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41-469: In 2014, the book was reissued as Jonathan Livingston Seagull: The Complete Edition , which added a 17-page fourth part to the story. Jonathan Livingston Seagull is an independent thinker frustrated with the daily squabbles over meager food and sheer survival within his flock of seagulls who have no deeper sense of purpose. Unlike his peers, he is seized with a passion for flight of all kinds, and his soul soars as he aerially experiments and learns more about

82-399: A film of the same title in 1973. The film was made by Hall Bartlett many years before computer-generated effects were available. In order to make seagulls act on cue and perform aerobatics, Mark Smith of Escondido , California built radio-controlled gliders that looked like real seagulls from a few feet away. This footage was not used in the final cut of the film. Bach had written

123-409: A Reluctant Student was published as a booklet by Kindle Direct Publishing . Illusions II also contains allusions to and insights regarding the same near-death experience. In October 2014, Jonathan Livingston Seagull: The Complete Edition, was published, and this edition includes Part Four of the story. Part Four focuses on the period several hundred years after Jonathan and his students have left

164-440: A Waco Aircraft Company test pilot. Livingston died of a heart attack in 1974, at the age of 76, just after he had test-flown an acrobatic home-built Pitts Special . In the book 'The Nature of Personal Reality' by Jane Roberts/Seth, page 55 of the paperback edition, Richard Bach was visiting Jane Roberts and stated that in 1959 he was walking beside a canal and heard a voice say 'Jonathan Livingston Seagull'. This puts into question

205-430: A book by Tom Butler-Bowdon , who noted that "it is easy now, thirty-five years on, to overlook the originality of the book's concept, and though some find it rather naïve, in fact it expresses timeless ideas about human potential." John Clute , for The Encyclopedia of Fantasy (1997), wrote: "an animal fantasy about a philosophical gull who is profoundly affected by flying, but who demands too much of his community and

246-507: A fellow lover of flying, Fletcher Lynd Seagull, who is angry at recently being "Outcast" by the Flock. Jonathan takes on Fletcher as his first pupil. Jonathan has now amassed a small group of Outcasts as flying students, with Fletcher the star pupil, and tells them that "each of us is in truth... an unlimited idea of freedom". The deeper nature of his words is not yet understood by his pupils, who believe they are just getting basic flying lessons. For

287-465: A few gulls progress to this higher existence, but most others live through the same world over and over again. The Elder Gull of the community, Chiang, admits that this reality is not heaven, but that heaven is the achieving of perfection itself: an ability beyond any particular time or place. Suddenly, Chiang disappears, then reappears a moment later, displaying his attainment of perfect speed. When Jonathan begs to learn Chiang's skills, Chiang explains that

328-474: A group of eager new students of his own. He passes on Jonathan's sentiments that seagulls are limitless ideas of freedom and their bodies nothing more than thought itself, but this only baffles the young gulls. He realizes now why Jonathan taught him to take lessons slowly, step by step. Privately musing on Jonathan's idea that there are no limits, Fletcher smiles at the implication of this: that he will see Jonathan again, one day soon. In 2013, Richard Bach took up

369-797: A lack of precision in diagnosis, so he created a questionnaire for those who had experienced NDE composed of 80 characteristics to study common effects, mechanisms, sensations and reactions. Greyson replaced that questionnaire in 1983 with an exemplary scale for researchers to use. 1 = Time seemed to go faster than usual 0 = Neither 1 = Faster than usual 0 = Neither 1 = Remembered many past events 0 = Neither 1 = About myself or others 0 = Neither 1 = Relief or calmness 0 = Neither 1 = Happiness 0 = Neither 1 = No longer in conflict with nature 0 = Neither 1 = Unusually bright light 0 = Neither 1 = More so than usual 0 = Neither 1 = Yes, but facts not yet corroborated 0 = Neither 1 = From personal future 0 = Neither 1 = Lost awareness of

410-501: A month, Jonathan boldly takes them to perform aerial stunts in front of the bewildered Flock. Some of the Flock slowly join the Outcasts, while others label him a messiah or a devil; Jonathan feels misunderstood. One day, Fletcher dies in a flying collision. Awaking in another reality, he hears Jonathan's voice teasing him that the trick to transcending the limitations of time and space is to take it step by step — not so quickly. Fletcher

451-471: A non-published fourth part of the book which he had written contemporaneously with the original. He edited and polished it, and then sent the result to a publisher. Bach reported that he was inspired to finish the fourth part of the novella by a near-death experience which had occurred in relation to a nearly fatal plane crash in August 2012. In February 2014, the 138-page Bach work Illusions II: The Adventures of

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492-430: A result of discussions in the 1890s among philosophers and psychologists concerning climbers' stories of the panoramic life review during falls. In 1892, a series of subjective observations by workers falling from scaffolds, soldiers who suffered injuries, climbers who had fallen from heights and other individuals who had come close to death such as in near drownings and accidents was reported by Albert Heim . This

533-458: A white blur flashes alongside him. Anthony catches up to the blur, which turns out to be a seagull, and asks what the bird was doing. Bach initially wrote it as a series of short stories that were published in Flying magazine in the late 1960s. Bach, who said the book came to him as "a visionesque spooky thing," stopped after he wrote 10 pages and didn't pick it up again for a few years. The book

574-415: Is a subjective phenomenon resulting from "disturbed bodily multisensory integration" that occurs during life-threatening events. Some transcendental and religious beliefs about an afterlife include descriptions similar to NDEs. The equivalent French term expérience de mort imminente ("experience of imminent death") was proposed by French psychologist and epistemologist Victor Egger as

615-412: Is a partial list of editions and translations: In 1980, a Spanish edition was published by Pomaire (Barcelona) featuring illustrations by photographer Jordi Olavarrieta, translated by Carol and Frederick Howell. In 1981, a French edition was published by Flammarion (Paris) featuring illustrations by photographer Jordi Olavarrieta, translated by Pierre Clostermann . The novella inspired the production of

656-470: Is cast out by it. He becomes an extremely well-behaved accursed wanderer, then dies, and in posthumous fantasy sequences--though he is too wise really to question the fact of death, and too calmly confident to have doubts about his continuing upward mobility--he learns greater wisdom. Back on Earth, he continues to preach and heal and finally returns to heaven, where he belongs." Jonathan Livingston Seagull has been translated into over thirty languages. Here

697-415: Is resurrected in the very midst of the flabbergasted Flock, some of whom fear and decry his supernatural reappearance, but Jonathan insists that he must learn to love the ignorant Flock. Jonathan's body suddenly begins to fade away, he requests that Fletcher stop others from thinking of him as anything silly like a god, and he gives a final piece of advice: "find out what you already know". Soon, Fletcher faces

738-751: Is the person being resuscitated. Charlotte Martial, a neuropsychologist from the University of Liège and the University Hospital of Liège who led a team that investigated 154 NDE cases, concluded that there is not a fixed sequence of events. Dr. Yvonne Kason classified near-death experiences into three types: "Out-of-Body", "Mystical" or "White-Light", and "Distressing". Kenneth Ring states that NDEs experienced following attempted suicides are statistically no more unpleasant than NDEs resulting from other situations. In one series of NDEs, 22% occurred during general anesthesia. Bruce Greyson found that NDEs had

779-460: The Bonnier Corporation and named the new parent company "Flying Media Group", with plans to expand its digital media platform, including online and mobile applications with a bigger focus on aviation photography, podcasts and streaming media . The print magazine went quarterly at the start of 2022, starting with Volume 149, issue 1, styled as "Q1 2022". In 2023, Flying Media Group acquired

820-581: The Dying Have to Teach Doctors, Nurses, Clergy, and Their Own Families . The term "near-death experience" was used by John C. Lilly in 1972. The term was popularized in 1975 by the work of psychiatrist Raymond Moody , who used it as an umbrella term for out-of-body experiences (OBEs), the "panoramic life review", the Light, the tunnel, or the border. Researchers have identified the common elements that define near-death experiences. Bruce Greyson argues that

861-448: The Flock and their teachings become venerated rather than practiced. The birds spend all their time extolling the virtues of Jonathan and his students and spend no time flying for flying's sake. The seagulls practice strange rituals and use demonstrations of their respect for Jonathan and his students as status symbols. Eventually some birds reject the ceremony and rituals and just start flying. Eventually one bird named Anthony Gull questions

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902-844: The US, where 46% of the population believes in guardian angels , the Light will often be identified as angels or deceased loved ones (or will be unidentified), while Hindus will often identify them as messengers of the god of death . Common traits that have been reported by NDErs are: Note that an OBE may be part of an NDE, but can happen in instances other than when a person is about to die, such as fainting, deep sleep, and alcohol or drug use. A 1975 study conducted by psychiatrist Raymond Moody on around 150 patients who all claimed to have witnessed an NDE stated that such an experience has nine steps. The steps are: Moody also explained how not every NDE will have each and every one of these steps, and how it could be different for each experience. Moody describes

943-655: The United Kingdom. The Irish actor Richard Harris won a Grammy in 1973 for the Audiobook LP Jonathan Livingston Seagull. To date, Harris's reading has not been released on any other format. Versions read by the author, Richard Bach, have been released on LP, cassette, and CD. Near-death experience A near-death experience ( NDE ) is a profound personal experience associated with death or impending death, which researchers describe as having similar characteristics. When positive, which

984-535: The body 0 = Neither 1 = Unfamiliar, strange place 0 = Neither 1 = Unidentifiable voice 0 = Neither 1 = Sensed their presence 0 = Neither Flying (magazine) Flying , sometimes styled FLYING , is an aviation magazine published since 1927 and called Popular Aviation prior to 1942, as well as Aeronautics for a brief period. It is read by pilots, aircraft owners, aviation enthusiasts and aviation-oriented executives in business , commercial and general aviation markets worldwide. It has

1025-433: The book, most notably the sequence in which Jonathan is suddenly attacked by a wild hawk, which was voiced by Bartlett himself. Ultimately, the court ruled that Bach's name would be taken off the screenplay credits, and that the film would be released with a card indicating that Bach disapproved of the final cut. Bach's attorney claimed, "It took tremendous courage to say this motion picture had to come out of theaters unless it

1066-482: The cash register." Several early commentators, emphasizing the first part of the book, see it as part of the US self-help and positive thinking culture, epitomized by Norman Vincent Peale and by the New Thought movement. Film critic Roger Ebert wrote that the book was "so banal that it had to be sold to adults; kids would have seen through it." The book is listed as one of fifty "timeless spiritual classics" in

1107-501: The correct approach to an NDE patient is to "Ask, Listen, Validate, Educate, and Refer". Due to the potential confusion or shock attributed to those who experience near-death experiences, it is important to treat them in a calm and understanding way right after their return from the NDE. Kenneth Ring (1980) subdivided the NDE on a five-stage continuum , using Moody's nine step experiment as inspiration. The subdivisions were: The final stage

1148-764: The end of 1970, and in 1971 an additional 140,000 copies were printed. Mostly a word of mouth phenomenon, it entered the NYT Bestseller List on April 20, 1972, where it remained for 37 weeks, and by July 1972 it had 440,000 copies in print. Reader's Digest published a condensed version. In 1972 and 1973, the book topped the Publishers Weekly list of bestselling novels in the United States . Book sellers didn't know how to classify it. "Some put it under nature, some under religion, some under photography, some under children’s books." Friede's advice was, "put it next to

1189-416: The film's original screenplay, but he sued Paramount Pictures before the film's release because he felt that there were too many discrepancies between the film and the book. Director Bartlett had allegedly violated a term in his contract with Bach which stated that no changes could be made to the film's adaptation without Bach's consent. Bach took offense to scenes Bartlett had filmed which were not present in

1230-437: The general features of the experience include impressions of being outside one's physical body , visions of deceased relatives and religious figures, and transcendence of egotic and spatiotemporal boundaries. Many common elements have been reported, although the person's interpretation of these events often corresponds with the cultural , philosophical , or religious beliefs of the person experiencing it. For example, in

1271-593: The great majority are, such experiences may encompass a variety of sensations including detachment from the body, feelings of levitation, total serenity, security, warmth, joy, the experience of absolute dissolution, review of major life events, the presence of a light, and seeing dead relatives. When negative, such experiences may include sensations of anguish, distress, a void, devastation, and seeing hellish imagery. NDEs usually occur during reversible clinical death . Explanations for NDEs vary from scientific to religious. Neuroscience research hypothesizes that an NDE

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1312-747: The idea that the book was named after a particular person. The book was a sleeper hit; the first edition in 1970 was only 3,000 copies and it would take two years before reaching number one on the New York Times Bestseller List . "Not a single magazine or newspaper — including The New York Times Book Review — so much as mentioned" the book when it first came out, The Times reported in 1972. Macmillan failed to secure any advance publicity for Bach, but he personally took out two very small ads in The New York Times Book Review and Publishers Weekly . The first printing sold out by

1353-434: The largest paid subscription, newsstand, and international circulation of any U.S.-based aviation magazine, according to its former publisher the Bonnier Corporation , and is promoted as "the world's most widely read aviation magazine". It is owned by digital media entrepreneur Craig Fuller. The magazine first began publishing in 1927 as Popular Aviation soon after Charles Lindbergh 's historic transatlantic flight . It

1394-411: The nature of his own body and the environment in achieving faster and faster flights. Eventually, his lack of conformity within the Flock causes them to officially banish him with the label "Outcast". Undeterred, Jonathan continues his efforts to reach ever-greater flight goals, finding that he is often successful. He lives a long happy life and is sad not due to his loneliness but only due to the fact that

1435-459: The rest of the Flock will never know the full glories of flying, like him. In his old age, he is met by two radiantly-bright seagulls who share his abilities, explaining to him that he has learned much, but that they have come to take him "home" where he will go "higher". Jonathan transcends into a reality, which he assumes is heaven, where all the gulls enjoy practicing incredible maneuvers and speeds, like him. His instructor, Sullivan, explains that

1476-509: The secret to true flight is to recognize that one's nature exists across all time and space. Jon begins successfully following Chiang's teachings. One day, Chiang slowly transforms into a blindingly luminous being and, just before disappearing for the last time, he gives Jonathan one last tip: "keep working on love." Jonathan ponders Chiang's words and, in a discussion with Sullivan, decides to go back to his own home planet, to teach his original Flock all that he has learned. Returning there, he finds

1517-441: The value of living since "...life is pointless and since pointless is by definition meaningless then the only proper act is to dive into the ocean and drown. Better not to exist at all than to exist like a seaweed, without meaning or joy [...] He had to die sooner or later anyway, and he saw no reason to prolong the painful boredom of living." As Anthony makes a dive-bomb to the sea, at a speed and from an altitude which would kill him,

1558-489: Was also the first time the phenomenon was described as a clinical syndrome. In 1968, Celia Green published an analysis of 400 first-hand accounts of out-of-body experiences . This represented the first attempt to provide a taxonomy of such experiences, viewed simply as anomalous perceptual experiences or hallucinations . In 1969, Swiss-American psychiatrist and pioneer in near-death studies Elisabeth Kübler-Ross published her well-known book On Death and Dying: What

1599-596: Was changed. Paramount was stunned." The Grammy Award -winning soundtrack album was composed and performed by Neil Diamond and produced by Tom Catalano . It won the 1974 Grammy Award as Best Original Score Written for a Motion Picture or a Television Special. The album apparently also made more money than the film, selling two million copies in the United States, 400,000 in France, 250,000 in Germany, 200,000 in Canada and 100,000 in

1640-621: Was given the name Aeronautics briefly from 1929–1930 and was changed back to Popular Aviation until 1942, when it became Flying . In June 2009, Flying 's owner, Hachette Filipacchi Media U.S. , sold the publication to the Bonnier Corporation, the U.S. division of the Sweden -based Bonnier Group , along with four other magazines: Popular Photography, Boating, Sound and Vision , and American Photo . In July 2021, digital media entrepreneur and pilot Craig Fuller acquired Flying from

1681-415: Was rejected by several publishers before coming to the attention of Eleanor Friede at Macmillan in 1969. "I think it has a chance of growing into a long-lasting standard book for readers of all ages," she wrote presciently in her acquisition memo. She convinced Macmillan to buy it and Bach received a $ 2,000 advance ($ 15,000 in 2022 dollars). Jonathan Livingston Seagull is named after John H. Livingston ,

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