SHOP THE POST

As I’m typing this talking about books we’ve read in February, it’s almost the end of March and I feel like this year is flying by already! I am excited that Spring is finally here and things are looking green and warm again. For February’s book club, we read Green Lights by Matthew McConaughey.

This first autobiography on the list, I knew I wanted to start with this one since I love most projects Matthew McConaughey attaches himself to. Sure, he is eccentric and a little weird, but I like the way he looks at things. I’ve been a fan of his movies, but when I found out he was the Creative Director for Wild Turkey Bourbon I took an even greater interest in his work. I loved the commercials he created and his ability to tell stories. That’s when I realized I didn’t know much about him personally, just his work. So, I added his book to the list and I’m really glad I did.

GREENLIGHTS BY MATTHEW MCCONAUGHEY

☆☆☆☆/5

I already reviewed this a little on Instagram stories and I gave it a 3.5 there, but looking back I think I was a bit critical. This is definitely a book that you have to sit with and after having some time between finishing it and writing the review, I have changed my rating to a 4/5. McConaughey is an incredible storyteller, but it does take time and effort to get used to and enjoy his writing style.

Like I mentioned in the intro paragraph above about the book, he utilizes imagery of his handwritten notes, poems, and journal entries. Since I read it on a Kindle I think this made it even more difficult, but I enjoyed seeing the personal aspects and reading things in their original form. Some were from when he was in his 20s and he had saved them all this time. But, within that same vein, is his writing style and voice. We all know his iconic voice and you completely hear it while reading, but he doesn’t speak or write in the most common way.

The details he chooses to focus on or the stories he decides to tell are not what I expected to hear and I don’t mean that in a bad way, but if you’re looking for a tell-all on his Hollywood career or scandalous details of this long-time bachelor, you won’t get that. This book tells the story of how he became who he is and how he became ok with the man he was. I found the way he talked about his childhood to be really interesting and his perspective on the relationships in his life is actually quite relatable. I mentioned his eccentric personality above, but the same goes with other stories in the book - they are out there and you will probably ask yourself a few times: what the heck am I reading and what the heck is he talking about?

Even though I felt this way a couple of times, I couldn’t put it down. I kept wanting to hear his learnings, or Greenlights, as he calls them. His outlook on turning challenge into an opportunity and the path he took from having a movie role with those famous three words ‘alright, alright, alright,” to an Oscar-winning actor is a fun one. Stories of traveling to Africa and the Amazon based on a wet dream (yes, that kind of wet dream) to what it was like growing up in Texas with a dynamic and somewhat toxic environment at home.

The only reason I gave this four stars instead of five was that it didn’t blow me away. It had some amazing notes and information that are very helpful and something I will definitely be referring back to, but I did expect a bit more from the autobiography side. Sometimes it felt more like a friend giving you self-help advice and while I didn’t dislike that, I wanted more about his story. So, it wasn’t bad - I’m just nosy. I still highly recommend you check it out for yourself and learn more about his story and outlook on life!