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Jonathan Livingston Seagull

A seagull's quest for flight, freedom, and self-realization.

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Jonathan Livingston Seagull

saychinqua1 · CC BY 3.0

The work began as a series of short stories in aviation magazines in the late 1960s.[1] The book inspired a 1973 film adaptation and a Grammy Award-winning soundtrack by Neil Diamond.[2][3] The initial 1970 print run of 3,000 copies required two years to ascend to the top of the New York Times Bestseller List, making it a gradual success.[4]

Making and release

The stories were initially published in Private Pilot magazine and Soaring magazine.[1] The main character may be named after pilot John H. Livingston, though Bach also stated he heard the name in a voice in 1959.[5][6] It entered the New York Times Bestseller List on April 20, 1972, remaining for 37 weeks.[7] By July 1972, 440,000 copies were in print.[7]

In 2013, Bach edited a previously unpublished fourth part and sent it to a publisher, inspired by a near-death experience from a 2012 plane crash.[8] Macmillan's editor Eleanor Friede acquired the manuscript in 1969 after it had been turned down by multiple publishers, securing a $2,000 advance for Bach.[9] By the close of 1970 the initial print run was exhausted, and an additional 140,000 copies were produced during 1971.[4]

What the cited sources add

Bill Oddie, in his 1980 book, was scathing, calling the book "sentimental anthropomorphic nonsense" and mocking the title's imprecision.[10][11] Oddie wrote that a half-serious birdwatcher could not enjoy such a book.[10][11]

References

  1. Wikipedia, "Jonathan Livingston Seagull" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Jordan, "What Were People Reading in the Summer of 1972?", The New York Times, July 14, 2022; Walters Jr., "Seven Ways Not to Make a Best Seller", The New York Times, July 23, 1972, p. 4 (section BR); "It's a Bird! It's a Dream! It's Supergull!", Nov 13, 1972 (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
  2. Wikipedia, "Jonathan Livingston Seagull" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: (18 November 1973). Seagull Shots Done With Plastic Gliders , Sarasota Herald-Tribune (UPI) (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
  3. Wikipedia, "Jonathan Livingston Seagull" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: "16th Annual Grammy Awards 1974", Grammy, January 1, 1974; "American album certifications – Diamond, Neil – Jonathan Livingston Seagull (Soundtrack)." Recording Industry Association of America. If necessary, click Advan; "French album certifications – Neil Diamond – Jonathan Livingston Seagull (B.O.F.)" (in French). Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique.; "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (Neil Diamond; Jonathan Livingston Seagull)" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie.; "Canadian album certifications – Neil Diamond – Jon en.wikipedia.org
  4. Wikipedia, "Jonathan Livingston Seagull" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Jordan, "What Were People Reading in the Summer of 1972?", The New York Times, July 14, 2022; Jordan, "What Were People Reading in the Summer of 1972?", The New York Times, July 14, 2022; Jordan, "What Were People Reading in the Summer of 1972?", The New York Times, July 14, 2022 (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
  5. Wikipedia, "Jonathan Livingston Seagull" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: "Our History", Livingston Aviation (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
  6. Wikipedia, "Jonathan Livingston Seagull" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Roberts, "The Nature of Personal Reality: A Seth Book", Bantam Books, January 1, 1978, p. 55 (we also read that source) en.wikipedia.org
  7. Wikipedia, "Jonathan Livingston Seagull" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Jordan, "What Were People Reading in the Summer of 1972?", The New York Times, July 14, 2022 (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
  8. Wikipedia, "Jonathan Livingston Seagull" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Sullivan, "Author Richard Bach, recovering from plane crash, returns to inspirational tale", Seattle Times, 17 January 2013 (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
  9. Wikipedia, "Jonathan Livingston Seagull" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Grimes, "Eleanor Friede, 87, Is Dead; Edited 1970 Fable 'Seagull'", The New York Times, 2008-07-25; Jordan, "What Were People Reading in the Summer of 1972?", The New York Times, July 14, 2022; Grimes, "Eleanor Friede, 87, Is Dead; Edited 1970 Fable 'Seagull'", The New York Times, 2008-07-25 (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
  10. Wikipedia, "Jonathan Livingston Seagull" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Oddie, "Bill Oddie's Little Black Bird Book", Eyre Methuen, 1980, p. 11–12 (we also read that source) en.wikipedia.org
  11. Open Library record, ISBN 9780413478207 ("Bill Oddie's Little black bird book."). CC0 (metadata); book content not read. openlibrary.org

Each numbered sentence above was checked against the source it cites before publication. Sentences citing Wikipedia adapt text from the English Wikipedia article Jonathan Livingston Seagull (contributors), used under CC BY-SA 4.0; this entry is available under the same licence. Other sources were used for facts only; no text or images are copied from them.

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Sources

Compiled from Wikipedia and the sources listed below. Text from Wikipedia is available under CC BY-SA 4.0; this entry is adapted from it.

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