws. Women, this behavior is shameful. I almost let your biased opinion persuade me from an enriching experience.If you must swim in the shallow end of the pool, don't piss in it for the rest of us.

Hysterically funny, cleverly written, the only reason I didn't give it 5 stars was I would have liked to have read more about her impending husband at the end.

This book was hilarious and an easy read. You'll enjoy it as long as you don't dissect it or take it too seriously. Enjoy!

A descriptive writing style that felt forced in places, along with an unrealistic plan, this book might be more appealing to the younger reader. Surely there could have been an easier way to say that your life will change if you open your heart to love...? And being open to love should not necessarily mean being promiscuous. But, hey, in the end the author gets what she set out for; it's just that we'll never know if she would have gotten it anyway.

This book has been sitting on my shelf for over two years, and every time I try to read this gar-bage (that's French for terrible) I get too frustrated to continue. The premise of the book is promising-- I'd love to read about the hundreds of dates this insecure writing student at NYU's Tisch Dramatic/Lame Writing Program (which the author references on every. other. page) embarks on but she spends every waking minute discussing her writing program, boys/men in her writing program, her artsy male roommates also hipster losers in her writing program, her attempts to humorously categorize men in her writing program ("gayts", "strayts" har har so clever) that she FAILS TO ACTUALLY TELL THE READER ANYTHING ABOUT THE YEAR IN WHICH SHE SAID YES TO EVERY DATE SHE WAS ASKED ON. WTF?! What about the guy on the subway? The bartender? The rando in Barnes & Noble? The homeless guy? There must be some material here and yet there isn't. I'm no writing critic, but I'm 61 pages in and hating every minute of this terribly written, over dramatized "memoir" if it can even be called that. The author seems so forced, references Kafka and talks like an 20 year old in a writing program at NYU trying to be something else. UGH, if this book were a blog, it still would've sucked. This, coming from someone who thought Twilight was a hit. Maria Dahvana Headley, find another career. This. Book. Sucks.

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.

I bought this book based on a couple of reviews I read. The subject matter was intriguing so I ordered it thinking it was going to be a light summer read. What I was not expecting was what a fantastic writer the author is. The book was great! Entertaining and fun! I was actually sad when I got to the end. It is one of the few books I will re-read eventually (when I get finished with my stack of recently ordered books by my bed). Enjoy it!

My daughter was looking for this book and found it quite cheap (new) and purchased as a stocking-filler. Very pleased.

I like this book, makes you laugh and have an insite into the crazy world of dating. I liked it