CSULB’s FirstRead program provides incoming freshmen with a common intellectual experience as they begin their educational journey. All incoming freshmen are asked to read The Soloist by Steve Lopez. The book will be assigned in select courses, and all students will have opportunities to participate in Campus Conversations and events related to the themes of the book.
The story of the unlikely relationship between LA Times columnist Steve Lopez and Nathaniel Ayers, a gifted musician suffering from mental illness and homeless, The Soloist asks readers to think about a wide range of topics: mental illness, homelessness and urban social problems, the role of journalism in social change, the relationships between journalists and their stories, and the importance of the performing arts to individuals and to society.
Read the book, then join in the conversation!
All students are welcome to attend any of these events.
The FirstRead Calendar will be updated regularly—check frequently for new listings!
Email the Office of the Undergraduate Studies and Academic Advising or call 562-985-7538 for further information.
All incoming freshmen are required to read The Soloist, by Steve Lopez, before classes begin in August.
On sale now at the Bookstore! Copies on reserve at the Library, as well.
