Why care what a Hollywood actor has to say about life? More specifically, does Mathew McConaughey contribute anything useful in his book, Greenlights?
Watch the YouTube Review.
Better Than Expected
Despite significant skepticism, Greenlights is much better than expected. McConaughey has extraordinary natural gifts: good looking, high intelligence, maturity, and parents who insisted on strong values. How can someone with so many advantages relate to most people?
Despite hitting the lottery with good looks and high intelligence, his book actually relates to most people because he shares common ground with most people. McConaughey grew up without much financial security and his parents were hard on him. He also shares with readers the many failures in his life, hardships, and success. He does this by telling great stories.
Great Storyteller
McConaughey’s story telling ability is outstanding, and not just because he’s an actor. The reason he tells good stories is because he’s spent a lifetime chasing adventures. His books tells whoppers about his childhood, from crazy fights between his parents (who were married to each other 3 times) to building treehouses, fights, a “dine and dash” incident, and chasing girls.
As the books progresses, readers learn about the beginnings of his of his acting carrier. His “Dazed and Confused” role was the culmination of several fortuitus events. After “A Time to Kill” he lives in an RV with his dog for a few years as he works more movies. He tells stories about visiting the Amazon and Africa and interesting people he meets along the way.
With each adventure, McConaughey seeks wisdom. Likewise with the people he meets along the journey – he’s always seeking positivity from relationships. With all the bad and all the good, he’s consistently trying to find meaning.
Values Matter
Throughout the book, McConaughey demonstrates two things: 1) He’s a hard worker, 2) He tries to live by a set of values – they may not be yours or mine, but he has a sense of what is right and wrong.
What’s telling about McConaughey’s character is that he never lets off the gas pedal. A Calvin Coolidge quote comes to mind:
“Nothing in this world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not: nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not: the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent.”
A guy with so many talents could just cruise for the rest of his days, but not McConaughy. He has the drive, the persistence to keep improving himself. He’s never satisfied, he’s always engaged in honest self-analysis and finding ways to improve – his work, his emotional health, his physical health, his relationships.
The Book Has Limits
There are plenty of things not to like about “Greenlights.” As mentioned, the fact that McConaughey has some many talents and just seems to be lucky makes the book a bit braggadocios at times. He’s not totally tone deaf, but it’s easy to overlook how nice natural talents can make life. For this reason, the book isn’t always relatable.
McConaughey is also not socially conservative. The book is vulgar at times, he claims to attend church, but he does not behave like he follows scripture, and there are no accounts of him standing firm for anything – he’s always seeking the moderate position. He’s the hero of the story, and heroes stand for things. All McConaughey seems to stand for is enjoying life to its fullest.
“Alright, alright, alright”
The book is entertaining. It’s no work of philosophy and there are no applicable ideas that will change your life. And the book is certainly for adult guys, not the women and kids. Notwithstanding, there are two big attributes McConaughey illustrates: 1) He has a winning attitude, and 2) he never stops pushing himself. With those two attributes, he could be an ugly dunce and still have had a great life.
If you like this review, you might also like “The Emerald Mile” and be sure to follow us on Instagram.
If you want to purchase the book, you can buy it through our link: purchase “Greenlights.”
