Re: Research HELP needed...Did you read the book: JONATHON LIVINGSTON SEAGULL? And if so..

> what do you remember about it?

The way to fly faster than thought is to know you are there . . .

That one little gull out of thousands let himself enjoy his life, without being dictated to by the mores of "gull society."

> Did you hate it? Love it? Pass it along?

LOVED IT! Passed it along, bought another. . .
Repeat.

> Do you rememeber who Sullivan and Fletcher
> were?

Yes - Should I tell?

> Did it seem "important" to you at
> the time?

It seemed very important, though many people who read it at the same time thought it was dumb.
The book was about seagulls, but for the life of me, I kept seeing people. . .and discovering stuff about them (people, that is.)

> For those youngin's in the crowd, Jonathon
> Livingston Seagull is one of the all time
> best selling books reportedly to the tune of
> 30 million copies in the early 70's.

> My research is looking at the content of the
> book (as well as other books too)...
Illusions, maybe?

> the TIMING of the book. Who bought it? How
> did it become a monster best-seller?

Idealists, I think. Hippie/would-be hippies who were desparate to create a better world, if only they knew how . . .
(Among others - I got it from first from a friend of one of my brothers, who had dropped out of highschool.)

> It sticks out from my stack of best-sellers
> like a sore thumb...this dumb short little
> book full of pictures of seagulls went on to
> become a movie, and it stayed on top for 3
> years.

> Why?

> Any ideas? I'd appreciate any feedback you
> might have on this. OH, and if you LOVED the
> book, take my "dumb short little
> book" with a grain of salt, OK?

I think it was important because it resonated on so many levels with what we experience in life. All those birds intent on scratching out a meager subsistence level existence, while Jonathan actually had the AUDACITY to do what the h*ll he wanted.

He needed on one's permission, cared not one bit what anybody thought of the way he spent his time, and he himself to the pursuit of excellence in his chosen activity.

Jonathan was willing and able to devote his time and attention to the pursuit of what was important to him, and relegated all else to secondary or tertiary importance (if that high.)

His single minded pursuit of his goal reminds me of the perpetual 'high' I've been on while I build and learn to administer my server.

The last time I read that book was at least 20 years ago, and I still remember it. I'd re-read it, but I seem to have lost my copy. . .

> Thanks,

> Gordon Alexander