The Soloist by Steve Lopez

Written By: Steve Lopez

Genre: Memoir

Synopsis:

"When 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. At first, he is drawn by the opportunity to crank out another column for the Los Angeles Times, just one more item on an ever-growing to-do list: "Violin Man."

But what Lopez begins to unearth about the mysterious street musician leaves an indelible impression." "More than thirty years earlier, Ayers had been a promising classical bass student at Juilliard - ambitious, charming, and one of the few African-Americans - until he gradually lost his ability to function, overcome by a mental breakdown. When Lopez finds him, Ayers is alone, suspicious of everyone, and deeply troubled, but glimmers of that brilliance are still there."

From an impromptu concert of Beethoven's Eighth in the Second Street tunnel to a performance of Bach's Unaccompanied Cello Suites on Skid Row, the two men learn to communicate through Ayers's music.

The Soloist is a story about unwavering commitment, artistic devotion, and the transformative magic of music.

Format: Hardcover, 273 Pages

Awards: PEN Center USA Literary Award for Creative Nonfiction

Goodreads Rating: 3.91

*Please note, all books are pre-loved, but have been carefully looked through to ensure they are not missing any pages and are in good condition. If there are any visible flaws, these will have been noted in the product photo.