| Seagulls are not my favorite animals - too much noise | | | | next stage (we don't know where). |
| and too much defecation. But one exception to my | | | | Reading experience |
| no-seagull rule is Richard Bach's Jonathan Livingston | | | | At 93 pages (the Pan edition) this is not a long read. In |
| Seagull, one of my favorite books of all time. It's | | | | fact, only 40 of the pages contain the story; the rest |
| available from Amazon at $6.99 new and 38 cents | | | | are (what else?) pictures of seagulls in flight. In my |
| used. | | | | 1973 edition, the pictures are quite grainy, but later |
| Plot | | | | editions - I had a glance at a 1990 one - reflect the |
| Jonathan Livingston Seagull is a seagull who wants to | | | | improvements in image manipulation technology and |
| do more than squawk and grub around on the beach. | | | | the photos are much sharper. |
| He wants to soar above the clouds in a quest for | | | | This book can be read by anyone. The language is |
| perfection and excellence. He spends his days learning | | | | simple, though the concept behind it is anything but. On |
| about speed and flight, ignoring occasional hunger | | | | the one hand it's an adventure story about freedom |
| pangs and stiff opposition from the traditionalists in the | | | | and flight, but there's also a deeper undercurrent to do |
| flock. But eventually these powerful traditionalists make | | | | with the way people live their lives. It is a story about |
| him Outcast and he is forced to leave the flock and | | | | searching for excellence, finding it within yourself and |
| live on the Far Cliffs. He continues to practice and at | | | | helping others to do the same. The book definitely has |
| what appears to be the end of his life he is whisked | | | | spiritual overtones, as each stage of Jonathan's life |
| off (into what may be heaven) by two radiant gulls. | | | | could be seen as bringing him nearer to heaven, a |
| In part two, Jonathan finds himself with others of like | | | | process seen particularly in some Eastern religions. |
| mind and discovers that there's still more to learn. His | | | | What I thought |
| mentor Sullivan and the leader of the flock, Chiang, help | | | | This short but inspirational tale is magical. Most of the |
| him go further in his quest to find perfect speed and | | | | time, you forget it's about seagulls and get caught up in |
| exceed his limits. He discovers that he can | | | | their personalities. But its 'seagull-ness' is also part of its |
| communicate telepathically and learns to appear and | | | | enchantment, because for a brief moment you can |
| disappear at will. | | | | understand what it's like to fly. |
| Once he's mastered these tricks, Jonathan wants to | | | | Even if you don't like seagulls, you might as well give it |
| go back to his old flock to teach what he has learned. | | | | a read. It won't take you long and you might discover |
| He meets Fletcher Lynd Seagull who is Outcast, as | | | | some of the magic I still find every time I read it. (Ten |
| Jonathan once was, and begins the process of | | | | times and counting!). |
| teaching him. Eventually they return to shake up the | | | | There aren't many other ways to feel this good |
| ideas of the larger Flock (sort of like coming back from | | | | without artificial help, so it's not surprising that it sold one |
| the dead, with all the attendant shock). Finally, Jonathan | | | | million copies in its first edition. I wish I could give it more |
| passes the baton to Fletcher and moves on to the | | | | than 5 stars! |