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How to Lose Everything: A Mostly True Story
One summer, an incredible discovery gives Jonathan and his three closest friends many things they so desperately want – but at what cost?
Jonathan, Sam, Schulz, and Eric usually spend their summers hanging out at the park, skateboarding and dreaming about the days when they’ll finally move out of the suburbs. But one summer, the four teenagers find a small fortune hidden inside a mysterious abandoned house, and that changes everything. The dizzying thrill of money and power makes the future seem irrelevant; the only question that matters is what they should buy next. It was a dream come true, but it couldn't last. What starts out as a blessing soon turns into a curse, as stress, drugs, criminal behavior, dwindling funds—and even death—raise serious questions about their choices, and their futures.
Jonathan, Sam, Schulz, and Eric usually spend their summers hanging out at the park, skateboarding and dreaming about the days when they’ll finally move out of the suburbs. But one summer, the four teenagers find a small fortune hidden inside a mysterious abandoned house, and that changes everything. The dizzying thrill of money and power makes the future seem irrelevant; the only question that matters is what they should buy next. It was a dream come true, but it couldn't last. What starts out as a blessing soon turns into a curse, as stress, drugs, criminal behavior, dwindling funds—and even death—raise serious questions about their choices, and their futures.
208 pages, Paperback
First published November 1, 2011
9 people are currently reading
502 people want to read
About the author
Philipp Mattheis
16 books5 followersPhilipp Mattheis is a journalist and author of three books. He was born outside of Munich, studied philosophy and journalism, and now lives in Shanghai where he is the China correspondent of the German BusinessWeek. Formerly editor of the largest daily newspaper in Germany, he also writes for other publications, including Neon, Geo, and GQ.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 41 reviews
January 31, 2014
Sam, Eric, Schulz, and Jonathan are four friends living in a surburb of Munich, Germany. They mostly hang out at the skateboard park, a group of lost boys, adrift. Eric, who has been kicked out of school, and then out of his house, leads the pack.
One day the foursome decide to break into an abandoned house. Though the experience is pretty creepy, they keep returning—because each time they do, they find more money, hidden in many place all over the house. In short order, they are pretty rich for teens, and they drift around town spending the money—at first at McDonald’s, and later on less innocent pleasures.
The guys’ sudden wealth turns out to have some dark effects as they are pulled further into drugs, clubbing, mental illness, and betraying one another. It’s like the wish granted by the genie that turns out to ruin lives.
Mattheis actually had this experience in the 1990s. He decided to fictionalize it a bit, but on the whole, he tells his story, He includes an introductory note for American teens, explaining how teen guys could get alcohol so easily (the unaccompanied minor drink age in Germany at that time was 16 years, but even that wasn’t enforced). And, of course, he changes the names of his friends to protect their privacy.
High school housekeeping: How to Lose Everything is advertised as a story about the fall from innocence, but I think that’s not true. Before these guys find all this money, they are already smoking cigarettes and marijuana, drinking alcohol, hanging out with little or no plans. Eric’s goal is to become a drug dealer. They really are adrift. I think what makes the book worth reading is how we see these lost boys react to the money they find. Because they don’t have a stable foundation of ethical behavior, they speed down the path they are already on, making wrecks of their lives. Obviously, Mattheis pulled himself together (anyone who studies philosophy, which is a very tough go, is thinking long and hard about ethical behavior). I think his adult journey would be another interesting book.
I recommend this title for most teens. The reading level is about 5th grade (a Lexile of 670), but the themes are mature. Unlike many books in the 600-700 Lexile level, the print is the size of a regular adult book (e.g. smaller than children’s and YA literature), and the length is typical for YA literature, about 200 pages. So if you are working on your reading skills, How to Lose Everything is an engaging way to take a step up into something longer—a bridge to books with more depth.
February 8, 2020
I thought this book “How to Lose Everything” by Phillip Mattheis was an interesting read. The author got right to the point and because of this, it made the story more intriguing to read right from the start. I thought the plot was interesting, however, there were quite a few times I thought the use of drugs and alcohol was too over powering and the author took away the excitement of the actual plot, that could’ve had more potential to be better.
September 12, 2018
"How to Lose Everything" by Philipp Mattheis, was a gripping book to read. The book gets right to the main part of the story, it doesn't waste time in getting to the point. And it keeps on making me want to read more and more. The book does leave me with .a couple questions that still have yet to be answered. The book does contain a bit mild language, but I do think anyone who enjoys a good mystery novel and a bit of adventure would throughly enjoy the book.
August 1, 2013
Review originally posted at Bettering Me Up.
This coming-of-age novel is like nothing I've read before. Due to the fact that it's based on a true story, I couldn't decide if I wanted it to be more memoir-ish or more fictitious. I don't mean that in a negative way. It's simply the fact that it scares the bejeezus out of me that much of what's in this book actually happened. And I don't know which parts!
How to Lose Everything will appeal to teenage boys. I think this would be a great book for parents of early- to mid-teens to read with their sons in order to launch discussions surrounding theft and drug & alcohol abuse.
I read this short book—only just over 200 pages—in one evening. Mattheis doesn't use flowery language to move the story forward: he is concise and pragmatic and doesn't leave out any of the "good stuff."
I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
This coming-of-age novel is like nothing I've read before. Due to the fact that it's based on a true story, I couldn't decide if I wanted it to be more memoir-ish or more fictitious. I don't mean that in a negative way. It's simply the fact that it scares the bejeezus out of me that much of what's in this book actually happened. And I don't know which parts!
How to Lose Everything will appeal to teenage boys. I think this would be a great book for parents of early- to mid-teens to read with their sons in order to launch discussions surrounding theft and drug & alcohol abuse.
I read this short book—only just over 200 pages—in one evening. Mattheis doesn't use flowery language to move the story forward: he is concise and pragmatic and doesn't leave out any of the "good stuff."
I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
July 31, 2014
This book was SO INCREDIBLY STUPID. 1. The characters all made bad choices, were unintelligent, and very difficult to like. 2. there was no real story. All these kids did was run around, get high, get drunk, and find money to PAY for getting high and drunk more often.
Sorry. I'm sure some people thought this book was great. But the characters annoyed me, the writing was nothing special, and the story was absolutely pointless.
Sorry. I'm sure some people thought this book was great. But the characters annoyed me, the writing was nothing special, and the story was absolutely pointless.
March 4, 2014
Ive been reading this book for about a month. It was okay at first, but then the author just seemed to abandon the plot completely and focus mainly on using every variation of "weed" and "joint" he could think of. I have about 80 pages left, but I don't think I can put up with this book any longer.
April 30, 2018
That is one way to lose everything. I kept thinking where are their parents? Who is responsible for these kids. I know it is a semi true book, but what a bunch of degenerate brats, stealing money from a house, trashing the place- and all they bought was drugs and liquor. #notaspoiler
August 24, 2024
When a group of tight knit teenage friends strike it rich while exploring an abandoned house, the price of money deeply and tragically impacts those who aren't prepared to for the responsibility that comes with wealth, in Philipp Mattheis', How to Lose Everything: A Mostly True Story.
The story, which is mostly factual, takes place in Germany. This is why it is easy for the boys to have access to alcohol when they want it, and prior to finding the money, they are a little experimental with both booze and drugs. Most teenagers sneak and try to get away with things their parents would not condone. I know I did. But, especially after they find the money, I'm not sure how their parents didn't know they were partying to an excess or where they got the money for some of the things they were buying. For instance, one boy walks around sporting a Rolex watch.Perhaps it is the lack of parental supervision that leads to three of them spinning out of control to meet their demise.
Overall, I liked the story. It was a "real" view of a teenage perception of the world, as they often sought instant gradification and had grandiose ideas of what lied ahead of them in the future. I particularly liked the stuttering boy that seemed to be the "mascot" of the group. It is a very realistic depection of the type of kid that is accepted but not totally respected, as he stives to measure up to his peers.
The other character were ones that were easily identifible too: the partier who begins dealing, the love sick boy that constantly fights with his girlfriend, etc... Maybe it is because I'm a teacher that I related to this book so well (I see these types of kids in my every day life), but their portrayals are authentic.
Rising action doesn't really happen until the end of the book, but if you become invested in the characters, you will want to see how this one ends. This is a good YA book, and a cautionary tale that maybe some students should read. I liked it and would recommend it to anyone who likes YA stories. Three stars!
The story, which is mostly factual, takes place in Germany. This is why it is easy for the boys to have access to alcohol when they want it, and prior to finding the money, they are a little experimental with both booze and drugs. Most teenagers sneak and try to get away with things their parents would not condone. I know I did. But, especially after they find the money, I'm not sure how their parents didn't know they were partying to an excess or where they got the money for some of the things they were buying. For instance, one boy walks around sporting a Rolex watch.Perhaps it is the lack of parental supervision that leads to three of them spinning out of control to meet their demise.
Overall, I liked the story. It was a "real" view of a teenage perception of the world, as they often sought instant gradification and had grandiose ideas of what lied ahead of them in the future. I particularly liked the stuttering boy that seemed to be the "mascot" of the group. It is a very realistic depection of the type of kid that is accepted but not totally respected, as he stives to measure up to his peers.
The other character were ones that were easily identifible too: the partier who begins dealing, the love sick boy that constantly fights with his girlfriend, etc... Maybe it is because I'm a teacher that I related to this book so well (I see these types of kids in my every day life), but their portrayals are authentic.
Rising action doesn't really happen until the end of the book, but if you become invested in the characters, you will want to see how this one ends. This is a good YA book, and a cautionary tale that maybe some students should read. I liked it and would recommend it to anyone who likes YA stories. Three stars!
August 8, 2018
It’s hard to relate to these boys as they’re relatively privileged, growing up in the German suburbs bored with how mundane their lives are - to them. It’s told from the perspective of Jonathan, who is recollecting this story from a later point in his life. Parents are more of an accessory in this story and we never actually meet Jonathan’s parents. They all find a large sum of money that they spend frivolously on pizza, candy, alcohol, and smokes. What I did enjoy about this book was how Jonathan realizes these little luxuries they used to save up so much money for became meaningless and even dreadful once they could have it at their fingertips.
I didn’t really enjoy the side love story between Jonathan and Lena - and the eventual fall-out that happened between Schulz. SPOILERS: It’s hard to accept that even at a later point in his life, Jonathan would write so carelessly about his friend’s death. He seems emotionally detached from Schulz by that point that he doesn’t even want to attend the funeral. After death and later on life, we romanticize the image of loved ones who are gone and it’s hard to believe Jonathan felt such little sadness for his dead friend.
I guess I also didn’t enjoy the reveal of how everyone seemed to know about the cursed house. I understand that this is a retelling of a true story, but if the parents knew about the cursed house with all the money as well, would they not have been suspicious? Again, this goes back to the parents serving as accessories rather than parental figures in the novel.
Overall, I did enjoy reading the book. I read it all within an hour - hour and a half, because I was interested in knowing what happened and what dangers awaited the four boys after finding their pot of gold. I was a little disappointed, but I would recommend reading for pleasure.
I didn’t really enjoy the side love story between Jonathan and Lena - and the eventual fall-out that happened between Schulz. SPOILERS: It’s hard to accept that even at a later point in his life, Jonathan would write so carelessly about his friend’s death. He seems emotionally detached from Schulz by that point that he doesn’t even want to attend the funeral. After death and later on life, we romanticize the image of loved ones who are gone and it’s hard to believe Jonathan felt such little sadness for his dead friend.
I guess I also didn’t enjoy the reveal of how everyone seemed to know about the cursed house. I understand that this is a retelling of a true story, but if the parents knew about the cursed house with all the money as well, would they not have been suspicious? Again, this goes back to the parents serving as accessories rather than parental figures in the novel.
Overall, I did enjoy reading the book. I read it all within an hour - hour and a half, because I was interested in knowing what happened and what dangers awaited the four boys after finding their pot of gold. I was a little disappointed, but I would recommend reading for pleasure.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 9, 2019
The book, How to Lose Everything: A Mostly True Story, was written by Philipp Mattheis about his sort of true experience living in Germany around the 1990’s with his friends. He changed the names and different attributes of all the characters so no one would be included when they did not want to be. He set the story up with a main character based off himself whose name was Jonathan. Jonathan had three close friends named Eric, Sam, and Schultz. They loved to hang out, party, and skateboard. One day they decide to check out an abandoned house that was near the half pipe they hang out at. When they enter the house it seems very put together still as if years ago someone had to leave in a hurry. They look through the dusty house and come across many dozens of bills that soon make them rich. The boys use the money mostly for clothes, beer (as the legal drinking age is 16), drugs, and food. The friends soon become too big for their shoes as the money brings in new issues such as how to use the money and where it came from. The boys soon find themselves in the drug business trying to keep their lives still a reality. I liked this book as it was sort of a mystery and all of the characters fit each other well but some bugged me as their morals were not what I agreed with. Overall the book is very good as it is an unreliable scenario occurring within a relatable group of friends.
May 31, 2018
I didn't love this book. I thought it dragged in some points in the story and did not really have an ending. However it is based on true events so, therefore, maybe it doesn't have a satisfying ending. I just think it is really sad to see teenager's lives falling apart because of money, sex, and drugs. Not only do the character's lives fall apart, but they also hurt people in doing so. Although it dragged in parts, it really represented the things that effect and harm many lives today. Greed can be fatal, and this book really shows that.
January 22, 2022
How to Lose Everything was a very well-written book about four kids, Eric, Schultz, Johnathan and Sam, breaking into an abandoned house and finding money in it. There is so much money that the four of them don't know how to use it. They spend most of the money on drugs, alcohol, and cigarettes which cause them to go out of control and become addicted to these things. Along with learning how to deal with their addiction, the four boys learn who the money belonged to and were faced with many difficult challenges when the money came into play.
July 6, 2025
How to Lose Everything was an adventure that followed four friends from different backgrounds, each bringing their own struggles and experiences to the story. What really drew me in was seeing everything through the eyes of the characters. It showed how just one bad decision can change the course of your life so quickly, and it really made me think differently about how I see a troubled teen.
The book left me wanting more answers - especially when it came to Eric and Sam. I feel like I need answers about what truly happened with them, and I wish their stories had been explored further.
The book left me wanting more answers - especially when it came to Eric and Sam. I feel like I need answers about what truly happened with them, and I wish their stories had been explored further.
December 4, 2019
I can honestly say that this was one of the stupidest books I've ever read. I can't believe this author writes for a LIVING, let alone for GQ. I kept reading because I thought there must be a cool twist, but no, it was truly just dumb. So, if you'd like to read a book about teenage boys drinking, doing drugs, stealing, and screwing -- all kind of randomly with no purpose whatsoever -- and then be told its because of a "curse", then enjoy the idiocy.
January 29, 2018
I really like the fact that this is based on a true story. I think it adds another element to the story if it is mostly true because it really made me think about what the 4 kids are doing now, and how finding all the money impacted their future(not finished yet). I enjoyed this book and I would recommend it to most people.
November 9, 2021
This story really didn't go anywhere. Based on the introductory chapter, I expected the kids to get caught up solving a murder mystery or maybe running from some gang, but what actually ended up happening was way less dramatic and offered little to no closure. Interesting premise but poor execution.
October 8, 2019
I really liked this book because it talked about kids my age so I could relate. I also thought it was a very suspenseful book, with new problems always coming up. The one this that I didn't really like was that their was no clear resolution, the group just went their separate ways.
April 4, 2022
It’s a good book, sorta confusing sometimes but I really like it but it just needs a better ending
Want to read
May 30, 2023i thought it was really nice it was did not really have a favorite character but i enjoyed it very well
February 25, 2017
Sam, Eric, Schulz, and Jonathan lived in a suburban area of Munich, Germany in 1994. For the most part, they lived their lives sort of like drifters. Not interested in school, they spent their time hanging out at the skateboard park, smoking, or playing video games. However, their uneventful lives suddenly changed when they decided to break into an abandoned house. What they found was cash, lots and lots of cash. Now stacked with cash, the group had unlocked an entire new world of possibilities that they have never known before. Their options were endless and they each had their own ideas on what to do after. Eric, the leader of the group, is quite ambitious. He decides to invest his money into what he thought would bring himself even greater wealth, drugs. Shulz, feels like he has to show off his newly found wealth with expensive clothing and accessories. All Sam wants with his money is pizza and alcohol. For Jonathan though, it was the abandoned house that caught his attention. He wanted to piece together the story behind the two sisters who had lived at that house before. Unfortunately, these four friends are not only going to get what hey paid for. They are also going to pay for how they got that vast amount of money.
How to Lose Everything: A Mostly True Story was a frustrating book to read for me. This is due to the lack of character growth as well as the ending being unable to wrap up what happened. When the four friends find the money, I expected them go to town with it and buy whatever they wanted. As expected, they did, but what would they do after was what I wanted to know. Unfortunately for me, they continued down the rabbit hole of, what was my opinion of wasteful spending, for the entirety of the story. This leads to the ending of the book. It felt like there was no conclusion to each of the characters stories. The group just eventually breaks up and they go on their separate ways. To me, the four started out as drifters and they still ended up as drifters despite what they all went through. With no real character growth and a lackluster ending, I can't help but feel discontent with the book.
How to Lose Everything: A Mostly True Story was a frustrating book to read for me. This is due to the lack of character growth as well as the ending being unable to wrap up what happened. When the four friends find the money, I expected them go to town with it and buy whatever they wanted. As expected, they did, but what would they do after was what I wanted to know. Unfortunately for me, they continued down the rabbit hole of, what was my opinion of wasteful spending, for the entirety of the story. This leads to the ending of the book. It felt like there was no conclusion to each of the characters stories. The group just eventually breaks up and they go on their separate ways. To me, the four started out as drifters and they still ended up as drifters despite what they all went through. With no real character growth and a lackluster ending, I can't help but feel discontent with the book.
July 5, 2013
Ok... so I really liked reading this book, however there were some things that disappointed and frustrated me. So first the good:
1. Good pacing, the book flowed very well, and it was easy to stay engaged.
2. Excellent foreshadowing, the author gave you just enough to get you curious. The two foreshadowing paragraphs in the beginning of the novel stick with you throughout the entire book. I simply could not stop reading until I figured out what he meant by those mysterious cryptic sentences! It was just enough to keep your interest but not nearly enough to give away the plot or the ending.
3. Interesting characters, the characters are intriguing, and they all fall apart differently. The money affects them all differently and you can watch each boys' downward spiral. Yet it's easy to care for them regardless of their many flaws. I especially loved Sam.
The Bad:
1. Zero character growth. So FRUSTRATING!!! To begin with there's Sam, Then there is the narrator, Johnathan
2. The book didn't really end. There was no conclusion. There should have been a last chapter back in the current time, right after the first chapter. One where Sam and Johnathan both get to have their character growth, one where you have hope for these boys to reconnect, one where there's a point to this whole sorry mess.
3. WTF happened to Eric???????
I'm overwhelmingly frustrated by this book. It was a 4 star until the end, which isn't really and end. I feel like mailing the author a plot line graphic. *See there, that's called the resolution!
You should write one for your plot line to be complete!*
The writing style was really good, and whenever I sat down to read it, I didn't put it down for a good long time.
If you are looking for a coming of age/childhood friend/stand by me sort of book this is a good choice. I imagine this book would be enjoyed by teens as well as any age of adult. The story is about a group of young friends, so it would resonate with any age group.
I won a giveaway for this book! I'm really excited to read it!
Edit 6/18: The book arrived and when I finish what I'm currently reading, I'll be starting this!
1. Good pacing, the book flowed very well, and it was easy to stay engaged.
2. Excellent foreshadowing, the author gave you just enough to get you curious. The two foreshadowing paragraphs in the beginning of the novel stick with you throughout the entire book. I simply could not stop reading until I figured out what he meant by those mysterious cryptic sentences! It was just enough to keep your interest but not nearly enough to give away the plot or the ending.
3. Interesting characters, the characters are intriguing, and they all fall apart differently. The money affects them all differently and you can watch each boys' downward spiral. Yet it's easy to care for them regardless of their many flaws. I especially loved Sam.
The Bad:
1. Zero character growth. So FRUSTRATING!!! To begin with there's Sam, Then there is the narrator, Johnathan
2. The book didn't really end. There was no conclusion. There should have been a last chapter back in the current time, right after the first chapter. One where Sam and Johnathan both get to have their character growth, one where you have hope for these boys to reconnect, one where there's a point to this whole sorry mess.
3. WTF happened to Eric???????
I'm overwhelmingly frustrated by this book. It was a 4 star until the end, which isn't really and end. I feel like mailing the author a plot line graphic. *See there, that's called the resolution!
You should write one for your plot line to be complete!*
The writing style was really good, and whenever I sat down to read it, I didn't put it down for a good long time.
If you are looking for a coming of age/childhood friend/stand by me sort of book this is a good choice. I imagine this book would be enjoyed by teens as well as any age of adult. The story is about a group of young friends, so it would resonate with any age group.
I won a giveaway for this book! I'm really excited to read it!
Edit 6/18: The book arrived and when I finish what I'm currently reading, I'll be starting this!
July 17, 2013
Really more of a 2.5 star rating for this quick read about four German teenagers who find (and keep) money in an abandoned house and the impact it has on their friendships, relationships, and mental health during that summer. The story is narrated by Jonathan, one of the four boys, and is written as a reflection many years after the events that took place. Through his eyes we witness the ever-present ennui of teenagers and how it is impacted by the discovery of the money. Being teenagers, the choices they make with the money are not awesome (for example, they do not pool their money together to start an animal rescue... they do not save it for the future... they do not give it to their family members...), but then again, clearly that was not the direction the story was ever going to go.
Pros:
-I liked the illustrations of wings in between chapters.
-I was interested enough to keep reading the book.
-This might appeal to male readers more than female readers. I don't necessarily find that a con because there aren't always books that can do that, so I would leave that as a pro.
Cons:
-Was it really enough money to have this much of an impact?
-The majority of the characters need a smack in the head.
-I realize it is a book about teenaged boys, but it was related by one of those boys as an adult, so I hoped he would have been a better man in some way... but I didn't really get the sense that he was.
-Some of the characters' words, etc. seemed to not quite ring true. I don't know if the book was edited for an American audience when it was translated, but I lived in Germany for a couple of years only a few years prior to the summer written about in the book. I can't put my finger on it exactly, but there were a few things that just stood out to me as I read that didn't seem as they would have been said or experienced in quite that way by German teens I knew during that time period.
I didn't love the book, but I didn't hate it. It held my interest, and I did keep reading to find out how the situation resolved itself. I didn't like the resolution overall, but it is not always about the ending - it is about how we get to the ending.
I received this book as an ARC from NetGalley.
Pros:
-I liked the illustrations of wings in between chapters.
-I was interested enough to keep reading the book.
-This might appeal to male readers more than female readers. I don't necessarily find that a con because there aren't always books that can do that, so I would leave that as a pro.
Cons:
-Was it really enough money to have this much of an impact?
-The majority of the characters need a smack in the head.
-I realize it is a book about teenaged boys, but it was related by one of those boys as an adult, so I hoped he would have been a better man in some way... but I didn't really get the sense that he was.
-Some of the characters' words, etc. seemed to not quite ring true. I don't know if the book was edited for an American audience when it was translated, but I lived in Germany for a couple of years only a few years prior to the summer written about in the book. I can't put my finger on it exactly, but there were a few things that just stood out to me as I read that didn't seem as they would have been said or experienced in quite that way by German teens I knew during that time period.
I didn't love the book, but I didn't hate it. It held my interest, and I did keep reading to find out how the situation resolved itself. I didn't like the resolution overall, but it is not always about the ending - it is about how we get to the ending.
I received this book as an ARC from NetGalley.
September 12, 2013
Jonathan, Sam, Schulz and Eric are doing what they normally do in summer, hanging out at the skate park, smoking, drinking and talking about sex. But when they hear about an abandoned house not far from their neighborhood in a suburb of Munich, they decide to investigate. While exploring the house they discover hidden money, lots of it. What they do with it will change all of their lives in ways they couldn’t imagine.
How to Lose Everything: A Mostly True Story by Philipp Mattheis is a young adult memoir focusing on that fateful summer of 1994. At first, the boys spend money on things they always wish they could buy, like pizza, beer, candy and pot. But soon enough those petty purchases are no longer enough to satisfy them. Pretty soon their purchases attract unwanted attention, and event start to spiral out of their control.
As the subtitle states and a note in the front of the book confirms, the events are based on a true story although the names of the main characters have been changed and some details altered to respect the privacy of those involved. Knowing it’s mostly true makes the story even more fascinating, as we see how each of the friends reacts to his newfound wealth.
The narrative is told through Jonathan’s voice, and so we see his friends’ actions through his filter. Perhaps not surprisingly, he seems to be the most grounded of the four, happy to go along with his friends but somewhat reluctant to spend the money. This is especially true once he discovers letters from the woman who previously lived in the house and learns about her story.
How to Lose Everything is not just an account of the summer four friends found a lot of money, it’s also a fascinating look at human nature and how it can be influenced by sudden, unexpected wealth. I recommend it for readers aged 14 and up.
The publisher provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
How to Lose Everything: A Mostly True Story by Philipp Mattheis is a young adult memoir focusing on that fateful summer of 1994. At first, the boys spend money on things they always wish they could buy, like pizza, beer, candy and pot. But soon enough those petty purchases are no longer enough to satisfy them. Pretty soon their purchases attract unwanted attention, and event start to spiral out of their control.
As the subtitle states and a note in the front of the book confirms, the events are based on a true story although the names of the main characters have been changed and some details altered to respect the privacy of those involved. Knowing it’s mostly true makes the story even more fascinating, as we see how each of the friends reacts to his newfound wealth.
The narrative is told through Jonathan’s voice, and so we see his friends’ actions through his filter. Perhaps not surprisingly, he seems to be the most grounded of the four, happy to go along with his friends but somewhat reluctant to spend the money. This is especially true once he discovers letters from the woman who previously lived in the house and learns about her story.
How to Lose Everything is not just an account of the summer four friends found a lot of money, it’s also a fascinating look at human nature and how it can be influenced by sudden, unexpected wealth. I recommend it for readers aged 14 and up.
The publisher provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
August 30, 2013
I really enjoyed this book. Although I can’t really relate to any of the characters, I’ve never found a massive amount of money just sitting in an abandoned house when I was fifteen, unless you count the twenty bucks I found when I was eight while walking down the street, at the time THAT felt pretty massive. Anyway, back to my review.
I have never been to Munich, and this book did not make me feel like I needed an inner book map to understand where they were going when they traveled, which wasn’t much. And I enjoyed each characters unique voice, even that of Schulz. And I greatly appreciated Mattheis including an authors note to readers about this story, explaining that he’s changed a few things and advising us here in the U.S. that the drinking age is 16 in Germany at the time this story takes place, 1994 to be exact. The angst he is able to build of these four teenage boys, Jonathan, Schulz, Sam and Eric, who are bored with school, skateboard, and occasionally smoke pot, is pretty well done.
I enjoyed Jonathan’s voice, even though in the prologue he seems like he will be the d-bag of the group, but that roll goes to Schulz and partially Eric. You feel sorry for Sam in a lot of the book, and so does Jonathan, in fact he says that he’s at times Sam scares him. We see a lot of changes in each of the boys, Jonathan surprisingly, or not so surprisingly, seems keen on stealing, until Schulz points out that they have too much money to steal when they can buy. Luxuries like pizza and beer become a regular thing, and Jonathan can’t help but wonder bout the old tenants of the house on Flower Street.
I recommend this book to anyone really, if I were to read it as a teenager it would definitely make me reflect a little on what it is we were doing and how others might see us, and it would help me realize that people see more than we really think they do
I have never been to Munich, and this book did not make me feel like I needed an inner book map to understand where they were going when they traveled, which wasn’t much. And I enjoyed each characters unique voice, even that of Schulz. And I greatly appreciated Mattheis including an authors note to readers about this story, explaining that he’s changed a few things and advising us here in the U.S. that the drinking age is 16 in Germany at the time this story takes place, 1994 to be exact. The angst he is able to build of these four teenage boys, Jonathan, Schulz, Sam and Eric, who are bored with school, skateboard, and occasionally smoke pot, is pretty well done.
I enjoyed Jonathan’s voice, even though in the prologue he seems like he will be the d-bag of the group, but that roll goes to Schulz and partially Eric. You feel sorry for Sam in a lot of the book, and so does Jonathan, in fact he says that he’s at times Sam scares him. We see a lot of changes in each of the boys, Jonathan surprisingly, or not so surprisingly, seems keen on stealing, until Schulz points out that they have too much money to steal when they can buy. Luxuries like pizza and beer become a regular thing, and Jonathan can’t help but wonder bout the old tenants of the house on Flower Street.
I recommend this book to anyone really, if I were to read it as a teenager it would definitely make me reflect a little on what it is we were doing and how others might see us, and it would help me realize that people see more than we really think they do
June 19, 2013
Real rating: 3.5 stars
I found after reading this book that I enjoyed it quite a bit, but I feel that male readers would probably have enjoyed it a bit more simply because they could more easily relate to the characters and the things they were experiencing. The book follows four German, male best friends during one summer of their teenage years in which they find a good bit of money and the effect the money has on them, both good and bad. There are also snippets of the story in which the narrator is an adult.
The book was interesting and I liked the author’s style of writing. He had a way of writing that was not too sophisticated to detract from the first person narrative and make me question if a teenager would actually say the things in the novel, which is the often the case with first person narrative YA novels. The book may not have had anything exceptional about it, but it also had nothing that I found horribly wrong with it which is why I gave it 3.5. I would recommend this to male readers who often times have a hard time relating to the characters in novels. They will find that the main characters in this story are similar to them in a plethora of ways and even facing the same challenges that the reader may be facing.
I found after reading this book that I enjoyed it quite a bit, but I feel that male readers would probably have enjoyed it a bit more simply because they could more easily relate to the characters and the things they were experiencing. The book follows four German, male best friends during one summer of their teenage years in which they find a good bit of money and the effect the money has on them, both good and bad. There are also snippets of the story in which the narrator is an adult.
The book was interesting and I liked the author’s style of writing. He had a way of writing that was not too sophisticated to detract from the first person narrative and make me question if a teenager would actually say the things in the novel, which is the often the case with first person narrative YA novels. The book may not have had anything exceptional about it, but it also had nothing that I found horribly wrong with it which is why I gave it 3.5. I would recommend this to male readers who often times have a hard time relating to the characters in novels. They will find that the main characters in this story are similar to them in a plethora of ways and even facing the same challenges that the reader may be facing.
June 6, 2013
If ever there was a "guy book," this is it. I can easily envision heated conversations between people where the female readers are declaring it the most morbid, disjointed book they've ever read and the male readers are countering that it is the most incredible, realistic piece of literature of their day.
The book follows four German teenaged friends during one summer of their lives. Wedged between the marijuana-induced antics and rhetoric of these friends is an adventure in which they find a small fortune hidden in an abandoned house. The plot actually follows the effects of finding that money, both good and very, very bad. It reads as though it is a self-fulfilling curse rather than the windfall they hoped for.
As a reader, this book just wasn't for me. As a high school English teacher, however, I can appreciate that a significant number of my students might really respond to this book, especially my reluctant readers or those students who are fed up with being forced to identify with Romeo & Juliet when they actually identify with Mattheis' characters.
NOTE: A copy of this book was provided by the publisher for review. All comments are my own. My other reviews can be found at SeeLorcaWrite.com.
March 24, 2014
This book is very strange, not something I would normally read, but once I got into it I couldn't put it down. 4 teens that live in a poor neighborhood and don't care about school come across an abandoned house. They go in there and find envelopes full of money throughout the house. One of the teens, Jonathan, writes the story from his viewpoint. He struggles with using the money because he found notes in the house from 2 women that used to live there. He sees his friends blowing the money on beer, drugs, and other stupid things and deep down he knows this is morally wrong. Throughout the whole book I kept wondering how is it going to end? Will they be caught or will something even worse happen to these teens. This a non-fiction book in the YA section.
August 16, 2014
I felt this was an urban coming-of-age novel. It touches on many topics and themes teens are exposed to in inner city and surrounding areas. Even though these teens start off in the book going down a dangerous path, each choice draws them deeper into the darkness. At the end of the book, I felt there was still some lessons to be learned and not all of the teens were ready to learn them. It did make me walk away thinking and pondering my choices as a teen and how a different decision could have lead me down paths these same teens took.
I do want to stress this novel isn't for everyone. It is harsh, real and sometimes twisted. You will sometimes question if what is happening really could or did. Be warned.
I do want to stress this novel isn't for everyone. It is harsh, real and sometimes twisted. You will sometimes question if what is happening really could or did. Be warned.
July 22, 2016
I liked this book, despite it not being my typical book. I thought the character description was just fine for what the book was trying to portray. I like how it really is losing everything. How things just change and fall apart so easily. How nothing is ever rock solid. It actually made me feel hurt because it's happened to me. Now, not the smoking and drinking part. But having people go their own ways, that's always hard. Then being the nice one and it seems like nothing goes right and you don't know what you're doing with your life? That's normal for a lot of people now. I just wish the book was longer.
December 28, 2016
It's a very disturbing, yet true story, about what happens to youth when they "chance upon" money...
Lot of drugs, alcohol, sex - which is normal at that age.
However, it left you wanting to know more.
More about what they did post "all the events" in their "rehab" phase - what each one thought, how they dealt with their emotions, and their lives.
Since it's a true story, would have wanted to know a wee bit more about how they moved on, if at all.
3.5 for me.
Was expecting a little more from this book.
Lot of drugs, alcohol, sex - which is normal at that age.
However, it left you wanting to know more.
More about what they did post "all the events" in their "rehab" phase - what each one thought, how they dealt with their emotions, and their lives.
Since it's a true story, would have wanted to know a wee bit more about how they moved on, if at all.
3.5 for me.
Was expecting a little more from this book.
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