Jonathan Livingston Seagull
by Richard Bach
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Book Summary Information
Author: Richard BachEdition: Hardcover
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 1970-09-01
ISBN: 0684846845
Number of pages: 96
Publisher: Scribner
Book Reviews of Jonathan Livingston Seagull
Book Review: Seeking Perfection
Summary: 5 Stars
This slender classic about a seagull who stretches the limits of Flight reads as fresh and emotionally exhilarating as when it first appeared. Disdaining the mundane existence of most gulls--who follow the garbage trails of men--Jonathan dreams of rising above such a demeaning lifestyle, on both aerodynamic and spiritual planes. He boldly pushes his body to perform increasingly difficult stunts, to achieve undreamed of aerial precision and velocity. Until he is callously ostracized for his achievements. We admire Jonathan's quest for excellence, his willingness to sacrifice everything in his noble pursuit of raising seagfull consciousness. To FLY for the sheer joy of it, to grow in wisdom, to chafe at any limitation of the spirit, to experience the ultimate in seagullness--to meet and perhaps briefly be one with the Great Gull.
Beneath the surface of this seemingly simple tale of a gull, who literally rises above his own kind, lie themes clearly reflecting the 60's: civil disobedience for a worthy cause, social ostracism, the personal dignity of the sentient individual, refusal to accept the standard restrictions of life as imposed by Society. Bach presents philosophical gymnastics worthy of a seagull's Shangri-La; he includes Christian overtones and ideas of global spirituality as well.
JLS proves a teacher of teachers both in Flight and Compasion, but could he really be the only son of the Great Gull? (The movie with Neil Diamond's moving score is a multi-dimensional treat, but read the book first.) Timeless enchantment!
Summary of Jonathan Livingston Seagull
People who make their own rules when they know they're right...people who get a special pleasure out of doing something well (even if only for themselves)...people who know there's more to this whole living thing than meets the eye: they'll be with Jonathan Seagull all the way. Others may simply escape into a delightful adventure about freedom and flight. Either way it's an uncommon treat."Most gulls don't bother to learn more than the simplest facts of flight--how to get from shore to food and back again," writes author Richard Bach in this allegory about a unique bird named Jonathan Livingston Seagull. "For most gulls it is not flying that matters, but eating. For this gull, though, it was not eating that mattered, but flight." Flight is indeed the metaphor that makes the story soar. Ultimately this is a fable about the importance of seeking a higher purpose in life, even if your flock, tribe, or neighborhood finds your ambition threatening. (At one point our beloved gull is even banished from his flock.) By not compromising his higher vision, Jonathan gets the ultimate payoff: transcendence. Ultimately, he learns the meaning of love and kindness. The dreamy seagull photographs by Russell Munson provide just the right illustrations--although the overall packaging does seem a bit dated (keep in mind that it was first published in 1970). Nonetheless, this is a spirituality classic, and an especially engaging parable for adolescents. --Gail Hudson
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