Image source: many (screenshot from google images search)
Let's be clear: this is NOT a book review. Namely, because it would be totally biased and littered with "Amy is the best" and "You MUST buy this book," which is neither helpful nor necessary (because everyone loves Amy Poehler already and I'm not adding anything new to the conversation). This is also not a book review because I haven't finished the book yet (please, it was only released yesterday!). But I wanted to share an excerpt from the preface because I think it so perfectly sums up what makes Amy Poehler so great and what it's like to pursue any endeavor that involves writing or creativity in general.
"So what do I do? What do we do? How do we move forward when we are tired and afraid? What do we do when the voice in our head is yelling that WE ARE NEVER GONNA MAKE IT? How do we drag ourselves through the muck when our brain is telling us youaredumbandyouwillneverfinishandnoonecaresanditistimeyoustop? Well, the first thing we do is take our brain out and put it in a drawer. Stick it somewhere and let it tantrum until it wears itself out...And then you just do it. You just dig in and write it. You use your body. You lean over the computer and stretch and pace. You write and then cook something and write some more. You put your hand on your heart and feel it beating and decide if what you wrote feels true. You do it because the doing of it is the thing. The doing is the thing. The talking and worrying and thinking is not the thing." (Yes Please, Loc 119-126, it's on my kindle and there are no page numbers).
And my favorite, less about writing and more about appreciating the vulnerability inherent in life: "So let's peek behind the curtain and hail the others like us. The open-faced sandwiches who take risks and live big and smile with all of their teeth." (Yes Please, Loc 126-133)
So, yeah, you should DEFINITELY get this book (or not, whatever). Oh, and if you do want to read a review, here's a pretty good one from The A.V. Club.
"So what do I do? What do we do? How do we move forward when we are tired and afraid? What do we do when the voice in our head is yelling that WE ARE NEVER GONNA MAKE IT? How do we drag ourselves through the muck when our brain is telling us youaredumbandyouwillneverfinishandnoonecaresanditistimeyoustop? Well, the first thing we do is take our brain out and put it in a drawer. Stick it somewhere and let it tantrum until it wears itself out...And then you just do it. You just dig in and write it. You use your body. You lean over the computer and stretch and pace. You write and then cook something and write some more. You put your hand on your heart and feel it beating and decide if what you wrote feels true. You do it because the doing of it is the thing. The doing is the thing. The talking and worrying and thinking is not the thing." (Yes Please, Loc 119-126, it's on my kindle and there are no page numbers).
And my favorite, less about writing and more about appreciating the vulnerability inherent in life: "So let's peek behind the curtain and hail the others like us. The open-faced sandwiches who take risks and live big and smile with all of their teeth." (Yes Please, Loc 126-133)
So, yeah, you should DEFINITELY get this book (or not, whatever). Oh, and if you do want to read a review, here's a pretty good one from The A.V. Club.
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