Greenlights

by Matthew McConaughe

#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER Discover the life-changing memoir that has inspired millions of readers through the Academy Award–winning actor’s unflinching honesty, unconventional wisdom, and lessons learned the hard way about living with greater satisfaction. “The No. 1 celebrity memoir of the past 10 years.”—USA Today “McConaughey’s book invites us to grapple with the lessons of his life as he did—and to see that the point was never to win, but to understand.”—Mark Manson, author of The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck I’ve been in this life for fifty years, been trying to work out its riddle for forty-two, and been keeping diaries of clues to that riddle for the last thirty-five. Notes about successes and failures, joys and sorrows, things that made me marvel, and things that made me laugh out loud. How to be fair. How to have less stress. How to have fun. How to hurt people less. How to get hurt less. How to be a good man. How to have meaning in life. How to be more me. Recently, I worked up the courage to sit down with those diaries. I found stories I experienced, lessons I learned and forgot, poems, prayers, prescriptions, beliefs about what matters, some great photographs, and a whole bunch of bumper stickers. I found a reliable theme, an approach to living that gave me more satisfaction, at the time, and If you know how, and when, to deal with life’s challenges—how to get relative with the inevitable—you can enjoy a state of success I call “catching greenlights.”

304 pages, Mass Market Paperback

Published January 1, 2023

Reviews

[Brenda Gaston · Rating 5 out of 5]

He is an excellent writer! Loved reading his life story.

[Gina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Most whimsical memoir I’ve read, like having a fun conversation with Matthew. No earth shattering revelations here-just a fun guy telling a fun story of his life. It was alright, alright, alright. 🤣

[Lynette Caulkins · Rating 4 out of 5]

I do enjoy memoirs by famous people that are engagingly written. McConaughey's is really creative and intriguing. I love seeing enough of a celebrity's developmental years to get an understanding of why their personality is what it is. And even when I suspect I wouldn't really like the person's company in real life for more than a few minutes, I love seeing what makes their mind tick and what drumbeats they like to dance to.

McConaughey's had some really neat experiences. Some rougher times than many have had to endure, but also a good deal more charisma and privileged responses to him than most get to enjoy. Is he egotistic? hedonist? privileged? Sure. But is he also a deep thinker? dedicated to his family? absolutely committed to his word? an iconic craftsman in the acting field? desirous of making the world a better place? 100% Perhaps Matthew's a little too much of a wild-child free spirit for me to feel we were close friends who wanted to hang out together all the time (I do love my bed well before midnight, for one thing), but he's certainly someone I'd love to catch up with over lunch from time to time, and hear his tales of travels and family.

It's a good memoir. Love the format, something of a mashup between normal prose, journal entries, and photographic novel.

[Cecelia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Okay, so yes I did only finish this book because it was him reading it in my audiobook. However, this man has lived such a wild life. He is such an interesting character outside of any role he has ever acted in. His outlook on life, despite being radical and unconventional at times, is so refreshing and captivating. It was a memoir, sure, but also a lot of poetry. He is a beautiful writer and storyteller. Overall, very glad I listened as an audiobook.

[Mikayla · Rating 5 out of 5]

I didn't know much about the Alright, Alright, Alright man and now it feels as if a friend has given me live lessons to think and reflect on. I wanna search for my own greenlights and tell my own story even better. Matthew McConaughey is almost lyrical as he voices the audiobook and the physical copy is filled with photos, little notes from scraps of papere

[Leearna Harper · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not too sure about this one. Took me a while to get into it. Some parts, (where he spoke about his life and growing up), were good. But there’s some parts that were so wordy and intense I skim read them or skipped them altogether.

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

The first autobiography I've read in a while, and I absolutely loved this.

Written with great humour, humility and startling honesty, it paints a wonderful picture of a good man. Alright, alright, alright.

[Theresa Laird · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my favorite books of all time. Relatable and empowering. He’s so cool, and takes the time and care to show his “human side” not just the fine tuned celebrity; it makes you wanna reach for all your wildest dreams.