Thrilling Tales of Modern Men - Stories

By: Danny Mcbride

Published by Random House Publishing Group, 2026-06-23

An addictive, unpredictable, darkly hilarious collection of stories from Danny McBride— the beloved creator and star of The Righteous Gemstones and Eastbound & Down.

There are many sides to Danny McBride: he’s starred as the iconic character Kenny Powers in the cult classic HBO show Eastbound & Down, a series he also wrote and created—just as he did with Vice Principals and The Righteous Gemstones. He’s produced horror films (Halloween) and starred in sci-fi (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 The 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.