Because Taylor Sheridan doesn’t have enough projects on his plate, the “Yellowstone” creator and Paramount+ content generator is adding “published author” to his bio. His first book, “How to Not Die in Prison,” will be released this summer by Simon & Schuster, the publisher announced on Tuesday.
Described as a “no bulls–t, darkly funny survival guide to life in a maximum-security prison,” the book was co-written by “prison-hardened ex-con” Tom Nelson.
Per the book’s description, “How to Not Die in Prison” teaches readers “everything they need to know to make it out alive, from how to survive a prison riot, a lockdown, a stabbing, a hit, and solitary confinement to how to get a job, not go insane, make prison ramen, give a prison tat, and (allegedly) make a shiv.”
“You might wonder what in the world gives me the knowledge or wisdom to write a survival guide to prison,” writes Taylor Sheridan in the book’s introduction. “Well, I’ll tell you — absolutely nothing. I’ve never been to prison. But, like every man, I’ve certainly wondered how I would survive if circumstances ever put me there. That morbid curiosity sent me on a journey to understand the politics and dangers of prison. When researching for ‘Mayor of Kingstown,’ I learned very quickly it’s way better to avoid going to prison than figuring out how to survive one.”
“I wish I could’ve heeded Taylor’s advice all those years ago and read the f–cking book, but that’s exactly the point: there was no f–king book to speak of because I hadn’t yet been spit out through the system and gained the knowledge that my co-author currently refers to as wisdom,” writes Nelson.
Sheridan may not know much about prison or writing books, but he certainly knows about creating beloved TV shows. The Oscar-nominated screenwriter and Emmy-nominated producer has been behind “Yellowstone,” “Landman,” “Mayor of Kingstown,” “Tulsa King,” “1883,” “1923” and “Lioness.” He also created the upcoming “The Madison” as well as “Marshals.”
Stuart Roberts, Simon & Schuster’s vice president and executive editor for special projects, acquired the North American, first serial and audiobook rights from Anthony Mattero at Creative Artists Agency.
