Interested in reading about homelessness?  Try one of these books!

by Steve Lopez

This book grew out of a series of articles that LA Times reporter Steve Lopez wrote about Nathaniel Ayers, a schizophrenic homeless man he met playing a two-stringed violin on a street corner.  Ayers had been a promising student at Juilliard thirty years earlier, but became homeless after the onset of his mental illness.  Lopez chronicles the slow process of building a trusting relationship with Ayers as well as his interactions with service providers as he tries to get Ayers into housing.  The Soloist was released as a movie on April 24, 2009. 

Listen to Steve Lopez being interviewed on the Diane Rehm Show. 

 

Watch Nathaniel Ayers and Steve Lopez being interviewed on 60 Minutes.

 

If you or your organization is interested in hosting a reading or movie screening, take a look at some ideas and resources.

by Adam Shepard

After graduating from college, Raleigh native Adam Shepard set out on a social experiment: he left home with a tarp, a sleeping bag, and $25 and gave himself one year to become "a 'regular' member of society."  His goal was to end up with an automobile, an apartment, and $2500 in savings.  Along the way, he faced many of the challenges of the homeless and spent time in a Charleston shelter.  You can read the full introduction on the book's official website.