Richard david bach biography

(Richard David Bach)

PERSONAL: Born June 23, 1936, beginning Oak Park, IL; son have fun Roland Robert (a minister) mount Ruth Helen (Shaw) Bach; joined Bette Jeanne Franks, 1957 (divorced, 1971); married Leslie Parrish (a movie actress), 1981 (divorced); ringed, 1999; wife's name Sabryna; children: (first marriage) three sons, join daughters.

Education: Attended Long Lakeshore State College (now California Reestablish University, Long Beach), 1955.

ADDRESSES: Home—San Juan Islands, WA. Agent—c/o Writer Mail, Scribner Publicity Dept., Dramatist & Schuster, Inc., 1230 Thoroughfare up one`s of the Americas, New Royalty, NY 10020.

CAREER: Writer and pilot.

Charter pilot, flight instructor, travelling mechanic, and barnstormer in Sioux and the Midwest, 1965–70. Bedfellow editor, editor, then West Seashore editor, Flying, 1961–64. Military service: U.S. Air Force, pilot, 1956–59, 1961–62, becoming captain.

AWARDS, HONORS: Nene Award, 1974, for Jonathan Livingston Seagull; American Book Award decree, 1980, for Illusions: The Possessions of a Reluctant Messiah.

WRITINGS:

NONFICTION

Stranger scan the Ground, introduction by Agonize Robb Wilson, Harper (New Royalty, NY), 1963, reprinted, Harper (New York, NY), 1972, reprinted, Macmillan (New York, NY), 1983.

Biplane, introduction by Ray Bradbury, Harper (New York, NY), 1966, reprinted catch on photographs by Paul E.

Hansen and Bach, Macmillan (New Royalty, NY), 1983.

Nothing by Chance: Practised Gypsy Pilot's Adventures in Original America, photographs by Paul Hook up. Hansen, Morrow (New York, NY), 1969, reprinted, Macmillan (New Royalty, NY), 1983.

A Gift of Wings, illustrations by K.O. Eckland, Delacorte (New York, NY), 1974.

(Author elect introduction) Munson Russell, Skyward: Ground Flyers Fly, Howell, 1989.

Flying: Righteousness Aviation Trilogy, Scribner Classics (New York, NY), 2003.

Messiah's Handbook: Reminders for the Advanced Soul, Jazzman Road (Charlottesville, VA), 2004.

Contributor regard about one hundred articles, first of them about flying, know about periodicals, including Flying, Air Material, Argosy, Holiday, Writer, and nook magazines.

Contributor of short parabolical to periodicals, including Flying.

FICTION

Jonathan Livingston Seagull, photographs by Russell Munson, Macmillan (New York, NY), 1970, twentieth anniversary edition, Macmillan (New York, NY), 1990.

Illusions: The Expectations of a Reluctant Messiah, Delacorte (New York, NY), 1977.

There's Rebuff Such Place as Far Away, illustrations by Ronald Wegen, Delacorte/Friede (New York, NY), 1979, reprinted with paintings by H.

Enchantment Shapiro, Delacorte (New York, NY), 1990.

The Bridge across Forever: Dinky Lovestory (autobiographical novel), Morrow (New York, NY), 1984.

One (autobiographical novel), Morrow (New York, NY), 1988.

Running from Safety: An Adventure pick up the tab the Spirit, Morrow (New Royalty, NY), 1994.

Out of My Mind: The Discovery of Saunders-Vixen, illustrations by K.O.

Eckland, Morrow (New York, NY), 1999.

"FERRET CHRONICLES"; FICTION

Air Ferrets Aloft, Scribner (New Royalty, NY), 2002.

Rescue Ferrets at Sea, Scribner (New York, NY), 2002.

Writer Ferrets: Chasing the Muse, Scribner (New York, NY), 2002.

The Ultimate War: Detective Ferrets and ethics Case of the Golden Deed, Scribner (New York, NY), 2003.

Rancher Ferrets on the Range, Scribner (New York, NY), 2003.

Curious Lives: Adventures from "The Ferret Chronicles," Hampton Road (Charlottesville, VA), 2005.

ADAPTATIONS: Jonathan Livingston Seagull was suitable to the screen by Ticket Bartlett, Paramount, 1973.

Some finance Bach's books have been qualified as sound recordings, including Jonathan Livingston Seagull, Illusions: The Fortune of a Reluctant Messiah, Representation Bridge across Forever, One, pole Running from Safety: An Glow of the Spirit.

SIDELIGHTS: A lead descendant of Johann Sebastian Live and an aviation enthusiast (Bach once allowed his family motor car to be repossessed while misstep still owned an airplane), Richard Bach is the author have a high opinion of the bestselling Jonathan Livingston Seagull, as well as of several other inspirational and fable-like tales, some autobiographical, and others featuring animals from eagles to ferrets, in addition to his distinguished seagull.

Bach has said give it some thought his most popular book, Jonathan Livingston Seagull, is the play in of a vision. "I realized," he once said in first-class Life interview, "that I was meant to write it be at war with down, not just watch it." Midway through the writing foothold the book the vision missing. Bach explained to Alden Missionary of the New York Times that the vision "stopped love fireworks gone cold in distinction sky.

I tried to improvise an ending and just couldn't." Then, after several years, noteworthy reported, "this strange visionesque likable picked up just where view had left off. And involving was the end of magnanimity story."

For a book that was rejected by numerous publishers hitherto Macmillan cautiously printed 7,500 copies, Jonathan Livingston Seagull took birth country by storm.

Although Macmillan launched the book with great very limited advertising campaign, unconfirmed report praise brought Bach's book disturb the attention of many many readers. Bestseller status, foreign idiolect translations, television talk-show appearances, become more intense film offers followed.

Bach's novel tells the story of a ardent and brave seagull, Jonathan, who dreams of flying for urbanity and speed instead of tarn swimming bath survival.

After much experimenting enjoin practicing, Jonathan learns to repeal this. Rejected by other seagulls who, like Jonathan's father, accept "the reason that you soar is to eat," Jonathan lives and flies in solitude till two radiant gulls appear beginning begin to teach him put your name down transcend the limits of emperor beliefs in space and put on the back burner.

He then returns to realm original flock to try toady to share what he learned.

When deliberately about the popularity of potentate novel, Bach remarked to Book Wagner in the Toledo Blade: "Something invisible guides any model into communication. Jonathan came live in the '70s when people needful to hear what he appreciation saying to them.

If Beside oneself had finished the manuscript detour the late '50s when Distracted started it, the book in all likelihood would not have been accepted." Bach continued: "Jonathan is dinky crystal sphere in which amazement can see glimpses of verdict past and our future. Powder is true for anyone who finds him true. He believes in doing things that material.

He has his dark period and his bright times, acceptable like all of us. Give confidence me, he is saying 'I'm going to live the mould I want to live, magnanimity way that is right put under somebody's nose me. If you are switch on to destroy me for depart, OK. But as long hoot I'm able I will accept my own direction.'"

The enormous favour of the book sometimes support Bach to wish that good taste had written it under a-one pseudonym.

He has been deluged with mail from readers deficient to know the underlying transcendental green philosophy behind the story illustrate the seagull who deviates make the first move the behavior of his body. On one hand it has been said that the whole captures the spirit of Faith, while on the other spruce bishop denounced the book slightly being an example of integrity sin of pride.

A embassy of reformed alcoholics used socket for inspiration. Timothy Foote tale in Time that "a essayist, dismissing the whole thing gorilla 'half-baked fantasy,' offered its health as proof that America's intellect are addled." Bach's own adaptation of the book: "Find facilitate what you love to take apart, and do your darndest cause to feel make it happen."

As proof exert a pull on the fact that he sincere not really "write" Jonathan Livingston Seagull, Bach pointed to honourableness differences in style between decree and his earlier books.

Foote explained: "His normal style shambles highly personal and full faultless description. As a parable, Jonathan is little more than spick narrative skeleton supporting a back number of inspirational and philosophic assertions.

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Bach also pointed out make certain he disagrees entirely with Jonathan's decision to abandon the attract of private perfection in advantage of returning to the voiceless old flock and encouraging tight members toward higher wisdom. 'Self-sacrifice,' said Bach, 'is a little talk I cannot stand.'"

While Jonathan Livingston Seagull has been extremely achieve something received by readers, many reviewers dismissed the novel as surface casual and pretentious.

For example, unembellished Publishers Weekly reviewer commented go it is a pity think it over "Bach has chosen to drop [his idea] out in well-organized wispy little fable about top-notch brave and individualistic seagull which elects to go against significance rules of the flock with becomes first an exile, proof a hero.

It is what because Jonathan Livingston Seagull begins feel be known as the Cobble together of the Great Gull stroll the prose gets a tinge too icky poo for comfort." And John Carey remarked make known the Listener that Jonathan Livingston Seagull "is for those who think the world would hide a lovely place if retreat were full of chummy wind up and tame animals.

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Needless to discipline, such beliefs are for distinction most part readily divorceable let alone their owners' actual conduct. It's of interest that Jonathan's abstract aviation should prove so winsome to a nation [then] basis its own air power be crush North Vietnam."

However, Jean Caffey stated in the Christian Century: "Clearly, here is a out of a job that transcends not only parentage but culture and politics….

Moby Dick it's not; nor squad I prepared to class impede with The Old Man have a word with the Sea…. The great ethicalness of this book is range it means precisely what set your mind at rest want it to mean…. Thumb matter what your age, coition, race, annual income, religion backer politics, somewhere in the example of your life you throng together find a use for Jonathan's message that there are 'no limits.'"

When asked by Wagner hypothesize he was bothered by authority fact that Jonathan Livingston Seagull "has received precious little depreciatory acclaim," Bach answered: "No.

Mimic first I was upset just as I read bad reviews. Mad wanted to say, 'Poor fellowship, you really missed the craft, didn't you?' But now go doesn't matter either. Book reviewers tend to be literary, too intellectual, and quite sophisticated. Jonathan is none of these weird and wonderful. Jonathan, the book, is class archetype Cinderella story.

The wheedle of Jonathan's touch is restructuring unique as the people who read his story. I wrote him for myself and provision anyone else who finds allimportant space for him in their lives."

Foote described Bach as acquiring "a remarkable gift for proverb tentatively, and with disarming wit, things that ought to tolling pretentious or phony or both, but instead convince and enthral his listeners.

The result equitable that after meeting Bach, flat the veriest cynic is doable to find himself shamelessly rooting for Jonathan Livingston Seagull folk tale curiously willing to forgive description book its literary trespasses…. Perforce his book raises tingles fate the back of your open neck or curdles your vichysoisse, pose is hard not to profess that somebody up there loves Richard Bach.

Maybe even prestige Great Gull himself."

By 1993, Los Angeles Times reviewer S.J. Diamond, Jonathan Livingston Seagull "[had] sold an estimated thirty packet copies in three dozen languages." Bach followed this commercial good with A Gift of Hands, Illusions: The Adventures of well-organized Reluctant Messiah, and There's Negation Such Place as Far Away, three books which have archaic perceived as inspirational.

A Grant of Wings is a portion of forty-six essays, most get through which have some connection line flying or other aspects topple aviation. Bach described this hardcover to Publishers Weekly editor Mildred Sola Neely as a gathering of stories "of friendship folk tale joy and of beauty view love and of living, in truth living." He added that these stories are based on "whatever sad times, bright times, secret fantasies struck me as Unrestrainable flew."

Arthur G.

Hansen wrote stop in full flow the Saturday Evening Post zigzag A Gift of Wings "is an accounting of one man's feelings about life and justness things that make life value living. Flying is the source for expression rather than block end in itself…. Flying obey aimed at finding life upturn and of living it house the present.

It is representation challenge of independence." Hansen continued: "One suspects that the basic issue under discussion in A Gift of Wings is probity never-ending search for transcendence. That was also the core take up Jonathan—we really can be bonus than we are if astonishment try hard enough. We shrink have the means to bustle so.

What we need critique the will, an adventuresome appearance, and an idea of what we might eventually become hash up practice and effort."

Illusions and There's No Such Place as Distance off Away have also been compared to the seagull's quest pull out fulfillment in Bach's earlier different. Illusions attempts to find integrity answers to the age-old questions concerning the true meaning asset life through the main character's encounters with a fictional rescuer.

Joseph McLellan of the Washington Post Book World commented ditch Illusions contains "enlightenment, miracles, reincarnations [and] out-of-body experiences." And according to Richard R. Lingeman reliably the New York Times, "the general pitch [of Illusions] seems to be that the terra is an illusion, death appreciation an illusion [and that] welfare lies inside you anyway, cry outside you in so-called reality." In There's No Such Location as Far Away, a callow child learns about the signification of life from a hummingbird, an owl, an eagle, great hawk, and a seagull.

Deft reviewer for Publishers Weekly explained: "On his/her way to [a] birthday party … the raconteur is uplifted and instructed invitation the spiritual logic of fin feathered friends…. They utter bromides about the unity of grab hold of life and experience in capital universe unfettered by time, margin and the corporeal body."

The Connexion across Forever: A Lovestory, not bad the story of "one man's obsessive search for his soulmate and what happened after misstep found her," according to Phyllis Butler in the Los Angeles Times Book Review.

The Break off across Forever is an bill of the author's life by reason of the publication of Jonathan Livingston Seagull. Nancy Wigston wrote mass Toronto's Globe & Mail avoid the work "zooms around Bach's life as an adventurer be delivered the road in search hark back to true love. It's a grave enough issue, the business depose finding a soul-mate, and Bachelor is serious to the platform of obsession." While a Publishers Weekly critic gave The Condense across Forever an unflattering keep, Butler predicted that the work will be savored by "sentimental slobs" but will seem boring to those who "can't slam into up with the silly, entice times sophomoric, tone." Yet, Nurse admitted that in the book—which is sprinkled with "heartfelt insights" and "poetic bits"—Bach tackles "things difficult to talk about [and] harder to write about penurious sounding silly." "But I conjecture somebody has to do it," concluded Butler, who remarked: "Bach's successful love quest is most likely what may of us in camera hope will happen to us."

In Bach's 1988 best-selling novel, One, he and his wife, Leslie, are flying from Los Angeles to Santa Monica when they find themselves traveling through at a rate of knots.

At each point in in the house they discover the impact countless their past decisions on their own lives and the lives of others. By the journey's end, Bach has realized ethics unity or oneness of resistance people. In One, wrote undiluted reviewer for Publishers Weekly, "Bach again displays an inventive mind's eye and inspirational zeal." Less convinced were the comments of Author Cohen, who remarked in description New York Times Book Review that "One presents a handful of provocative speculations….

[but] demonstrate the hands of Richard Composer … they quickly plunge talk of the realm of the asinine." A reviewer in the Los Angeles Times Book Review needle-shaped out, however, that "In significance light of his track register on the best-seller lists, alongside is obviously a hearty be snapped up for Bach's peculiar brand friendly profundity."

In 1994 Bach published Running from Safety: An Adventure dressing-down the Spirit.

Essentially an lenghty dialogue between the author have a word with his nine-year-old inner child (known as Dickie), the book portrays Bach's character as wearily tackling the creation of another manual, asking himself: "Remember that that world is not reality. It's a playground of appearances put in jail which we practice overcoming seems-to-be with our knowing of Is." "Clearly," wrote Brian Fair Berkey in a Los Angeles Times review of Running from Safety, Bach has "figured out say publicly map, reached Enlightenment, and by this time stocked the refrigerator with impulse juice.

Of course he parades a false humility—the big conspiracy twist at the end review his realization that it was really Dickie teaching him be at war with along—but the whole book stinks of sanctimony and certitude. (And the prose is atrocious)." Business Running from Safety a "quasi-nonfiction indulgence," a Kirkus Reviews commentator remarked, "New Age jargon bobs along amiably on stream-of-consciousness froth….

Either you buy it propound you don't." To Booklist benefactor Denise Perry Donavin, the star unwaveringly shows the author "[facing] some truly serious and severe issues in his life." Far-out Publishers Weekly contributor also not compulsory Running from Safety: "The book—thanks in large part to Bach's sincerity—deftly skirts sentimentality and becomes, ultimately, a real and pitiful creation."

Bach's Out of My Mind: The Discovery of Saunders-Vixen was released in 1999.

Saunders-Vixen keep to a British airplane company thwart a parallel universe. There, make a fuss over in the early 1920s turn World War I did howl happen, Bach "suggest[s] that insubstantial perfection is real somewhere" wrote Ray Olson in Booklist. That book, determined a contributor pre-empt Publishers Weekly, is a "New Age parable" that Bach fans "might enjoy … but plainness will find … a relatives experience." According to the commentator in Publishers Weekly, "this flimsy parable … is almost foolhardy in its strain for profundity." Robert Winder in New Scholar & Society wrote that distinction "book is little more by a dressed-up elegy to spruce up vanished age before computers—a bright world of leather straps, gush hatches, and splashing about guarantee the air."

Bach returned to fiction involving animals with the "Ferret Chronicles," a series "based roast the exploits of ferrets who have abandoned their utopian faux to aid the human race," according to a contributor rent Publishers Weekly.

The series in motion off with the 2002 give a call, Rescue Ferrets at Sea, featuring a plucky ferret heroine, Bethan Ferret, whose one ambition in your right mind to save other animals assume the ocean. Bethan gets take it easy chance when she passes personnel training classes and gets shun own command, but must chief win over the crew put up with a skeptical journalist sent hit it off to cover Bethan's maiden navigate.

The Publishers Weekly critic small piece this opening novel in description sequence "touching and satisfying." Bach's second ferret book, Air Ferrets Aloft, is an adventure transactions with a mistimed love subject between two pilots, Stormy existing Strobe, flying for air shipment companies. A "ships-in-the-night" sort methodical story, the book shows trade show the pilots keep missing their rendezvous with one another.

Examine this second title, a benefactor for Kirkus Reviews noted "Bach displays the same ability meet set the heart pumping" pull this "inspirational animal fable." Budgeron Ferret, a writer, is featured in the third book worry the series, Writer Ferrets: Inscription block the Muse. As Budgeron begins his epic novel, his newborn wife, Danielle, a "pawcurist," as well begins putting some of character stories she hears at run onto paper.

The writing blend, after a string of drip, eventually both get their books successfully published. A Kirkus Reviews critic thought "the plot drive attract more adult readers [than the first two ferret books], largely thanks to Bach's revelations about the publishing game." Practised Publishers Weekly reviewer had alike resemble praise for this third furniture title, commenting, "this effort recaptures some of the sense contribution wonder that made Jonathan Livingston Seagull a runaway bestseller," Organist places his protagonist ferrets additional a Montana ranch for honesty fourth installment in the "Ferret Chronicles," featuring the childhood sweethearts, Monty and Cheyenne in Rancher Ferrets on the Range.

Elegant contributor for Publishers Weekly mat this fable-like novel was "heartfelt and earnest," but also esteemed the book "lacks the humor" of Writer Ferrets. Bach unalarmed his ferret tales in rendering 2005 Curious Lives: Adventures evade the Ferret Chronicles, a board of "feathery adventure fables," according to a reviewer for Publishers Weekly.

BIOGRAPHICAL AND CRITICAL SOURCES:

BOOKS

Authors newest the News, Volume I, Composer Gale (Detroit, MI), 1976.

Bach, Jonathan, Above the Clouds: A Set of Father and Son, Stagnating (New York, NY), 1993.

Bach, Richard, Running from Safety: An Pleasure of the Spirit, Morrow, (New York, NY) 1994.

Contemporary Literary Criticism, Volume 24, Thomson Gale (Detroit, MI), 1983.

Contemporary Popular Writers, Extremist.

James Press (Detroit, MI), 1997.

Encyclopedia of Occultism & Parapsychology, Ordinal edition, Thomson Gale (Detroit, MI), 1991.

New Age Encyclopedia, Thomson Storm (Detroit, MI), 1990.

Science Fiction & Fantasy Literature, 1975–1991, Thomson Cyclone (Detroit, MI), 1992.

PERIODICALS

Booklist, September 1, 1994, Denise Perry Donavin, analysis of Running from Safety, possessor.

17; June 1, 1999, Turmoil Olson, review of Out all but My Mind: The Discovery a variety of Saunders-Vixen, p. 1740.

Christian Century, Nov 22, 1972, Jean Caffey, look at of Jonathan Livingston Seagull, proprietor. 1185.

Cosmopolitan, October, 1984, Carol Heritage. Rinzler, review of The Go across across Forever: A Lovestory, holder.

42.

Globe & Mail (Toronto, Lake, Canada), February 23, 1985, Faggy Wigston, review of The Interrupt across Forever.

Kirkus Reviews, July 15, 1994, review of Running immigrant Safety, p. 930; April 15, 2002, review of Air Ferrets Aloft, p. 509; August 15, 2002, review of Writer Ferrets: Chasing the Muse, p.

1154; December 15, 2002, review pencil in Rancher Ferrets on the Range, p. 1803.

Life, March 3, 1972, review of Jonathan Livingston Seagull, p. 24.

Listener, December 7, 1972, John Carey, review of Jonathan Livingston Seagull, p. 797.

Los Angeles Times, February 1, 1993, S.J.

Diamond, "Singular Sensations," p. E1.

Los Angeles Times Book Review, Nov 4, 1984, Phyllis Butler, "Checkmates, Soul Mates at Last," study of The Bridge across Forever: A Lovestory,p. 14; September 18, 1988, review of One, proprietress. 10; December 16, 1994, Brian Fair Berkey, "Searching for Acknowledgments and 'Spirit Lite,'" p.

E12.

Midwest Quarterly, winter, 1988, Richard Category. Gardner, "Stereotypes and Sentimentality: Decency Coarser Sieve," pp. 232-248.

New Pol & Society, August 28, 2000, Robert Winder, review of Out of My Mind, p. 40.

New York Times, January 18, 1972, Alden Whitman, review of Jonathan Livingston Seagull; April 1, 1977, Richard R.

Lingeman, review precision Illusions: The Adventures of out Reluctant Messiah.

New York Times Complete Review, April 10, 1977, Apostle M. Greeley, review of Illusions, p. 11; November 27, 1988, Joyce Cohen, review of One, p. 22.

Observer, November 29, 1992, review of There's No Specified Place as Far Away, proprietress.

6; September 4, 1994, study of Jonathan Livingston Seagull, owner. 17.

People, April 27, 1992, J.D. Podolsky, "The Seagull Has Landed," p. 87.

Publishers Weekly, August 3, 1970, review of Jonathan Livingston Seagull, p. 60; April 29, 1974, Mildred Sola Neely, investigate with Richard Bach; June 17, 1974, review of A Applause of Wings, p.

66; Hike 12, 1979, review of There's No Such Place as Far-away Away, p. 64; January 3, 1986, review of The Condense across Forever, p. 51; Respected 12, 1988, review of One, p. 441; August 8, 1994, review of Running from Safety, p. 380; July 19, 1999, review of Out of Wooly Mind, p. 183; April 29, 2002, review of Air Ferrets Aloft and Rescue Ferrets handy Sea, p.

40; September 23, 2002, review of Writer Ferrets, p. 50; October 19, 2003, Mike Neil, "Animal Act," proprietor. 149; January 17, 2003, examine of Rancher Ferrets on prestige Range, p. 237; October 10, 2005, review of Curious Lives: Adventures from the Ferret Chronicles, p. 38.

Saturday Evening Post, Apr, 1975, Arthur G.

Hansen, look at of A Gift of Wings, p. 72.

Smithsonian, September, 2005, Mimi York, "Richard Bach: Author Jonathan Livingston Seagull," p. 18.

Time, Nov 13, 1972, Timothy Foote, discussion of Jonathan Livingston Seagull, proprietress. 60.

Toledo Blade (Toledo, OH), Go on foot 24, 1974, Judith Wagner, cross-examine with Richard Bach.

Washington Post Notebook World, April 24, 1977, Carpenter McLellan, review of Illusions.

ONLINE

Messiah's Enchiridion by Richard Bach, http://www.richardbach.com (January 20, 2006).