More than thirty years ago, ayers was a promising student at julliard ambitious, charming and hugely talented until he gradually lost his ability to. The lack of total redemption and recovery at the end of the book, though disappointing, is a mark of the book s realness. By the book s end, ayers has met cellist yoyo ma, a former classmate at juilliard. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. Book is fine with very light toning to the page edges. Based on a true story, its about what happens when steve lopez robert downey jr. The soloist based on the true story of musical prodigy nathaniel ayers, who developed schizophrenia in his second year at juilliard and ended up homeless on the streets of downtown l. If youre interested in classical music, especially the violin or cello, and love to read about the lives of musicians, then this touching, heartwarming book. Apr 22, 2009 the soloist tells the story of nathaniel ayers, a homeless cellist who has schizophrenia. The soloist is a movie based on steve lopezs bookby the samename and is based on the true story of nathaniel ayers, a musician who develops schizophrenia and becomes homeless in the movie, steve lopez robert downey, jr.
Determined to understand the evolution of ayerss illness, lopez probes his family history, revisits his painful past at juilliard and seeks advice from mentalhealth professionals. There are thousands of nathaniel ayers out there, says. The soloist is a 2009 britishamerican drama film directed by joe wright, and starring jamie foxx and robert downey jr. Lopez s initial column on ayers drew wide attention, and eventually spawned many more, as lopez gradually became intimately involved in his subjects past and future. As it turned out, the man, nathaniel ayers, had been trained in classical music at juilliard. The soloist directly recounts this unusual, ultimately heartwarming tale, but not before the author takes readers on a harrowing journey through the tougher elements of both. The mayor then asks if he can join steve on one of rounds to skid row.
If youre interested in classical music, especially the violin or cello, and love to read about the lives of musicians, then this touching, heartwarming book about the redeeming power of music is for you. Over the next few days, lopez discovers that nathaniel was once a promising. When steve lopez sees nathaniel ayers playing his heart out on a tw. Steve lopez makes a deal with nathaniel which is nathaniel have to struggle on his music, then he will help nathaniel to suggest the mayor vilaragosa to help the homelessness, and the mayor vilaragosa contributed 50 millions dollars on steve lopezs suggestion. A lost dream, an unlikely friendship, and the redemptive power of music. The soloist is a beautifully told story of devotion in the face of seemingly unbeatable challenges. A fathers search through americas mental health madness with selfeffacing humor, fastpaced yet. The soloist movie tiein and millions of other books are available for instant.
The hopes and expectations of mr lopez remained all the while mr ayers tested knowingly or unknowingly mr lopez time and again this book is mesmerizing. The woman with no name begins to fade in and out as they approach the hospital. 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. The new york times bestselling true story that inspired the major motion picturean unforgettable tale of hope, heart and humanitypeople. The soloist is a 2009 american film based on the true story of nathaniel ayers, a juilliard musical prodigy who has schizophrenia.
In 2009, the soloist was made into a movie starring robert downey jr. A newspaper journalist discovers a homeless musical genius and tries to improve his situation. A newspaper journalist discovers a homeless musical genius and. Steve lopez is the author of several books, including the sunday macaroni club and the soloist. 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. Article pdf available in bmj british medical journal 340feb10 2. Times, is stopped short by the ethereal strains of a violin. In the movie ayers sat directly underneath the statue, but in the book he was situated across the street from the monument. A moving story of the remarkable bond between a journalist in search of.
Praise for steve lopez and the soloist lopez is a terrific reporter. In 2009, the soloist was made into a movie starring robert. But, as the soloist reveals, if you really want to make a difference in someones life, be prepared to embrace the mess. Lopez, as portrayed in the film, would have been wise to read it. 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. Listening could have solved the apartment issue all mr. Had lopez not passed by pershing square, that day in early 2005, maybe no one outside the environs of las skidrow would have learned about nathaniel ayers and his musical gifts. The soloist tells the story of nathaniel ayers, a homeless cellist who has schizophrenia. In the book lopez seems much more interested in ayers initially. The soloist goes a long way toward explaining the workings. 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.
Lopez meets nathaniel ayers jamie foxx, a homeless schizophrenic, playing his violin on the street. Sylvia nasar, author of a beautiful mind a heartbreaking, yet ultimately hopeful, read. Lopez needed to do was assure nathaniel that the apartment would not cut. Sep 28, 2009 such is the trajectory of the soloist, at this point a bestselling book in the us and also a movie, starring robert downey jr as a fictionalised version of lopez and jamie foxx as ayers. Lopez published a book about ayers called the soloist. What lopez reported, however, was a much different picture than the scene of conservatory music in which nate thrived, during the early 1970s. Scurrying back to his office one day, lopez, a columnist for the l. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading the soloist. The novel, the soloist chapter 19 is talk about, as the book continues, lopez begins to struggle with the demands of nathaniel. The soloist is a 2009 drama film directed by joe wright, and starring jamie foxx and robert downey jr. This kind of attention is what steve has been striving to get. Dave chavez is having a difficult time trying to get a blood pressure reading for the woman. 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. The soloist by steve lopez, first edition abebooks.
While many will find the ending a mite disappointing, it is still worth the journey to get there. It is based on the true story of nathaniel ayers, a musician who developed schizophrenia and became homeless. Such is the trajectory of the soloist, at this point a bestselling book in the us and also a movie, starring robert downey jr as a fictionalised version of lopez and jamie foxx as ayers. The soloist by lopez, steve and a great selection of related books. The soloist is about lopezs experiences in befriending a mentally ill homeless man whom he had noticed to be a startlingly gifted musician. If the soloist had a subtitle, it could well be my brothers keeper. Apr 24, 2009 if the soloist had a subtitle, it could well be my brothers keeper. Times writer, steve lopez, has his life changed forever.
The screenplay by susannah grant is based on the book, the soloist by steve lopez. As an indication of ayers talent, note that he attended juilliard on a full scholarship from 1970 1972, when. A lost dream, and unlikely friendship, and the redemptive power of music. 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. 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, putnam adult. Steve lopez has 10 books on goodreads with 18193 ratings. The soloist is a good book and one that is carried along by an intriguing story. Ayers sat, just as he had many times before in the shadow of his idol beethoven. The soloist is about lopez s experiences in befriending a mentally ill homeless man whom he had noticed to be a startlingly gifted musician. The story begins featuring lopez at his job frustrated with a dose of writers block.
1590 1440 699 453 999 1642 851 1413 1080 1159 975 403 1533 290 808 781 52 1309 189 1531 638 1019 262 1546 467 1337 230 679 1289 1321 719 131 1230 240 883