Article pdf available in bmj british medical journal 340feb10 2. Praise for steve lopez and the soloist lopez is a terrific reporter. Steve lopezs first fulllength nonfiction book, the soloist, is a wonder. The soloist is about lopezs experiences in befriending a mentally ill homeless man whom he had noticed to be a startlingly gifted musician.
Steve is a wonderful advocate for nathaniel and arranged music lessons, concerts and a visit from nathaniel. Thank you steve lopez for reserving us a front row seat at this symphony in the big city in the soloist. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. Patience and perseverance are necessary for real change. I have lived in both places so the familiarity with the places was a bonus. Steve lopez is a newspaper columnist somewhat in the mold of mike royko or jimmy breslin. Lopez s series of columns about his unlikely relationship with a cellist with schizophrenia nathaniel anthony ayers became the subject of a national bestselling book by lopez that inspired the film the soloist, which stars robert downey jr. The soloist is a 2009 britishamerican drama film directed by joe wright, and starring jamie foxx and robert downey jr. In 2009, the soloist was made into a movie starring robert. I picked up this book because i have a nathaniel in my life, and i hope every day that i can be the kind of friend steve lopez was.
Steve starts conversations that he hopes will get nate thinking that a roof over his head would be good. The soloist is a 2009 drama film directed by joe wright, and starring jamie foxx and robert downey jr. I mentioned that this book is about the redeeming power of music, but. The paperback edition of the soloist, which i read, has pictures of jamie foxx and robert downey, jr. A lost dream, an unlikely friendship, and the redemptive power of music. One of steves goals in the book is to shed light on the homeless situation on skid row and the mental health problems that most of the people there suffer, going into some depth. This is the true story of journalist steve lopezs discovery of nathaniel ayers. May 2008 steve lopez is a newspaper columnist somewhat in the mold of mike royko or jimmy breslin. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading the soloist.
When steve lopez sees nathaniel ayers playing his heart out on a tw. The book and the movie based on it explore the link between homelessness and mental illness, providing an opportunity for people to begin conversations about. There is a film version of the soloist, starring jamie foxx as ayers and robert downey jr. The author steve lopez digs deep into the life of anthony ayers, the cello, violin, piano genius and his mental illness.
It is based on the true story of nathaniel ayers, a musician who developed schizophrenia and became homeless. A fathers search through americas mental health madness with selfeffacing humor, fastpaced yet. The soloist is a hauntingly beautiful, deeply moving story of a gifted musician who is unable to make health, cleanliness or other basic choices in life. Steve lopez is married and has two sons and a daughter. Steve comes to think of nathaniel almost like family and includes him in some family activities and dinners. Lopezs series of columns about his unlikely relationship with a cellist with schizophrenia nathaniel anthony ayers became the subject of a national bestselling book by lopez that inspired the film the soloist, which stars robert downey jr. Do you think theres any deeper meaning to it, or do you agree with steves assessment. Essential questions as you read the soloist or reflecting on what you already read consider these. The soloist by lopez, steve and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. He has won more than a dozen national journalism awards for his reporting and column writing at seven newspapers. In many ways its long subtitle a lost dream, an unlikely friendship, and the redemptive. Poignant and ultimately hopeful, the soloist is a beautifully told story of friendship and the redeeming power of music. The new york times bestselling true story that inspired the major motion picturean unforgettable tale of hope, heart and humanitypeople.
Lopezs initial column on ayers drew wide attention, and eventually spawned many more, as lopez gradually became intimately involved in his subjects past and future. Actually, it is more memoir than biography, but there is a definite element of biography here, also, so i dont disagree with the tag. Times columnist steve lopez explains his encounter with nathaniel ayers, the brilliant street musician who has taken a. The paperback edition of the soloist, which i read, has pictures of jamie foxx and. The true story and friendship of steve lopez and nathaniel ayers is the soloist, a great read with page turning events. Lopez was interviewed in the 2007 documentary skid row. The soloist by steve lopez essential propositions when we help others, it transforms us as well as the people we are helping. A lost dream, an unlikely friendship, and the redemptive power of music by steve lopez in chm, epub, fb3 download ebook. Sylvia nasar, author of a beautiful mind a heartbreaking, yet ultimately hopeful, read. In chapters six through twelve steve meets with a doctor to try to figure out if there is something he can do about nathaniels condition. In 2009, the soloist was made into a movie starring robert downey jr. The soloist by steve lopez book cover, description, publication history.
Jan 01, 2008 thank you steve lopez for reserving us a front row seat at this symphony in the big city in the soloist. When steve lopez saw nathaniel ayers playing his heart out on a twostring. Hidden in plain sight just down the street from city hall and mere steps from the. A california native, lopez is the author of three novels and a book of nonfiction, the soloist. A lost dream, an unlikely friendship, and the redemptive power of music, is a work of nonfiction that charts the experience of the musician nathaniel ayers. Steve lopez is the author of several books, including the sunday macaroni club and the soloist. Steve lopez is a california native who has been an l. About steve lopez steve lopez is the author of several books, including the sunday macaroni club and the soloist. Steve describes himself in the situation as intellectually challenged at every turn.
I also have a friend who studied piano at juilliard in the early 70s. The doctor tells steve that nathaniels road to recovery is not going to be involving a text book treatment program, but a development of trust in steve and others to peruse his own recovery. All content included on our site, such as text, images, digital downloads and other, is the property of its content suppliers and protected by us and international laws. A newspaper journalist discovers a homeless musical genius and tries to improve his situation. The book and the movie based on it explore the link between homelessness and mental illness, providing an. Quotes by steve lopez a friend is someone who inspires, who challenges, who sends you in search of some truer sense of yourself. A lost dream, an unlikely friendship, and the redemptive power of music steve lopez g. The soloist movie tiein by steve lopez book resume. Nathaniel ayers is a man who attended julliard as a young person, but never completed his education. The screenplay by susannah grant is based on the book, the soloist by steve lopez. Steve lopez joins nathaniel in skid row for a night. An added delight were the references to cleveland and l. Nathaniel ayers is the main character in the soloist, a book that is based on a true story about a press reporter who befriends a homeless street musician. More than 30 years ago, ayers was a promising student at julliard ambitious, charming and hugely talented until he gradually lost his ability to function.
If youre interested in classical music, especially the violin or cello, and love to read about the lives of musicians, then this touching, heart. A moving story of a remarkable bond between a journalist in search of a story and a homeless, classically trained musiciandestined to be a major motion picture from. A lost dream, an unlikely friendship, and the redemptive power of music steve lopez, 2008 penguin group usa 304 pp. The soloist by steve lopez is a wonderful book about the relationship between steve lopez and nathaniel ayers. A lost dream, an unlikely friendship, and the redemptive power of music by lopez, steve and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. Through additional examination steve lopez finds that nathaniel was a talented trainee at julian a school of the carrying out arts in new york. Skid row denizen named nathaniel ayers, who impressed him with his violin playing, despite the fact that his instrument had only two strings. A lost dream, an unlikely friendship, and the redemptive power of music by steve lopez and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. A lost dream, an unlikely friendship, and the redemptive power of music, putnam adult. The story was both eyeopening and heartbreaking, a score of stunning human crescendo and stark morendo, blowing the doors wide open on the stigmas and misconceptions associated with mental illness and homelessness.