Losing Everything

by David Lozell Martin

In Losing Everything , his first book of nonfiction, acclaimed novelist David Lozell Martin tells his wildest, most outlandish story yet—his own.One evening in the mountainous forest of his isolated West Virginia farmhouse, Martin became disoriented when searching for a horse who had wandered off the property. Wading through the dark and guiding his horse with a belt around its neck, Martin felt as though every step was taking him deeper into the mountains. Instead, he unknowingly spent the night walking in a wide circle that brought him back to where he started. This quickly became a metaphor for Martin's life. "The more lost I get, the closer to home I come."After growing up with a violent father who nearly killed Martin's clinically insane mother, Martin pursued a writer's life with a vengeance, becoming vulnerable to struggles with alcohol, financial ruin, and legal feuds. Then, after a betrayal by his soul mate, Martin's sanity was in as much jeopardy as his mother's had ever been -- a state of mind that in his case led to gunfire, divorce, and at least one trip to the emergency room.But Losing Everything is less about getting lost and more about finding your way home again. In his pursuit of stability, Martin uncovered lessons that might help others who have encountered take pleasure in something as small as an ampersand, keep a list of people you know who have died, meet your own death like a warrior, and be glad you don't own a monkey.Deeply personal yet surprisingly universal, Martin's story is for anyone who has wandered astray. If not a road map, his journey is a guide, providing hard-earned wisdom to illuminate the path home.

Genres: Nonfiction, Memoir

208 pages, Kindle Edition

First published December 9, 2008

About the author

David Martin is the author of ten novels that range from the international bestselling thriller Lie To Me to the acclaimed love story, The Crying Heart Tattoo.

Reviews

[Tori · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed the parts of the book that were more like a memoir, but didn't really feel the "self-help" kind of chapters were necessary to the book. He refers to talking with lots of people that had lost everything as if it was research for the book, but then he doesn't elaborate a whole lot on what he learned from talking with others. It almost seemed like there could have been two separate books here and he was trying to combine everything into one book.

I don't know that I would recommend this book to people who are "losing everything". I was drawn to this book because I am facing the "beasts" he talks about and trying to rebuild after losing everything and I found his outlook depressing and not very encouraging. I have more hope than this.

I did admire the way that he was able to find positive things about his father that he appreciated while still holding his father accountable for horrible behavior and major flaws.

I also admired his brutal honesty on lots of things people don't talk about.

Maybe I am being a little hard on the book giving it only 3 stars. There were a lot of topics he brought up and covered briefly that I would have loved the chance to hear more from him about especially the role of suicide in the book and the idea that wealthy whites intentionally took actions to try to promote racism among poor white people.

[Sara · Rating 3 out of 5]

David Mozel Martin, distinguished and successful writer, acknowledges his life used to be great, in fact almost perfect. When his luck takes a turn, he compounds his misfortunes with further bad decisions. He starts to lose the things he cares about and the life he loves piece by piece. With some perspective he narrates rather vividly how his life became hell, and how he put it back together. Martin peppers in some stories of his childhood as possible theories for his behavior, and some life lessons for good measure. As part of his style he also mentions what he should have done at most junctures. The story is a well-told brief cautionary tale that ends up advocating somewhat for personal responsibility without too much depth.

[Maya · Rating 3 out of 5]

Oh, my. This really could have been much better--the book starts out much stronger than the finish. Martin's self-reflection falls apart into a bunch of maudlin nonsense by the end of the book, but the beginning is great. There's something incredibly compelling about someone who can pull themselves out of those dramatically awful early circumstances, but I could do without being reminded that I need to "take time to skip," or "enjoy the little things," or whatever.

[Garrett · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an autobiography that has all the elements I look for in my books: blue-collar upbringing, poverty, mental illness, extraordinary talent, outrageous financial irresponsibility, alcoholism, insanity, depression, suicide and redemption. I liked it.

[Lesa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting, depressing and thankfully short. After delving into the backstory of the writer's frame of mind, I'd like to read some of the books he wrote during that time.

[Chris Fabiszak · Rating 5 out of 5]

This candid memoir really hit home for me. Martin's story isn't *so* remarkable, but the insights he offers about his experiences resonate deeply.

This is on a short list of books I have read twice - and some of the material serves as metaphors and guidance for me on the regular.

Whether you know the author's fiction work or not, I highly recommend this easy and impactful read.

[Sue Online · Rating 4 out of 5]

You know that old saying, you meet the people you need to meet, and if you are really lucky, you know it? Well, let me paraphrase: you read the books you need to read and if you're really lucky, you know it.

Yesterday I picked up Losing Everything by David Lozell Martin, and finished it this afternoon. It was the book I needed to read right now.

I had, and still have, no idea who he is. An author, apparently, but as I don't read fiction, I don't know his works. I don't even recognize the titles – I think some became movies? I don't do movies too often, either. But this book, tucked onto a shelf in a used bookstore, caught my eye and, after finishing it, has left me uplifted.

That's probably a terrible thing to say about a memoir filled with death, abuse, drinking, infidelity, loss, sorrow, suicide and insanity. But from his miserable childhood to his miserable adulthood, Martin weaves an unsentimental tale of finding oneself, and one's successes, in life and lessons.

I am allllll about the lessons: that's why it's one of those books you find comes your way, just when you need to read it.

But the thing is, if I tell you what's in it, what I really noted about the tales, you will judge the book before it comes to you as a book you need to read.

So let me be mysterious about it, then: if you see the book somewhere, if your eye is drawn to the green checked cover with the gold picture frame, or if something some time in the back of your mind sees the title and thinks, "now why does that sound familiar?" then it has come to you when you need it.

[Jonathan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Martin writes a memoir of how horrible a person he was, defends himself basically because he’s an artist—an author. Compares his rational brain to the “External Reality Team members” who sit on the front row, but then he describes the Guys in the Back Row as the rowdy crew who don’t always follow the rules. My overall impression: the book is uneven, contains a lot of redundancy, but is an honest reflection by a degenerate who seeks to excuse his own horrible behavior by blaming his father, his sex drive, his taste for gin, and even his second wife whom he also claims to have loved. He writes frankly of his experiences but also recognizes that others have had more tragedy—lost more—than he has.

[Karen · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is another memior that makes me that much more grateful that a grew up in a very normal and very boring family. No one trying to kill anyone else, etc, etc. The author does a good job of looking at his past as a reasonably healthy, stable and grateful adult. Grateful that he survived it all. He makes a good point to "bless your enemies". We should all learn to do so.

[Ellen Ochs · Rating 5 out of 5]

Must read this book by my brilliant friend David Martin.

[Lynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Couldn't put this book down. Really enjoyed it.

[Alicia · Rating 2 out of 5]

The title is deceiving-he lost a lost, but not everything.

[A.M. Riley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Currently the writer I most want to emulate.

[Caroline · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved it. I get it, him. And the Guys in the Back Row. This is the first book I've read by David Martin and I can't wait to read his other books.