Steve Lopez came to Cal State Long Beach Wednesday to talk about the themes of his novel “The Soloist,” embracing the privileges of education and being a journalist today.
Lopez, a columnist for the Los Angeles Times, won numerous national journalism awards for his columns and magazine reporting. He is the author of “The Soloist: A Lost Dream, An Unlikely Friendship, and the Redemptive Power of Music.” In 2009, “The Soloist” film starred Robert Downey Jr. and Jamie Foxx.
Journalism department chair Raul Reis introduced Lopez to a packed room in the Anatol Center.
“‘The Soloist’ reminds readers what it means to be human,” Reis said. “The book not only illustrates themes of homelessness, mental illness and musical accomplishment, but it also touches themes of compassion, humor and grace.”
The event, hosted by “Long Beach Reads One Book,” was designed to bring the Long Beach community together to raise the standards of literacy.
“What we try to find are compelling stories with human interest,” said Sharon Olsen, CSULB director of Education Abroad. “Long Beach Reads One Book gives students an opportunity to meet inspiring authors who they aspire to be.”
“The Soloist” is based on Steve Lopez’s friendship with Nathaniel Ayers, a schizophrenic homeless person who possesses extraordinary talent as a cellist. Inspired and transformed by his story, Lopez helps Ayers pull his life together and launch a career in music.
Still in close contact with Ayers, Lopez said their relationship is both challenging and rewarding.
“What Mr. Ayers wants to tell the CSULB community is to ‘Participate. Don’t be a wallflower,'” Lopez said. “It’s a beautiful thing what he does. He will create something and discover something special about himself on his journey.”
In one theme of “The Soloist,” Lopez discusses Ayers’ mental health care. The Lamp Community, an organization that assists homeless men and women living with mental illness, creates an environment for patients to grow. Ayers, is in an environment where he has become much more self-confident, productive and aware of his illness.
“It is an eye-opener to see how many serious mental illnesses and veterans are untreated,” Lopez said. “One step toward advancing recovery is developing insight into a patient’s own condition.”
Lopez’s motivation while writing “The Soloist” was sparked by “Friday Night Lights” author Buzz Bissinger, who told him his story is about second chances and minor or tragic elements that people can identify with.
“Ayers taught me a feeling of grace,” Lopez said. “He has such a passion through all his trials. He has something most of us never find: He has purpose and passion. When he fights through all his confusion, he is rescued by music where he is anchored and happy. The passion Ayers carries is a passion many of us would never know.”
Lopez said that despite the tough times of budget cuts in California, it is sill a privilege to live in this society and culture.
“What we have today is a pathway to upward mobility,” Lopez said. “We are given a chance to do better than those who came before us. We need the courage and political will for students and teachers to maintain these structural changes.”