Thrilling Tales of Modern Men

Legends never die, dude. I'll tell your story...

There are many sides to Danny McBride: he’s starred as the iconic character Jesse Gemstone in the cult classic TV series The Righteous Gemstones, a show he also wrote and created—just as he did with Vice Principals and Eastbound & Down before that. He’s produced horror films like Halloween and starred in comedy classics like Hot Rod and Pineapple Express as well as sci-fi hits like Alien: Covenant. And ever since he was young, he’s been writing short fiction.

An amateur magician gets in way over his head with a deadly stunt in a local mall. A washed-up sitcom actor takes revenge on the coyote who killed his dog. Two young runaways decide to part ways, but not before embarking on one last big adventure.

Hilarious, razor sharp, unexpectedly emotional, and full of wild twists and turns, the stories in Thrilling Tales of Modern Men are like nothing else. And yet, they have one thing in common—they each probe the fragile masculinity that’s become inherent to modern American culture. In this audacious and unforgettable debut collection, McBride redefines the tale of the modern man.
© Danny McBride 2026 (P) Penguin Audio 2026