Jonathan Livingston Seagull

"Mostgullsdon'tbothertolearnmorethanthesimplestfactsofflight--howtogetfromshoretofoodandbackagain,"writesauthorRichardBachinthisallegoryaboutauniquebirdnamedJonathanLivingstonSeagull."Formostgullsitisnotflyingthatmatters,buteating.Forthisgull,though,itwasnoteatingthatmattered,butflight."Flightisindeedthemetaphorthatmakesthestorysoar.Ultimatelythisisafableabouttheimportanceofseekingahigherpurposeinlife,evenifyourflock,tribe,orneighborhoodfindsyourambitionthreatening.(Atonepointourbelovedgullisevenbanishedfromhisflock.)Bynotcompromisinghishighervision,Jonathangetstheultimatepayoff:transcendence.Ultimately,helearnsthemeaningofloveandkindness.ThedreamyseagullphotographsbyRussellMunsonprovidejusttherightillustrations--althoughtheoverallpackagingdoesseemabitdated(keepinmindthatitwasfirstpublishedin1970).Nonetheless,thisisaspiritualityclassic,andanespeciallyengagingparableforadolescents.--GailHudson--Thistextreferstoanoutofprintorunavailableeditionofthistitle.