In the summer of 1979, while his parents were in the middle of their second divorce, Matthew lived with his father in a double-wide trailer on the outskirts of Longview, Tex. Peterson Podcast - Season 4 Episode 1: Matthew McConaughey - YouTube'. ^ 'Micro review: 'Greenlights' by Matthew McConaughey'.'Matthew McConaughey is 'alright, alright, alright' - and thinks you will be too'. ^ 'Combined Print & E-Book Nonfiction - Best Sellers - Books'.'Zen and the art of torso maintenance: Matthew McConaughey's guide to life'. ^ 'Matthew McConaughey on His Memoir Writing Process: 52 Days Alone in the Desert (Without Electricity!)'.'Matthew McConaughey Is Thinking About His Eulogy'. ^ Paiella, Gabriella (October 21, 2020).'Matthew McConaughey Spent 52 Days Alone in the Desert with No Electricity to Write His Memoir'. ^ Kirkpatrick, Emily (August 13, 2020).'Matthew McConaughey Is Making His Literary Debut'. ^ 'Greenlights by Matthew McConaughey'.' 'Are you lit?' 'Cause Matthew McConaughey is writing a memoir'. 'Matthew McConaughey Wrote the Book on Matthew McConaughey'. It's truly entertaining.' In an interview with McConaughey, Canadian psychologist Jordan Peterson said that the book was 'a collection of great stories'. The actor/author reads it himself, with the correct inflections and even does voices.

Mark Athitakis of The Washington Post called McConaughey's poetry 'cringeworthy' and criticized his wisdom for being unrelatable, calling the book 'stuffed with vaporous, circular proverbs for would-be McConaugheys.' In their review, The Times of India wrote, 'The writing is conversational and easy to read, though this is one book whose audiobook form is worth listening to. As of February 2022, the book has spent 55 weeks on the list. The book was a major best-seller, debuting at number one on The New York Times non-fiction best-seller list for the week ending October 24, 2020. It has been described as a memoir but McConaughey has called it an 'approach book'.

McConaughey described the book as a collection of 'stories, prayers, poems, people and places and a whole bunch of bumper stickers.' The book includes stories and insights from McConaughey's life in chronological order. Greenlights originated from diaries and journals McConaughey began writing when he was fourteen years old. McConaughey exiled himself in the desert without electricity for fifty-two days while writing the book.

It was published on October 20, 2020, by the Crown imprint of Crown Publishing Group. Greenlights is a 2020 book by American actor Matthew McConaughey.