The Soloist by Steve Lopez

I picked up the unabridged audio version of The Soloist: A Lost Dream, an Unlikely Friendship, and the Redemptive Power of Music by Steve Lopez and narrated by William Hughes from Audible when it was a daily deal for $2.95 not too long ago.

All I can say is W-O-W, The Soloist is an amazing story! The Soloist has easily become one of my favorite books of 2014. Not only is The Soloist a story about a lost dream, an unlikely friendship, and the redemptive power of music, it also sheds light on mental illness, homelessness on LA's Skid Row and the struggles that go along with it in ways I could have never envisioned before my encounter with The Soloist. 

The Soloist is my first experience with anything written by Steve Lopez (that I know of anyway) and he is a wonderful writer! He knows how to tell a story that draws the reader in and keeps them interested in what he has to say.... Which I must admit is a sure sign that he's not only a good writer, but also a good journalist (Lopez has written for the LA Times. I'm not sure if he still writes for the LA Times or not). 

I also thought that William Hughes did a wonderful job narrating The Soloist, which made my experience with The Soloist an even better experience.

The following is the publisher's summary for The Soloist, which I found on Audible:

When journalist Steve Lopez sees Nathaniel Ayers playing his heart out on a two-string violin on Los Angeles' skid row, he finds it impossible to walk away. More than 30 years ago, Ayers was a promising classical bass student at Juilliard - ambitious, charming, and also one of the few African-Americans there - until he gradually lost his ability to function, overcome by schizophrenia.

Over time, the two men form a bond and Lopez imagines that he might be able to change Ayers' life. The Soloist is a beautifully told story of devotion in the face of seemingly unbeatable challenges.

Also, checkout the following YouTube video featuring Steve Lopez and Nathaniel Ayers.

I also enjoyed reading an article titled The Real Story Behind 'The Soloist' on NPR's site, along with an excerpt of The Soloist. I also enjoyed listening to a 39 minute interview with Steve Lopez on NPR found in the above mentioned NPR link. In the interview, you can learn more about Nathaniel Ayers. 

Until my next post, happy reading!