Greenlights
Photo courtesy of Ben McElravy.

Publisher’s Thoughts

From the Academy Award®–winning actor, an unconventional memoir filled with raucous stories, outlaw wisdom, and lessons learned the hard way about living with greater satisfaction.

Staff Thoughts

OK. I will admit that when I first heard that Matthew McConaughey had written a book, I immediately went to Amazon to buy the book. Not because he is a notable writer, but because I have a celebrity crush on the man. It also helped that a photo of the handsome author looking pensive was on the cover.

Once my voyeur need was met with the photo, I began wonder what in the heck “Greenlights” meant, and why did he choose this as the title for the book. Now that my curiosity was peaked to what the good-looking actor had to say, I clicked on the Amazon “buy” button.

I received the book in a couple of days and packed it in my suitcase to read on our badly needed vacation. Having the book in my carryon bag was “burning a hole in my bag” and I couldn’t wait to begin reading it. So, I began on our flight. I am surprised that this is an autobiography. Really, more than an autobiography, it is an insightful guide into a way of thinking and approaching this life we are all here to experience.

Each chapter begins with handwritten notes he saved throughout his life. Each note is then explained and given context to the deeper meaning it had on McConaughey’s journey through his childhood, acting career and outlook on life. The title of the book “Greenlights” is the basic premise surrounding the autobiography.

“The problems we face today eventually turn into blessings in the rearview mirror of life,” McConaughey writes. “In time, yesterday’s red light leads us to a green light. All destruction eventually leads to construction, all death eventually leads to birth, all pain eventually leads to pleasure. In this life or the next, what goes down will come up. It’s a matter of how we see the challenge in front of us and how we engage with it. Persist, pivot, or concede. It’s up to us, our choice every time.”

Right away, his words strike a chord. He is just a man. A man with a history filled with pain, roadblocks, and plenty of red lights, just like all of us. Being able to relate to and understand his journey through life was refreshing. I had just been through the toughest couple of years in my life and was struggling with how to process a lot of negativity, hurt and anger. I believe that his book is/was so timely with the year we had all experienced with the COVID pandemic. I really needed to hear the words, philosophy, and self-grace he was speaking. I do not believe he intended it to be a self-help book, but that is exactly how it spoke to me. I came back from that vacation feeling rested, content, and ready to take on life in a very centered, calm way.

Don’t start reading Greenlights until you have some time to spare because once you finish the first chapter you are going to have a hard time putting the book down. My superficial crush on an actor has morphed into a great respect for a fellow human and his approach to life with all its “red lights and green lights”.

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