The Soloist Audiobook By Steve Lopez cover art

The Soloist

A Lost Dream, an Unlikely Friendship, and the Redemptive Power of Music

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The Soloist

By: Steve Lopez
Narrated by: William Hughes
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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.

©2008 Blackstone Audio, Inc. (P)2008 Blackstone Audio, Inc. Entertainment & Celebrities Mental Health Poverty & Homelessness Psychology Psychology & Mental Health Social Sciences Celebrity Health Heartfelt Inspiring Thought-Provoking

Critic reviews

"With self-effacing humor, fast-paced yet elegant prose and unsparing honesty, Lopez tells an inspiring story of heartbreak and hope." ( Publishers Weekly)
Moving True Story • Inspiring Friendship • Brilliant Narration • Insightful Social Commentary • Powerful Emotional Journey
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The Soloist is as inspiring a story as they come. It tells of vast patience and love for a homeless mentally ill musician. Inspiring because we can all relate to the musician and the journalist, Thank you , Steve Lopez.

The Soloist by Steve Lopez

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I wanted to like this story, but it just seemed like Lopez was using Nathanial and would have gone on ignoring him had he not needed a story. Narration was a little flat.

Didn’t sit well with me.

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This is one of the best audio books I've listened to in a while. Excellent writing, wonderful narration, and a terrific story.
The author provides a good perspective on how mental health affects lives and how one person can make a difference in someone's life.
It will tug at your soul, stretch your heart and bring tears to your eyes.

Fantastic Audiobook

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It is seldom that I choose nonfiction books, and when I do I am often disappointed. Not this time. I haven't seen the movie . . . doubt if I will . . . they usually come no where near the book. I am one of those people who have really been angered by the laws which put the mentally ill out on the streets many years ago, when "in their best interest" the mental institutions were eventually all closed down, along with all the other institutional placements for the severely handicapped. You see, I am the mother of a severely mentally retarded, severely autistic adult, who only through the grace of God, lots of work on our part (mine and my husband's), and constantly advocating for her, is now in an appropriate group home close to us, where she is safe. Mental illness is very different. But I'm not entirely sure that we've done these precious people any service by closing all the facilities which once housed them. There are so many ethical questions, so many questions of safety, not only of the mentally ill themselves, but that of the family members who spend years trying their best to care for their loved ones, many of which end up injured and sometimes killed by the person they are trying to take care of. One of the saddest stories happened here in Alabama when a teenage boy killed both his parents, and severely injured his siblings, several years ago. This family could not get any help from authorities or physicians, because the boy "had not actually harmed them" 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. Therefore he is "free". But everyone around him, everyone who loves him is TRAPPED in a vicious cycle of needing to help him, of continuing to hope, and of fighting the illusion that he CAN be helped. Nathaniel Ayers life has VALUE. God created Nathaniel. God created our sweet daughter. What we learned, over many, many years, is that God also created these special people to be adults, in whatever shape or form that is. And that God releases us, as their parents, as their caretakers, to also take care of ourselves. I fear that our society and our nation have not done well by those who truly need help the most, and cannot help themselves, while continuing to subsidize those who are ABLE BODIED. And the answers are not simple. But they are WORTH seeking.

Hope, Illusion, Schizophrenia

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amazing story of human compassion in the face if a devastating disease state. great narration keep the reader involved.

wonderful

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I had to read this book for my research assignment for a reading class that I am taking at my local Community College, located in Delaware County, Pennsylvania. I wasn't sure that I would be able to fully understand what Steve Lopez's relationship was going to entail. From the beginning I could see that Mr. Lopez was so taken by Nathaniel's love for music especially Beethoven. To be able to play both cello and violin was amazing! I felt as though I was able to hear Nathaniel every time he played for Steve. It was hard to understand why Nathaniel was so resistant in the beginning but it wasn't because he didn't want anyone's help, he was too proud to ask for help. Nathaniel had so many people in his corner who were there to help him if he fell along the way. Steve Lopez took him under his wing on more than one occasion and taught Nathaniel that there would always be someone there to help guide him in his journey. I thoroughly enjoyed listening and reading The Soloist.

My Thoughts

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it was a Beautiful narration I almost felt like I was almost there in scene.

inspirational yet sad story

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I saw the movie and loved it.Then I listened to the book. As usual, Hollywood condenses and intermingles scenes to present a point, but that's ok. The story is well written and well narrated. It's definitely worth the credit.

Excellent

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This is actually a 2 hr book. Oh, he managed to keep me listening , as I waited for a climax to this story, but I was disappointed. It plods along. It was with a sense of relief that it ended. Even the author seemed happy to have it over with. Maybe...that was the point of this whole exercise. How much , as we do for others ,are we actually doing for ourselves ? The book was very well read, without that, I would not have made it through.

Someone get the scissors , please.

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I don't know why I haven't found this book or heard of the movie earlier. Columbus, Ohio had a very similar "Nathaniel Ayres" in 2011 when a Columbus Dispatch reporter found Ted Williams "The Golden Voice" panhandling on a street corner. The homeless man had a long career in radio, only to end on the streets when drugs and hard times made him unemployable. The video of Ted William and his voice went viral after being posted to YouTube, and Williams subsequently received numerous job offers. His "golden voice" became the voice of Kraft foods and Pepsi, a dentist gave him new teeth, the Today Show and GMA welcomed him into their studios. For a few years Ted was shuffled between handlers - mostly the latest person who saw an opportunity to make money. Unfortunately Ted did NOT have a Steve Lopez who, while chronicling the myriad of issues which lay beneath and behind his talent, understood that money does NOT solve all problems, especially when dumped in the bank account of a homeless drug addict. This story is well told. In addition to telling the incredible story of a musician savant and his unlikely friendship with a Pulitzer Prize nominated journalist, Mr. Lopez takes the time to weave the social issues that keep men and women like Mr. Ayres on the street. It is a no-holds-barred recounting of mental illness, addiction and it's contribution to Skid Row. Mr. Ayres was more than a deadline-driven newspaper column, he grew to be a friend of Mr. Lopez and the friendship demanded persistence when the journalist wanted to move on. Mr. Ayres is far better off having been launched from obscurity by the LA Times ~ not because of the publicity but because of the dogged tenacity of Mr. Lopez to make sure Nathaniel did not remain "on the streets of Calcutta" as he so aptly described the hellish pool of humanity among LA's homeless.. Unfortunately Columbus' Mr. Thomas did not have that kind of unselfish commitment. After being awarded voice contracts of $1.5 million and a half-million advance for his book - as of 2021 "The Golden Voice" is homeless, back on the street, very likely no longer sober (although he claims to be) and wishing he had never "gone viral."

Where was this book when Columbus, Ohio needed it?

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