Jonathan Livingstone Seagull by Richard Bach

The music by Mr Miller just added so much emotion to the story. I felt like he was in the room reading it to me. Which character – as performed by Marcus Lovett – was your favorite? Loved it in the 70's and love it more now. What other book might you compare Jonathan Livingston Seagull: The New Complete Edition to and why? Would you consider the audio edition of Jonathan Livingston Seagull: The New Complete Edition to be better than the print version? I'm glad to read that other reviewers enjoyed their experience. I gave up after less than five minutes when I realised - by skimming through it - that the piano music was not going to away. I wanted to revisit this book in order to figure out what zeitgeist Richard Bach seized and why this book was so popular in the early 1970s. Maybe Audible titles might come with music and/or 'noise effects' warnings for those of us who want just the speech. To use a marketing term - for me there was too much noise in the channel. Was I suppose to listen to the words, the music, or the sound of seagulls? Dunno. What a great shame this version didn't just keep to the words of the story. The book was not published with noise effects or tinkly piano music.

I didn't welcome its poor narration, the manipulative music or dull witted sound (noise) effects of seagulls.

Listening is a skill and as such is an active process. I want to attend to the words the writer wrote. When I download an audiobook I want to listen to speech. I suspect Richard Bach had to amend his positivity in the individual and point out the natural pressures created by society and present them as a warning, I guess we all grow up. This version of the book has one extra part that speaks of the negativity of dogma and the creation of idolatry as stifling of the spirit of freedom, and how that brings a form of nihilism on the young.

In the seventies, the influence of Indian mysticism and Buddhism were mixed up into all popular forms and motivated much change in the west, and Jonathan Livingston Seagull is one of the few examples of it in literature that sill moves some into that inspirational moment where Samsara and nirvana are achievable through the belief in oneself and the power of learning, to expect it to be a perfect deep book would be unfair, just enjoy it for making you feel hope.

The only true law is that which leads to freedomīeautiful, positive, inspirational and new age but not deluded in magical thinking just an incentive to achieve your best through knowledge, a perfect read when you need a pull me up.

Jonathan Livingstone Seagull by Richard Bach