Greenlights

You must listen to the audiobook. It is read by the author and really has a way to suck you into his life.

im not one for memoirs, but this was brilliant. and matthew mcconnaughey's voice is pure butter. definitely listen to the audiobook.
i was surprised at how much of a mature writer he is. just so beautiful

A serious collections of a man's life stories and a good load of relatable quotes.

I've just finished Greenlights. It is a wonderful memoir written by the great actor Matthew McConaughey. It is honest, humble and straight to the point. I've never read something like this before.

In the book there's a concept that resonate with me so much: you have to want it but don't need it. It is something I always tried to apply to my work from the day one as a freelancer. I know that it might seems counterintuitive but I promise, it works. When you go to a client meeting wanting the job you are hungry, you put everything on the table; but if you need the job, if the client understands you're hopeless, you lose your negotiation power and most of all you start thinking about results and you're not focused on the process anymore.

Matt refused romantic comedies jobs for 20 months, he was ready to change career when he was on top to be a better actor, to work on something he appreciated more. When he stopped needing Hollywood, the phone rang.

Audio read by: Matthew McConaughey

Excellent storytelling. Screams white male privilege and chauvinism with a surprising lack of self awareness. The narcissism really shines through. I guess that's the reality of so many Hollywood actors. Still, disappointed.

The audiobook is delightful! I loved every random little bit of it.

I wasn't very familiar with Matthew McConaughey before reading this—had seen a couple of movies he was in, but also had him confused with Owen Wilson to the point I don't think I knew they were different people.

As it turns out, I like Matthew McConaughey quite a bit. I definitely don't agree with all of his choices or conclusions, but I got a kick out of his off-beat reflections, great storytelling, emphasis on values, and straight-shooter vibe.

As another reviewer said, the audiobook is an experience. He obviously had a great time narrating and his enthusiasm is infections. (I imagine some folks would find it as off-putting as I do endearing, though.)

His little snickers at his own jokes cracked me up, too.

What a crazy, exciting life Matthew has lived. He starts out stating how this would be unlike any other memoir, and it is definitely unique. I really enjoyed getting to know the author, and learning how so many events, whether bad or good, can be greenlights. It made me realize I had my own greenlights, and just may not have realized them at the time. Great book.

I've always preached audiobooks for biographies but Mathew's storytelling is on another level, get the audiobook!

A great book about self and identity and the storytelling is honest, crude, and just out there.

What I liked:
The chronological order, word choice, and the story telling. You'd think that someone from his background would be preaching hard truths with conviction, but he's just sharing his experiences.

Who should read it?
Literally anyone, especially people struggling with their identity and purpose.

1-line summary:
“Just keep living”

Maybe not a full 5 stars, but this book is definitely much better than expected. I don't think that being open with his own thought process make the actor arrogant, so I don't agree with some of the negative reviews, but maybe cutting a little bit on the philosophical stuff would have made the book an even tighter read, but is still very good. There is definitely more to Matthew McConaughey that meets the eye. Adding to this is the superb performance that the actor himself gives in the audiobook version. I listened to more than 100 audiobooks and this was absolutely one of the best performance I ever listened to.

This book was a fucking WILD ride and I truly enjoyed it! I really wasn't sure what to expect, I'm not like a Matthew McConaughey superfan or anything but this book has CHILL VIBES and some really great travel stories. It's low on celebrity gossip and Hollywood stuff and more about the sincerely bonkers shit he's done with his life other than acting. Iconic, I now stan.

https://www.frowl.org/worstbestsellers/episode-171-greenlights/

What a great storyteller. Some great insights and wild stories. There are a lot of things he says that feel very privileged and noncommittal, but I'm down with the philosophy for the most part. If you like audio books, this is a good one - narrated by McConaughey of course.

Such an enjoyable read, great stories, great sense of humor, great perspective.

Audiobook format is a must, his reading is quirky and delightful.

Listened to the audiobook. Not what I expected but I was entertained and touched. McConaughy seems like a good human and very genuine. Lots of good nuggets and quotes in this one.

Matthew McConaughey's narration was really good and he was a funny story teller.
I had mixed feelings through it, some of it was interesting and enjoyable, part of it felt unnecessary and oversimplified or maybe Matthew McConaughey just wanted to keep it light.
I enjoyed listening to it but I didn't love it.

This was not what I expected and I absolutely loved it. We don't often get an honest glimpse into an actor's life so this was refreshing, chaotic, fun and engaging. This man has definitely had some crazy times but he also knew how to spend that time and make the most of life. After reading this, I have much more love for Matthew McConaughey and can only wonder what further adventures he will embark upon.

About as good as it gets when it comes to celebrity memoirs. The audiobook is fantastic and highly recommend listening instead of reading. His voice is, of course, incredible.

His stories, storytelling, and introspection make this a 5-star enjoyable memoir.

I could have done without is his self-help-y interludes between chapters. And while we heard a lot of self-awareness about privilege, we heard very little about how to use that privilege for good.

To say I loved listening to this book might be an understatement. It was such a fun ride. Mr. McConaughey narrates the audiobook himself, and oh what a joy that is. His voice is unique and distinguishable and so much fun to listen to. His personality comes through so clearly in his narration. Listening to the audiobook is definitely the way to go with this memoir.

McConaughey's life is interesting, entertaining, and enlightening. He tells about his childhood, his travels, his acting career, and his family. His engaging storytelling voice keeps the reader enthralled in his tale. He shares insights and advice that are practical and meaningful. There are lessons to be learned from his successes and his mistakes. It's everything a good memoir should be.

Do yourself a favor and listen to this man narrate his story. It is an experience you won't regret!

I really enjoyed listening to this! Bits of truth and wisdom from a life being lived well is always interesting to me.

I guess it was too American for me to connect with.

★ ★ ★ 1/2 (rounded up) This originally appeared at The Irresponsible Reader as part of a quick takes post to catch up–emphasizing pithiness, not thoroughness.
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I'm not the biggest McConaughey fan in the world—I don't think I've ever not liked anything he's done, but I don't seek him out—and am not at all the target audience for this. But something about what he said about the writing of this book when he was on Hot Ones, made me want to take a look. That my library had the audiobook available to borrow made it all the easier to do so.

This dude can tell a story. I'm sure he's exaggerating a lot of the events—not necessarily being dishonest, just spinning a good yarn. And honestly, I don't care. I had a blast listening to this. If 30% of this stuff is true, he's led a great life and probably deserves to make up 70% of it for the entertainment value.

You're not going to get a lot of behind-the-scenes stuff about his movies (there are a couple of exceptions), it's mostly about his personal life—childhood, family, friends, wife, and some miscellaneous solo adventures.

I laughed, I learned a thing or two, I shook my head a few times. Mostly, I just enjoyed a good storyteller at work. (I'm not sure any other narrator could've pulled it off, but McConaughey made it feel like we were sitting around a campfire or at a bar somewhere).

Like a good southern boy should, I'll start with my mom. She's a true baller, living proof that the value of denial depends on one's level of commitment to it.

This works really well as an audiobook. McConaughey will shout, use Australian accents (actually quite well - I'm impressed) and at times it felt almost poetic.

At 6 hours in length, I think this would be way too short (and all over the place) to read as a conventional novel and I would probably dock it a star or two if I did.