Ok, I have to admit from the start that I have never been into audiobooks before. In fact, I used to be a book snob and look down on people who opted for audiobooks instead of “real” physical hardcopied with words printed on pages books. And I feel bad about it. This year I have completely changed my opinion about this format of reading/hearing books. Since I have an amazon account, I thought I might as well use my free 9 credits in the audiobook app. This exposed me to a whole new experience. Listening to the voice of the original author. Tuning in with what a writer says in his or her book. Driving a car and completely losing myself in the world of spoken thoughts, uttered truths. Now I truly believe some books are best to be listened to. Sometimes you need to hear the authors to hear their message. Sometimes listening is more powerful than reading.
I feel like some kind of a paid promoter, but I swear I am not! However, I am still going to encourage you to get your hands (or ears) on one audiobook. It is called Greenlights. The author, the narrator is Matthew McConaughey. The actor. Turns out Mr. McConaughey is also a brilliant writer and storyteller. Who would have thought?
I haven’t finished the audiobook yet, but I already have so much to say about it. It is so different, so refreshing, so…weirdly…optimistic. Matthew takes you on a rollercoaster journey, sharing the most personal, hilarious, enlightening, serious, absurd stories of his life. It is not a linear story of success. It is a messy, unpredictable, but ingrainedly beautiful memoir which makes famous people – actors – look like all of us. Ordinary people with ordinary problems, ordinary crises, ordinary moments, and ordinary feelings and thoughts.
I say this book is so refreshing to me because I mostly read highly dramatic books. Not to say that they are pessimistic, but they usually take things very seriously and deal with pretty hard topics. McConaughey’s book Greenlights touches upon many heavy issues, but he does it with such a light tone that it makes you take life less seriously. It makes you feel it is OK even if you are not always ok. After every red light, there is a long-awaited greenlight. All it takes is some hard work, perseverance, and undeniable and unstoppable belief in the good turn of events.
I have instantly fell in love with Matthew’s idea of breaking walls and roofs someone else (or you yourself) has set up for you or other people. This book is all about breaking limits, stereotypes, boundaries, and any other unhealthy restraints on the path towards success. This book is about living, not “over-living” or “under-living.” How liberating is it to live a life without overthinking? How mind-free would it be to accept a lesson from any life situation without overanalyzing? No, I am not saying Matthew is shallow. Not at all. On the opposite, he is very insightful and often existentialist, but he knows how to move on and enjoy the life the way it is at the very moment. He knows how to focus on greenlights. Forget about red lights.
Matthew McConaughey is not just reading a book. He is acting it. Acting his own self. And it is absolutely magnetic. It is a show of one person. It is a show of one life.
So, yes, sometimes you need to listen to a book to feel its power. Audiobooks – greenlight.
NATABLE 