Book Review: Greenlights

McConaughey’s autobiography is the model of what a good biography should be: totally indicative of the subject in tone and form. McConaughey is known for his casual air and easy manner of speaking and the book, in this way, doesn’t disappoint. Even though the physical book itself is very well-made and beautiful, for the best experience, listen on audio to get his own narration. It will have you feeling alright, alright, alright.

He pulled most of the book together by stitching bits of his long-time journal in a way that told a cohesive story. Interspersed are bumper sticker phrases he jotted down along the way and, honestly, these are some of the best parts of the book. His overarching philosophy revolves around “Greenlights.” These are moments in life where things are going well and you should go with the flow and embrace it. Extending the metaphor, there are times that are yellow lights in which you should be cautious and use your time for reflection as though at a crossroads. Finally, there are red lights. These are failures, obstacles, and moments to stop and reflect. The point of it all is to look inside yourself and recognize whether the situation you’re in is a greenlight, a yellow light, or a red light. Be on the lookout for greenlights and take advantage when you can. It’s a relatively simple view on life, but sometimes that’s for the best.

Although the underlying philosophy is the point of the book, I can’t overstate how entertaining his stories are and how likeable the man behind the prose. I actually listened to it twice on audible within a couple of months because I couldn’t think of anything I wanted to listen to more in the car than a second run-through of Greenlights.

Rating: 5 / 5 (One of my favorite biographies. McConaughey is exactly as you would expect and his philosophy is useful and profound, even when (especially when) low-brow)

Buy Greenlights on Amazon.