I agree with all your comments, MaryE and have just this to add:

I think the timing was key - the late hippie, post Vietnam, back to simplicity, idealistic early seventies (1972). Twenty somethings (raising my hand high)and younger were turning to all kinds of paths to find answers, disillusioned by the war, protests, poor economy and the initial Watergate mess.

Jonathan Livingston Seagull was simple and kind of a teaching parable. It hit a societal chord with amazing lucky timing. Bach's later book "A Bridge Across Forever" (also a good read) describes his total surprise at the success of Jonathan Livingston Seagull. He was out flying and barnstorming, basically unreachable, while his publisher frantically searched for him to pay him amazing amounts of money!

His later book "Illusions", which IMHO was much better than JLS, was a bestseller as well, but as it came out initially in 1979 or so (the disco era and prelude to the go-go eighties)it didn't receive as much public acclaim or movie status. I notice it was re-released in the late 90's.

Anyway, I'm a Richard Bach and Jonathan fan and will look for my copy of JLS and reread it tonight. It's relevant in the new millenium!

Sorry to ramble on so:-)

Bob