Taylor Sheridan, 55, Reveals True Motivation Behind New Book: ‘I’ve Never Been to Prison’
The 'Yellowstone' creator is trading the screen for the page with a shocking new debut
Key Takeaways
- Taylor Sheridan, 55, is releasing his debut book 'How to Not Die in Prison' on June 23.
- The project was inspired by the deep-dive research Sheridan did for 'Mayor of Kingstown'.
- Co-author Tom Nelson spent 17 years in prison, bringing real-life experience to the guide.
If you thought Taylor Sheridan couldn’t possibly add another project to his already packed creative life, think again. The man behind hit TV shows and Academy Award-nominated movies is venturing into brand-new territory—and honestly, it’s the most Taylor Sheridan move imaginable.
Simon & Schuster announced that it will publish Sheridan’s debut book—How to Not Die in Prison—this summer on June 23, according to the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. The book, co-written by ex-con Tom Nelson, is described as a “darkly funny survival guide to life in a maximum-security prison.”
Yes, you read that right. The man who has written many movies and television shows is now stepping into book publishing—and his debut is a prison survival guide. If that doesn’t make you grin at the sheer audacity, it should.
What the book covers
How to Not Die in Prison teaches readers everything they need to know about surviving incarceration, including what to do during a prison riot, a lockdown, a stabbing, a hit and solitary confinement.
But it doesn’t stop at the serious stuff. Readers will also learn about how not to go insane, making prison ramen, giving a prison tattoo and “allegedly” making a shiv. That “allegedly” is doing some heavy lifting, and it’s exactly the kind of dry humor that makes Sheridan’s storytelling so much fun.
Sheridan’s voice shines in the introduction
One of the most delightful details about this book is Sheridan’s own introduction, where his signature voice and self-aware humor come through loud and clear. For anyone who loves the way he builds a world onscreen, hearing him on the page is a treat.
“You might wonder what in the world gives me the knowledge or wisdom to write a survival guide to prison,” Sheridan writes 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.”
There it is—the direct connection to his hit show, Mayor of Kingstown. The deep-dive research Sheridan did for that series is what sparked this entire book project. That morbid curiosity he describes didn’t just fuel great television. It led him down a path that eventually became a book.
Meet co-author Tom Nelson
While Sheridan brings the storytelling chops, his co-writer, Tom Nelson, brings something else entirely: lived experience.
Nelson has been “busted for everything from auto theft and assault and battery to armed robbery and drug dealing,” according to his bio on Simon & Schuster’s website. He spent more than 17 years as an inmate in maximum and medium-security prisons.
But Nelson’s story doesn’t end behind bars. After his time, Nelson became a father, husband and personal trainer—a powerful transformation that makes him a compelling voice for this particular book.
Nelson himself had plenty to say about the unlikely partnership in a press release, and his words capture the dynamic between these two perfectly:
“I wish I could’ve heeded Taylor’s advice all those years ago and read the (expletive) book, but that’s exactly the point: there was no (expletive) 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,” Nelson said. “Hey, one of us has written hit TV shows and Academy Award-nominated movies, and the other has spent much of his adult life behind bars in medium and maximum-security prisons. If that’s what makes for good wisdom and entertainment, I’ll take it.”
The pairing of these two—one who has never set foot in a prison and one who spent more than 17 years inside them—is exactly the kind of unexpected collaboration that makes for a fascinating read.
A new creative chapter
Taylor Sheridan has written many movies and television shows, but How to Not Die in Prison marks something genuinely new for him. Moving into publishing is a bold step, and choosing a “darkly funny survival guide” as his debut rather than a memoir or novel feels completely authentic to who he is as a storyteller.
He has never been one to play it safe. The fact that this book grew directly out of his research for Mayor of Kingstown is a reminder that Sheridan’s creative projects feed into each other in unexpected ways—and we, his fans, get to enjoy the results.
Mark your calendar
How to Not Die in Prison releases on June 23 through Simon & Schuster. Whether you’ve followed Sheridan’s career from the start or discovered him through his television work, this book promises to deliver the unflinching storytelling and dark humor that have made him such a distinctive creative force. Circle that date and get ready—Taylor Sheridan is adding “author” to his resume.
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