Jonathan Livingston Seagull

Haven't you wanted to fly? I have! Many times in my mind, or my dreams, I soar above the earth or the ocean, feeling the wind and the sun and the freedom of moving without restriction. That's what Jonathan Livingston Seagull wanted.

Seagull in Sky
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Well, doesn't it seem obvious that seagulls can fly? What's so special about Jonathan Livingston Seagull if he just flies!

Yes, indeed, that's the very question. In this book, seagulls can all fly of course. But they don't enjoy flying, they just fly to obtain food. Jonathan's father tells him not to forget that "the reason you fly is to eat."

Flock of Seagulls Flying over the Sea
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Seagull Flying Above the Clouds
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Because he rejected the law of the flock, he is outcast. But Jonathan continues to perfect his flying, enjoying the thrill of his life, and living longer than the ordinary seagulls in his old flock. The first time I read this book, I really just enjoyed that first part.

However, there are two more parts. Richard Bach continues the story of Jonathan into new realms, where Jonathan learns that there are no limits except those that we put on ourselves. Jonathan also becomes a great teacher, inspiring others to fly as he does.

No, that's not the message at all! Jonathan Livingston Seagull is special only in that he determines to go beyond the limits imposed by the flock and experience flight without such arbitrary restrictions.

He's not your usual seagull, that's for sure. But he doesn't have super powers, he just has a strong desire to fly and to experience the joy of flying, well the joy of living. For Jonathan, unlike the rest of the flock, eating was not the goal but rather flight itself. So he pushes the limits of flight, a test pilot breaking the sound barrier if you will. But just like that test pilot, he doesn't invent a new form of flying, he just learns how to do it.

Richard Bach is an immensely successful American author of both fiction and non-fiction. His aeronautical training (he flew in the air force as a jet fighter among other flying experiences) and love of flying bring an authenticity to his allegorical use of flight in novels like Jonathan Livingston Seagull. Most of his writing is based on his real life experiences, such as aviation. He uses these to illustrate his philosophy that physical limits are illusory and our true nature is timeless and infinite. Love features strongly in his books, including Jonathan Livingston Seagull, and he has written several novels that are semi-autobiographical.