Nathaniel is not a mentally ill musician, ...but a musician with mental illness.
This was a striking quotation for me in The Soloist. Its comes at the point in which Stella March, the mother of a man with schizophrenia, tells Lopez that he must recognize the person before the illness.
All people can take this quotation and think about it before they pass judgement on someone else or apply a label to a person. For instance, I have a slight case of cerebral palsy on the right side of my body. However I'd never refer to myself or classify myself as a disabled girl, maybe a girl with a disability, but I'd even be wary to call myself that.
~~~~~~~~
Another important subject that The Soloist explores is the stress and hardships caregivers go through. In the specific case of Steve Lopez and Nathaniel Ayers, Lopez begins to feel that caring for Nathaniel is forcing him to alienate his family and neglect his work at the LA Times. Looking after Nathaniel becomes so difficult, that Lopez begins to believe that forcibly treating Ayers is the only way for Ayers to get better. When he presented this idea to the founders of Lamp, it becomes clear that forced treatment wouldn't help Ayers. It would help Lopez be rid of the story that's become a burden.
A situation that more people can relate to can be caring for an aging parent. Many older people have trouble getting around, because of pain in their bones and joints. Some elderly people even suffer from memory lose caused by diseases like Alzheimer's. Caring for the elderly can be a difficult task that can alter all other aspects of the caregivers life. For example, many people are forced to choose between continuing their careers and caring for their parents.
The Soloist can help people appreciate caregivers much more.

grammar; effectiveness of examples