Just Finished Reading………

From The Washington Post

Reviewed by Daniel J. Levitin

“Lopez, a columnist for the Los Angeles Times, first happened upon Nathaniel Ayers ‘dressed in rags on a busy downtown street corner, playing Beethoven on a battered violin that looks like it’s been pulled from a dumpster.’  The guy sounded ‘pretty good.’ Later Lopez found out that Ayers had been a classmate of cellist Yo-Yo Ma at Julliard in the 1970s until he suffered a schizophrenic breakdown. Forced to leave school, Ayers ended up performing on Skid Row in Los Angeles, all but oblivious to the surrounding muggers, drug addicts, prostitutes and sewer rats.

Lopez is a natural storyteller, giving us a close-up view of the improbable intersection of musicianship, schizophrenia, homelessness and dignity.”

I highly recommend this book.  It has, in many ways, confirmed and solidified some passions God has placed in my heart over the past year.  My hope is that Jared and I will be able to love the people around us as wholeheartedly as Steve loved Nathaniel.  A man, who, for many years was just another homeless person littering the streets.  Everyone has a story, and this book was a good reminder to dig deeper.