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3.75 AVERAGE
3.75 AVERAGE
A compelling story. That said, I knew most of what happened from listening to an interview with Steve Lopez on NPR. But it was a really great book.
Laughed a little, cried a little. An easy read, but I loved it.
The story was captivating. The movie was well translated from true story to motion picture. At times it felt very repetitive and slow, but it only enforced the daily steps that took place between the characters and their everyday lives. As a lover of music I felt encouraged to see the music community reach out to a fellow musician that has fallen from greatness. The moments such as Nathaniel Ayers asking Steve Lopez if he is flying the plane are classic. The haunting young adulthood depicted at Julliard is riveting. But most importantly the difference that can be made in another person’s life is moving. Steve Lopez may have just started the relationship to get a story, but in the end he proves to himself that great friendships can be found in unexpected places. He shows that taking a chance and challenging one’s self can be extremely rewarding. This is a story that is well worth a read.
Steve Lopez is a columnist for The Los Angeles Times. While he was searching for a story one day, he encountered Nathaniel Anthony Ayers, a homeless man playing a violin that was missing some strings. After talking to Nathanial for a while he discovered that he attended Juilliard and a column was born. Nathaniel struck a chord with Steve and the column struck a chord with the public. Several people offered instruments to Nathaniel and Steve delivered them to him with the condition that he store them at LAMP – the Los Angeles Men’s Project – so they won’t be stolen.
Steve Lopez developed a fondness for Nathaniel and worked hard to help him by contacting his sister, doctors and social workers. He pieced together Nathaniel’s background and discovered that schizophrenia destroyed Nathaniel’s dreams while he was studying at Juilliard. The two men develop a deep bond and Steve spends a lot of time with Nathaniel. He comes to realize that music is the best medicine for Nathaniel – it’s when he feels the most peaceful and calm. Steve is a wonderful advocate for Nathaniel and arranged music lessons, concerts and a visit from Nathaniel’s sister. Steve comes to think of Nathaniel almost like family and includes him in some family activities and dinners.
The Soloist by Steve Lopez is a wonderful book about the relationship between Steve Lopez and Nathaniel Ayers. In it, Steve chronicles the ups and downs of their relationship and even questions his motives behind helping Anthony. The writing is crisp, yet Steve’s affection for Nathaniel is abundantly clear. Even though parts of this book are sad, I found it joyful and uplifting. I’ve always thought of myself as being pretty open-minded, but this book made me think about my attitudes toward homelessness and mental illness. Steve has done a tremendous amount of work to improve the quality of Nathaniel’s life, but he is quick to admit that their relationship means as much to him as it does to Nathaniel. In case you couldn’t tell, I loved this book.
Steve Lopez developed a fondness for Nathaniel and worked hard to help him by contacting his sister, doctors and social workers. He pieced together Nathaniel’s background and discovered that schizophrenia destroyed Nathaniel’s dreams while he was studying at Juilliard. The two men develop a deep bond and Steve spends a lot of time with Nathaniel. He comes to realize that music is the best medicine for Nathaniel – it’s when he feels the most peaceful and calm. Steve is a wonderful advocate for Nathaniel and arranged music lessons, concerts and a visit from Nathaniel’s sister. Steve comes to think of Nathaniel almost like family and includes him in some family activities and dinners.
The Soloist by Steve Lopez is a wonderful book about the relationship between Steve Lopez and Nathaniel Ayers. In it, Steve chronicles the ups and downs of their relationship and even questions his motives behind helping Anthony. The writing is crisp, yet Steve’s affection for Nathaniel is abundantly clear. Even though parts of this book are sad, I found it joyful and uplifting. I’ve always thought of myself as being pretty open-minded, but this book made me think about my attitudes toward homelessness and mental illness. Steve has done a tremendous amount of work to improve the quality of Nathaniel’s life, but he is quick to admit that their relationship means as much to him as it does to Nathaniel. In case you couldn’t tell, I loved this book.
Cool that it's based on a true story! Just not as riveting as I'd like for my stories. Very slice of life feeling.
I enjoyed the struggle the author experienced with Mr. Ayers. I do not directly work with the homeless but in my line of work I do have to attempt to work with many people with mental health issues. I find it extremely frustrating and even with the patience of Job I still cannot leave work without a headache.
The book was a good read. I would recommend it.
The book was a good read. I would recommend it.
An interesting look at the homeless world in L.A. and what one reporter does to bring awareness to the plight of those on skid row. A humanistic approach that showcases why it is so terribly difficult to help those folks most in need. Worth a read.
I really enjoyed this book! It is so well written, and the story is so interesting, I was just sucked in immediately and it kept me interested all the way through. Nathaniel Ayers story really caused me to think. So many times, we just think of homeless people as their own entity not really tied to anything else- Nathaniel's story made me stop and think- he was a man with a pretty normal upbringing and extraordinary musical talent. His whole life was changed, taken over by his mental illness. He lived on the streets because that is where he felt most comfortable. It was so heartbreaking at times to read about his musical talent being completely overshadowed by his schizophrenia. I really felt frustrated with Nathaniel's every step back or outburst. I wanted him to "get better" and have a miraculous entry back in to real life, but that didn't happen exactly- and that's why this is non-fiction. I felt like the book just ended without an ending, but I guess that's because Nathaniel's life is still going on. A movie has been made of this book, and I am interested to see how true to the story they stay.
The interview on NPR is what encouraged me to read this story....the interview was much more interesting! I did enjoy the book----but the writing was not as interesting as the story.