Thrilling Tales of Modern Men: The instant New York Times bestseller from Danny McBride— the beloved creator and star of The Righteous Gemstones

by Danny McBride

Legends never die, dude. I'll tell your story...


There are many sides to Danny he’s starred as the iconic character Jesse Gemstone in the cult classic TV series The Righteous Gemstones, a show he also wrote and created—just as he did with Vice Principals and Eastbound & Down before that. He’s produced horror films like Halloween and starred in comedy classics like Hot Rod and Pineapple Express as well as sci-fi hits like Covenant. And ever since he was young, he’s been writing short fiction.

An amateur magician gets in way over his head with a deadly stunt in a local mall. A washed-up sitcom actor takes revenge on the coyote who killed his dog. Two young runaways decide to part ways, but not before embarking on one last big adventure.

Hilarious, razor sharp, unexpectedly emotional, and full of wild twists and turns, the stories in Thrilling Tales of Modern Men are like nothing else. And yet, they have one thing in common—they each probe the fragile masculinity that’s become inherent to modern American culture. In this audacious and unforgettable debut collection, McBride redefines the tale of the modern man.
Danny McBride 2026 (P) Penguin Audio 2026

Genres: Short Stories, Fiction, Audiobook, Humor, Comedy, Short Story Collection, Book Club

Audible Audio

Published June 25, 2026

Reviews

[Sadie Hartmann · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you enjoy Danny McBride's humor and you're a fan of his character work on shows like, The Righteous Gemstones and Vice Principals, this is for you. The stories are really well written and original. They're fucking hilarious, actually.
And you have to do the audiobook because there are so many famous comedians and actors doing the voice work:
AUDIO TABLE OF CONTENTS
-The Illusionist, read by the author
-RoboCare, read by John Goodman and Edi Patterson
-The Vicious Kind, read by Eric André
-The Book Burner, narration by the author, with Shea Whigham as Dwayne, Billy Crudup as Marcus Mel, Cassidy Freeman as Linda, Sam Rockwell as Tony Riggs, Adam Devine as Brendan, John Goodman as the Professor and Grocery Store Manager, Edi Patterson as the Student, G-Unit and Waitress, and Eric André as Taxi Driver, Publishing Executives, and Reporters

-The Institute of Men, read by Shane Gillis
-Last Night of the Runaway Adventure, read by Sturgill Simpson
-Gerald’s Wife, read by Edi Patterson
-Mr. Liptrapp’s Sword, read by Shea Whigham
-Fun Run, read by Adam Devine
-Dad’s Way: A Hilarious ’90s Sitcom, read by Walton Goggins

Enjoy!!

[Curtis · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think this is what the kids these days mean when they call something "peak". This book knocked it out of the damn park! The opening novella was perfect, chef's kiss, and the rest of the stories coasted off the goodwill it generated. It's one of the best audiobooks I've ever encountered, with voice actors ranging from Walton Goggins and John Goodman to even Eric Andre, who gave a beautifully unhinged performance of a mental breakdown.

It says these stories are for men, but Danny McBride is such a sex symbol that obviously the ladies will want to read it as well, and they're more than invited! It's time to reclaim the Manosphere from all the creepy little incels, kick the misogynists out and make it about re-embracing a love of badass storytelling. We can have a Manosphere with women in it, right? It can't only be dudes who are sick of how sanitized modern media has grown.

[Cassie · Rating 4 out of 5]

If people don’t care and that makes me not care, then the not-caring people have won. Fuck the not-caring people.

I’m a huge fan of Danny McBride, so when I heard he was releasing a short story collection, I couldn’t wait to get my hands on it. And then when I saw the line-up of narrators for the audiobook, I’m pretty sure my face became an exact replica of that Vince McMahon meme – you know the one I mean. The stories are read by Danny himself, along with, among others, pretty much the entire cast of The Righteous Gemstones, including Walton Goggins and John Goodman.

Anyway, I’m hugely grateful to NetGalley for the ARC of Thrilling Tales of Modern Men, but waiting for the audiobook felt necessary. And unsurprisingly, all of the narrators were incredible, but they also had some phenomenal material to work with. This is an excellent collection of short stories.

The stories range from comedy to tragedy to absurdist, classic Danny McBride humor mixed with reflective and thoughtful insights and occasional moments of brutality and darkness. They are so unpredictable, so original; at no point in any of these stories did I know what direction they would take. I was wrong-footed and completely engaged the entire time. If you are familiar with Danny’s work, you know how equally charming and off-putting his characters can be, and those are the kinds of characters you’ll find in these stories. Through them, Danny explores modern manhood and masculinity in all its glorious fragility, and I couldn’t get enough.

I will say that the first half of the collection is stronger than the second half; the first several stories had more meat to them. My favorites were actually the first three: “The Illusionist,” “Robocare™,” and “The Vicious Kind.”

If you are a Danny McBride fan, Thrilling Tales of Modern Men feels like required reading (or listening). I had such a good time with this.

[Max Kelly · Rating 3 out of 5]

ARC - thanks for the opportunity!

This was fun! I really enjoyed the vignettes, especially because they were all pretty well fleshed out. There wasn’t much that was left unanswered or disappointed me, which isn’t always the case.

I’ve never been one for a “short story” collection, and even though there were a few, I didn’t connect with, I think that McBride was also really skilled in his structure. I can’t remember specifically, but in the last fifth of the book, there was a moment where the two storylines merged, and it felt incredibly natural and cohesive.

One of my own missteps was with my perception of the word “thrilling” in the title. I was almost under the impression that many of the tales would be of outstanding and impressive and notable men, but some of the characters in the story were scumbags. And I love that! I just didn’t expect that when I began.

I’d recommend if you like exciting (and sometimes feel good) short stories. It definitely was an easy read to want to come back to again and again. Also, quite nice to have plenty of one-sitting sized stories.

[Austin Sill · Rating 5 out of 5]

A lot of celebrities write books, and most of them, even those rare ones who are talented writers in music, TV, and film, end up merely writing about themselves, and more often than not, a ghost writer does the heavy lifting. But Danny McBride is the real fucking deal. These stories hold up against giants of short fiction like George Saunders. In fact, they bear a strong resemblance to his work in their incisive satire and doggedly flawed and desperate characters.

McBride’s stories all revolve around (mostly) male characters who are in crisis, seeking self-actualization via self-destructive choices. The stories range from wildly satirical to deeply existential and melancholic. Most are a combination of both, just like his amazingly unhinged TV shows. They explore the broken humanity that dwells behind the most absurd choices and pursuits. They remind us that life is hard, and we are all kind of manic and terrified, and it’s okay to laugh about it, cause life is also short and its insanely hard to feel any measure of real control.

As John Lennon wrote, “Life is what happens to you while you’re busy making other plans.”

I wrote a brief note on each story after finishing.


The Illusionist- Classic McBride. Man hilariously attempts to overcome his insecurities post-divorce by attempting a “stunt” in the local mall where he lives in a suspended, glass box for a month. 5/5

RoboCare: Elderly man is forced to have a robot caretaker by his privileged children. More male insecurity ensues. 5/5

The Vicious Kind: Man faces a series of small challenges to his masculinity that culminates in a sublimated outburst against a boat. Very McBridian. 5/5

The Book Burner: This one features at least three fragile, male egos colliding with one another as they each seek self-actualization and significance when a famous author’s books become the target of an outraged, would-be arsonist. It’s got a touch of magic realism and one of the most visceral sequences in the book so far with an escaped tiger at a carnival. 4/5

The Institute of Men: A classic little speculative fable about the anxiety of aging, specifically balding. Like many of the stories, it has strong George Saunders vibes, perhaps more so than any other so far. I keep finding it oddly unsettling and yet encouraging how much I find myself relating to the various neurotic attributes of the men in these stories. 4/5

Last Night of the Runaway Adventure: by far the most sentimental and endearing story thus far. Strays away from satire for a moment to tell what amounts to the epilogue of a classic coming of age adventure. Moving and melancholic. 5/5

Gerald’s Wife: feels like something straight out of Righteous Gemstones. Manic characters. Erratic and neurotic behavior. Social and existential anxiety. Hitting the same notes as most of the stories have so far. Good, just less memorable. 3.5/5

Mr Liptrapp’s Sword: two men become embroiled in a deadly conflict over a big, powerful, magic sword. Hmm. Hard not to read it as an allegory for dickmeasuring given the rest of this book… also, the characters research the civil war and its set amidst what were battlefields of that period, so… men… war… phalluses… there’s something there. 4/5

Fun Run: most forgettable and most unhinged and silly. 3/5

Dad’s Way, A Hilarious 90’s Sitcom: another poignant and sad tale about nostalgia and the existentialism of middle age and beyond. Powerful ending. 5/5

[Devon Gilbreath · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5⭐️
Listen, some of these stories are 5 stars. Peak Danny McBride humor. Others land closer to the 2 star range. Not bad, just not great.

Huge thanks to NetGalley and Random House for the eARC of Thrilling Tales for Modern Men! While I had an ebook copy, I jumped at the chance to listen to a part of the audiobook when it released today. Any fans of The Righteous Gemstones will know what a superb narrator lineup this has: Danny McBride himself, Walton Goggins, Edi Patterson, JOHN GOODMAN! And others. Lol

My favorite story in the collection is RoboCare, one of the stories narrated by John Goodman. You can bet I fired up Spotify to listen to that one even after I’d already read it.

My recommendation is if you’re a Danny McBride fan, 🤚🏻 absolutely give this a try. But I’m convinced the audiobook is the way to experience it.

[alexis · Rating 4 out of 5]

“That made Burt laugh. Ben would totally freak out if he blew a bum’s head off and the blood splattered on him. That’s totally something he could picture Ben doing. Ben, still on the road. Maybe all the way to California by now. Maybe even killed a man.

He missed Ben.”

Danny McBride has such a clear, consistent comedic voice that if you like his shows, you WILL like these. A genuinely very funny collection that’s rife with expertise on struggling, soon-to-be divorced men in over their heads, loser dads pinning their misdemeanor crimes on their sons, and guys who shouldn’t own a gun revealing that they do in fact own a gun. The second short story, RoboCare, felt the weakest to me, but he enters his flow state during The Illusionist, The Vicious Kind, and parts of The Institute of Men (the substance for boys).

Stylistically he’s definitely still writing for the screen, so it was hard not to picture Edi Patterson and Walton Goggins alongside him. Also I JUST looked up the audiobook cast and I feel extremely validated right now

[kera rodshuf · Rating 3 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️✨3.5 Stars

This is a satirical tale of short stories in which we often follow many types of men, often with many shortcomings, and they all usually think they’re better than they are.

This is a hilarious reflection of the “modern man” and its making fun of them in a tasteful way. I was hesitant because usually misandrist media makes me feel hypocritical, but this really was tasteful.

Some of the stories were simply better than others, “The Institute of Men” was the most entertaining and my favorite by far.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House🤍

[talia ♡]

#blessed to receive an arc of these highly anticipated short stories from one of the funniest and hottest men who i would leave any relationship for just to have a chance with him (the other exceptions are bob odenkirk, johnny knoxville, and glenn howerton)

[Angela · Rating 5 out of 5]

I didn’t even notice or connect who the author was to this book before I started to read it. I decided to read it based on the cover and title alone. Like many of my other books, I switched back and forth between the audio and the text. While listening to part of the book, the narrator seemed familiar. After the 2nd short story, I looked up who read each story. Only then did I find out who the author was. I’ve watched The Righteous Gemstones and Vice Principals and enjoyed both, but couldn’t say I follow or really know much about Danny McBride. If you randomly asked me who he was, I wouldn’t know until you showed me his picture. That changes as a result from reading this book. I mention this because I began reading this book with no presumption. I thought the book might be like Saunders’ Pastoralia.

Like full music albums,with short story collections, there are usually a few additions I enjoy enough that the rest of the stories get pulled along and tolerated. It’s rare for me to enjoy more than about 3 stories per collection. This book didn’t feel that way: few stories I could do without. That said, I do have my favorites.

My only critique is that some of the end stories were not quite as entertaining as the beginning ones (but still good), and I wish I could buy an edited version without the swearing so I could read some of the stories with my High School English classes.

Oh - Also - I cannot recommend the audiobook more. It would shock me if not nominated for an audible award for a multicast. Listen to the audio.
Buy the book too. Look at the structure, the pictures; they add a dimension you will miss without seeing it.
So very good.

Is this my first 5 star book this year? Not quite. There was Night (which I first read years ago) and Broken Country. Another favorite this year, though not quite a 5, Yesteryear.

[Naomi Birenbaum · Rating 4 out of 5]

I truly adore Danny McBride. He is on my comedian Mount Rushmore that includes Tim Robinson and Conan. This book feels like a blooper reel of unseen plot lines from his shows or premises for entirely new ones. Some stories stayed with me more than others (The Illusionist & Institute of Men were my faves).

Danny’s strength has always been lovable idiots, which he nails here. He is exceptional at pinpointing the earnest, wholesome thinking within characters that come off as absurd and/or dumb (or at least naive/ignorant). He is empathetic without compromising humor, and his signature vernacular never fails to make me giggle!!!

The audiobook cast is so incredible that I felt bad listening to it for free.

[Ben Eastman · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars

Man this is great, Danny McBride really has the juice. He has such a knack for writing losers who idealize shallow masculine goals, and this book is full of em. Dives a lot deeper into the insecurities and deeper fears of modern men: losing your hair, getting fat, wasting your life, not being cool anymore. So many of these guys are chasing something that doesn’t exist for them anymore. Really love the parts where they re-negotiate with themselves for the less glorious but more needed parts of manhood. And this crap is funny too!

[Alex Robinson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fans of Danny McBride’s funny TV work will be familiar with his brand of insecure blowhard main characters. The audio book features McBride and a ton of famous guest stars (most of the Gemstones supporting cast)

[Matt Harms]

The book is good. The audiobook is excellent.

[Patrick Bowlby · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was awesome. Would love if HBO let Danny McBride make this an anthology series

[Emmett LiCastri · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun & easy to read collection of unique short stories. Would love for Danny McBride to continue writing!

[Carrie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This short story collection brilliantly captures the angst and anxiety felt by a certain breed of modern men who feel like the world may be moving on without them. Each story is well crafted with memorable characters put into sometimes hilarious and sometimes heartbreaking situations that push them to their breaking points. My favorite was Last Night of the Runaway Adventure.

Thanks to the publisher for sending me an ARC.

[Adam · Rating 5 out of 5]

McBride described this collection as stories that "watch men spiral out of control, eat shit, get back up, and occasionally do something accidentally decent." Which is simultaneously the most accurate pitch for a book and a perfect summary of every character Kenny Powers ever inspired.

This isn't McBride doing literary cosplay. It reads exactly like you'd imagine his brain working between Righteous Gemstones seasons, which is apparently when he wrote these, just letting chaotic male energy unspool across short fiction without network notes or a production budget to worry about. Every story carries that specific McBride frequency: men who've built elaborate mythologies around themselves colliding messily with reality, then doubling down anyway.

The short story format suits him perfectly. Each one lands like a standalone episode of something you'd absolutely watch, populated by the kind of guys who are genuinely convinced they're the protagonist of a much cooler story than the one they're actually in. Some hit harder than others, because that's just short story collections, but there's nothing here that felt like filler or obligation.

What surprised me is how much genuine heart sneaks through the wreckage. Underneath all the ego and spectacular self-sabotage, McBride actually understands why these men are the way they are, and that empathy is what separates this from just being cruelty tourism. Funny, sharp, occasionally gutting. Exactly what it says on the tin.

Five stars, read it fast, and try not to recognise anyone you know.

[Ross Maclean · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m a big fan of Danny McBride’s filmed work but this was even better and much more assured than I thought it was going to be. The balance of stories is impressive, with a variety of different tones employed — though each unmistakably in McBride’s comic register. McBride writes stories of regressive, destructive, fragile masculinity with a sensitivity that feels empathetic rather than mockingly judgemental and his writing is all the better for it. Sure, the protagonists of most of these stories are goofs and barely likeable but they are relatable and understandable, which is an impressive feat. Goes without saying that the tales are often very, very funny in between being quietly moving while tautly drifting from deft observational vignettes to heightened tales of ridiculous carnage. To my mind, not a dud among them.

[Adam Sill · Rating 5 out of 5]

In his collection of short stories, Danny McBride provides a poignant and hilarious commentary on topics such as toxic masculinity, celebrity culture, body dysmorphia, and the fragile male ego (just to name a few). This collection is on par with some of my favorite works of fiction, proving that while McBride is an exceptional comedic actor, his greatest gift is his capacity as a storyteller. I highly recommend listening to the audiobook for this compilation as it flaunts an impressive cast of A-List actors which includes icons like Sam Rockwell, John Goodman, Walton Goggins, and just about all of McBride’s Righteous Gemstones costars. I thoroughly enjoyed every second of this collection and I cannot recommend it enough.

[Connor Jarvis · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Illusionist: at least he didn’t become a DJ
RoboCare: punching robots is badass
The Vicious Kind: to hell with that guys boat
The Book Burner: this one mentions charlotte and raleigh noice
The Institute of Men: This makes me want to casually join a cult to fix my problems
Last Night of the Runaway: I gotta see the cover of this magazine
Gerald’s Wife: She sucks
Mr Liptrapps Sword: not as cool as Godric’s, decent story nonetheless
Fun Run: we all have that friend that takes the joke a little too far
Dads Way: got surprisingly invested in a fake sitcom reboot (again)

[Davis Coffey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Columbia mentioned! Lake Lure mentioned! Raleigh mentioned! Charlotte mentioned!

Really impressive how Danny McBride was able to flesh out some of these characters in such a short amount of time. All of these voice actors did a phenomenal job.

Hard to pick favorites because they all were such a good mix of funny, heartfelt, and intense, but mine were:
1. The Vicious Kind
2. The Book Burner
3. Last Night of the Runaway Adventure

[Amelia Dupont · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 rounded up! Really enjoyed this short story collection and look forward to future releases from McBride.

Would recommend to fans of short stories with elements of magical realism, light sci-fi, and a focus on the human (mainly male) condition.

[Brady Powell · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5/5. I'm a big fan of McBride and his comedy writing so this was a must-read for sure. I've enjoyed all of his HBO shows, but this book was a fun way for him to present some of his ideas that may not be suited for long form television. As with most short story collections, some stories are better than others. However, they were all enjoyable and unique.

[Mac · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 stars

mainly for the Danny McBride completists out there

[Patrick · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing. Danny McBride knows story. His voice is so clear and if you are a fan of any of his work, you will enjoy these. Don’t really know his work? There’s so much character and heart and batshit insanity in these pages, you will find something to love. Highly recommend the audiobook, so much of the gang shows up: Danny McBride, John Goodman, Edi Patterson, Adam Devine, Walton Goggins, Eric Andre, Cassidy Freeman, Billy Crudup, Shane Gillis, Sam Rockwell, Shea Whigham, and Sturgill Simpson. I mention the whole cast because hot damn did they all shine. I’m going through a lot right now, and this book, if momentarily, took me away from it.

[Lex Miraglia · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 Stars

A couple really funny stories and then some just mildly interesting ones. I had a good time listening to it all though. RoboCare was the highlight.

[Laika · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don't think his short fiction plays to his strengths as much as his writing for film or tv. But it's still a fun read because McBride has such a strong comedic voice and a sense of what drives his characters' insecure bravado

[Mel Garcia · Rating 2 out of 5]

I love Danny McBride but every story was so anticlimactic. Dnf at 61%

[Alexandra Crafton · Rating 4 out of 5]

It’s hard to imagine not listening to this on audiobook with such a stellar cast! Great performances and incredibly entertaining and hilarious stories. Already fan casting the HBO series.