As a fellow “particular” girl, who often likes things a certain way, this book spoke to me. It forced me to look at collaboration as a reminder that working with other specialized people, you can go farther than you could if working alone.

She shares insights into how learning to collaborate helped her advance on her journey to success. In true Issa Rae fashion, this quick read was authentic, relatable and funny.

These quotes stuck with me:
* No one is impressed that you did everything when the work suffers.
* If you can’t be honest with someone, you shouldn’t work with them.

From one Earth sign to another, being particular is chef's kiss. Also enjoyed the bits from the BARBIE movie. Iconic.

🎧 Thank you to NetGalley and Amazon Original Stories

Issa has a great written voice, and I really related to the thought process that collaborating with someone else would ‘ruin the vision’ and that it’s better to sacrifice yourself to make sure it’s done exactly how you want it than to risk bringing someone else in.

As always Issa was amazing in narrating!

I love how she delivers the lines in her own book. Such a gift.

I really liked this one because Issa talks about how she would take other people's opinions about her work and how she learned to take criticism. She also learned how to use other people's opinions of her ideas to improve her work.

I really loved how she also told a story about how she was working with someone in particular that not only made Issa uncomfortable but also one of her other co-workers uncomfortable and how she handled the situation and how she could have handled it better.

I fear l'll be coming back to read these stories every month, they're just that amazing! Each one feels like a reminder of why passion and purpose matter so much.
As someone who usually dreads collaborative work but is still deeply committed to what I do, this piece felt both essential and necessary. It challenged me to see collaboration in a new light, not as something that takes away from individuality, but as something that can strengthen and elevate it.
"Creativity thrives when we lean into our authenticity and share the process with those who enhance our work." That line really stayed with me, it's a beautiful reminder that we don't lose ourselves when we create with others, we actually expand.

I’ve never watched Issa Rae’s show, or read any of her books. However, I did enjoy listening to this short story! It was interesting to hear her approach when working on a project.

I've been a fan of Issa Rae for years, my first introduction to her was the show Insecure and she carries that same comedic upbeat energy into this collection of essays. Her reflections are inspiring.

Listening to the audiobook (narrated by Issa herself) felt like yapping with a friend—funny, thoughtful, and candid.

Huge thanks to NetGalley, Brilliance Audio, and Issa Rae for the ALC!

I’ve loved Issa Rae since Insecure, so of course I had to read this and it did not disappoint. This felt like catching up with a brutally honest, hilarious friend who’s made it to the top but still has questions, doubts, and a messy group chat.

The essays are smart, funny, and full of that signature Issa awkward-Black-girl charm. She talks about navigating Hollywood, protecting her peace, and staying true to her vision without ever pretending to have it all figured out. And I love that. It’s successful Black woman energy without the performative perfection.

Having followed Issa's career for quite some time, I absolutely loved this! I love that it was narrated by Issa herself and definitely recommend checking out these short stories/audiobooks. It makes a great road trip listen!

"I fear collaboration would dilute my vision"

Wow, I loved this short essay by Issa Rae, read by the author herself! Her explanations of being particular were really relatable, especially the part about high school projects. I hated those for the same reasons!

Issa shows how you can have amazing experiences when you step outside of your comfort zone, highlighting this with a heartwarming story about her time on the Barbie set. Quite a moving story for something so short, I actually started to tear up a bit! (to be fair, I'll cry at anything)

Thanks to Brilliance Publishing for letting me check this out! My only complaint is that it is an Amazon Original and therefore may not be accessible to those that are trying to avoid Amazon.

Having read her memoir and having kept up with her career, I didn't get much new out of this. Enjoyed it though.

This one was short but packed a punch. That I was not expecting. It felt like a long winded story but the ending tied all the pieces together to become a great piece of advice.