Conference hydra::dejavu

Hi again...

The author is Richard Bach.  It's a great book.  He has also written a
few others that I highly recommend.  _Illusions_ and _Bridge Across Forever_.
My favorite was _Illusions_.  Hope you find them...

Terry

    the author's name is Richard Bach
    
    other books he has written include:
    
    There's no such thing as far away
    The bridge across forever
    A gift of wings
    Illusions (the something-or-other of a reluctant messiah)
    
    all of which are wonderful.
    
    I don't know about voices, but from what I've heard, he never intended
    to be an author - he writes because he says he HAS to write (perhaps
    the voices...I don't know)
    
    anyone have any more clues?
    
    -Jody
    

    Sandy, 

    The author is one Richard ( I think ! ) Bach. 

    Another of his books, 'Bridge Across Forever', while supposedly about
    Soul Mates ( set_personal_opinion --> doesn't correspond to many
    peoples ideas regarding Soulmates <-- end_personal_opinion ),  gives
    some interesting background to his lifestyle both pre- and post-
    Seagull. 

    Apparently, he used to perform one-man airshows round the States while
    writing as a hobby, out of touch with the world in general. Then one
    day he phoned his publisher to discover Johnathan Livingstone had made
    him a millionaire. 


    Personally, I think J.L.S. is a masterpiece but none of his other works
    ( I read a few short stories of his a few years ago ) come close. 
    
    Dave.

    
    
    Further trivia.  Richard is descended from Johann Sebastian Bach.
    
    JLS was his first book, and I vaguely recall hearing that it was
    'given' to him in a dream, or something along that line.  
    
    Some of his books are spiritual in nature, some are simply about
    flying airplanes.  Illusions (Adventures of a Reluctant Mesiah)
    combines both interests.  As I recall, Illusions was also given
    thru a dream.  It's by far my favorite book.  Bridge Across For-
    ever was a big disappointment-the writing style is very different!
    
    
                       Deb
    
    

.0 (Sandy)

By all means, get and read Jonathan Livingston Seagull. Then rent the
video. As I recall, the filming was wonderful. A real pleasure to view,
with very pleasent music.

Jay

>By all means, get and read Jonathan Livingston Seagull. Then rent the
>video. As I recall, the filming was wonderful. A real pleasure to view,
>with very pleasent music.

Neil Diamond.  He even has an album with that title.

My favorite was _Illusions; The Adventures of a Reluctant Messiah_.  Look for a 
blue feather against a black background.  The book was an introduction on a new 
way of thinking, for me.

Enjoy,
Meredith

    Hmmm, I thought that JLS was deeply pompous and self-indulgent,
    and full of the self-important sort of 70s nonsense that made me
    loathe the "Me" generation.
    
    However, it is interesting that two books, JLS and The Little Prince
    (which I *love*) by Antoine St. Ex...um...(sp?)
    were both written by airplane flyers.  Is there something about
    that profession which gives people an unusual outlook on the world?
    It's fascinating.
    
    - Dan                                    

RE: .7 (Dan)
    
    Just as likely -- people with certain kinds of unusual outlooks
    are likely to be attracted to flying.
    
    Or -- a bit of both; they are attracted to flying which reinforces
    their unusual outlooks.
    
    						Topher

    re: .0
      
          See note 73 (and try SEARCH or DIR in the future to save time.)
    
    Frederick
    

    I HATED _JLS_ and thought it read like a high school term paper.
    
    _Illusions_ was interesting though (what I read of it... I never
    finished).
    
    
    John M.

    As I've observed elsewhere, _JLS_ was the story of a student pilot
    and his flight instructor.  The metaphysics was a veneer.
    
    Steve Kallis, jr.

    Another piece of trivia.....
    
    In Bach's book .."Bridge Across Forever..", he married Leslie Parrish
    (sp?) She is from Hudson, Mass.  I know this because my brother
    went to school with her step-brother.  A fellow pilot friend of
    mine, wrote to Bach after his latest book was published, - it seems
    that both Richard and his wife sometimes slip into Marlboro airport
    to visit with her family. 
        
    mcy

                                                             
    Hmmmmm......this is odd.
    
    I just pulled "Bridge..." from the bookshelf over the weekend and
    started reading it (again).  Put it on the shelf a year ago as it
    wasn't time to read it then, but it seems to be appropriate right
    now.  
    
    Have read "Illusions" and "JLS", both of which I enjoyed.
           
    Cindy

    re: .7
    
    I too didn't care for JLS.  The ethic supported in the book could
    be used to justify almost any behavior, no matter how personally
    or socially destructive, on the basis of self discovery.
    
    That's quite different from the outward-looking ethic St. Exupery
    describes in The Little Prince.  In that allegory, the Little Prince
    doesn't begin true self discovery until he begins to look outside
    himself ("It is only with the heart one can see rightly; what is
    essential is invisible to the eye." is the solution to coping with
    his feelings about the stubborn, self-indulgent flower).
    
    Dave 

    curiously enough, Leslie Parrish also did some appearances as yeoman
    Prince, and also as the female lead (a historian) in "Who Mourns
    For Adonis", the episode where they find Apollo - the God - on a
    distant planet - on Star Trek.  And she is every bit as gorgeous
    as he says she is in the book - 
    
    -Jody
    

    
    Managed to read half of "The Bridge Across Forever" over the weekend.
    
    I know now why I couldn't get into it before - it didn't make sense
    to me.  Events which have taken place in my life since that time
    though have given me the ability to actually understand more of what 
    Bach is writing about this time around.  Pretty incredible.
    
    This is the stuff that _real_ love stories are all about.
    
    Cindy

    As far as I am concerned the story is about a seagull and how he
    veiws life from where he can see it. Also his feelings as to how
    he can become important. Get the Neil Diamond record album. "Love
    At The Greek" all of the jls songs he wrote for the movie are on
    it. How Neil Diamond wrote all those beautiful songs for a film
    that had no dialect is amazing. The songs are wonderfull., they
    are the best Neil Diamond has ever done with so much feeling. Those
    songs made the whole story even plausible. Get the album or borrow
    it from the library and let me know what you think. I have the book,
    jls. It would never have made sense to me if I had not listened
    to the music first.
    Ann :-)

    Neil actually released an album Soundtrak to JLS.  I have kept it
    always.  Beautiful
    
    ...dale
    

    Has anyone read Bach's new book,_One_?

    JLS, the movie, was the impetus that got me to buy a VCR.  I never
    got to see it when it came out in the theatres, so went looking for
    it at the VIDEO stores when they first came into being.  They didn't
    stock it, so I ordered it and now own my own tape along with three
    VCR's now!!!   8*)

    Our newest system is hooked up to our stereo speakers so will have 
    to dig out the movie and play it again!  It is sooo relaxing to watch
    parts of it with the scenery and just imagine floating over the water.
    It really is typical of the "flower generation" but does have some
    basic underlying philopsophy about life that is generic to all generations.
    The struggle to live and become and independent, functioning human
    being!

    justme....jacqui

    <                 <<< Note 800.19 by POBOX::FREICHELS >>>
    <                                -< One >-
    <
    <Has anyone read Bach's new book,_One_?
    <
    
    
    You mean Bach's old bout, _One_ It's been out for some time now,
    and I found it quite interesting. I found Illusions his best work,
    and have read it a number of times, as well as given it away to a
    number of people. 
    
    Jerry

    RE:  21
    
    I thought it was new.  I bought it for one of my friends for Christmas,
    and she was just tickled because she said it just came out.  How
    long has it been out?  Did you like it?
    
    Jennifer
    

    I got it in hard cover over a year ago, I think? It was on a trip back
    to the States, and it had just come out. 
    
    I like it very much, but as I said, the book that has made the effect
    on me is Illsuions. Have you read that one?
    
    (If this turns out to be a one way conversation, maybe we should switch
    to mail)
    
    Jerry

    Oh, don't go away!
    
    I thought Illusions was his best book, but One was very interesting.
    One of the things I hadn't thought about before was is concept of
    alternate realities -- the idea that there really is no such thing
    as a "road not taken".  (If you haven't read the book, the idea
    is something like this: for every choice you make, there also exists
    an alternate reality, which follows the line of the path you did
    not choose.  There is an alternate you in that other reality, and
    it is as unaware of you as you are of it.  Very strange and complex,
    but fascinating to contemplate.)
    
    I'm not sure I really believed most of One, but it's well worth
    reading.  Do read it and note here what you think.
    
    --Karen

    RE:  the last couple
    
    Thanks for the info.!  I have read Illusions and JLS and enjoyed
    them both.  In fact, when I get down, I like to go back and read
    these books, and they always make me feel better.
    
    I think I'm going to get myself a copy of One and read it.  I won't
    be able to post what I think of it right away because I'll be back
    at school (I temp. here at DEC during my breaks.  Friday is my last
    day here 'til Spring).  But when I'm back, I'll let you know what
    I thought.
    
    Again, thanks for the info.
    
    Jennifer
    

    From the description given, One sounds very interesting.  About
    how long of a book is it?
    
    				Thanx,
    				Ron Matthews

    re .26  
    
    The hardcover version of One is 284 pages.
    
    	-  Bill

    
    Re.24 (DOCSVS)
    
    Karen,
    
    'ONE' is a novel as opposed to a true story.  Don't remember which
    'Illusions' is though.  "The Bridge Across Forever" is a non-fiction
    work.
    
    RE: size of ONE - the paperback version is out and is very quick 
    reading.  The print is also quite large.  Took me about 8 hours total
    or so.  I read it over Thanksgiving on a trip out to Sedona - good
    timing!  (;^)  Insights galore!
    
    Cindy

    I didn't like 'One'. Having loved Illusions and thought 'Bridge..'
    was OK, I looked forward to his latest. Big disappointment. Almost
    as bad as Shirley McLaine (not meaning to upset anyone, but...)
    
    I'm afraid I'll take some persuading to buy another RB book. I thought
    he really was there with Illusions, but somehow he lost it.
    
    BTW I think 'One' has only just been issued in Europe,
    
    Brian

    Brian,
    
    If you don't take ONE literally, you may change your mind. I did
    not like it as much as Illusions, the book I give away the most.
    
    BUT ! If you think about what he was trying to get over, every time
    we make a choice, we are really looking at two lives. The one we
    choice, and the one we didn't. Now I'm not going to agree with the
    thought that all those worlds or lives are out there somewhere, but
    think about the major choices you have made in your life. The person
    you didn't marry, the job you didn't take, the turn in the road you
    didn't make, the person you never contacted again. There are
    hundreds of those choices we make, that affect a great deal. I think
    he may have just been trying to tell people to look hard deeply at
    the choices they do make in life, and the effects they may have in
    the long run.
    
    Jerry

    Yes, I'll accept that. I still feel very strongly that RB had something
    very special going for him at one time as a communicator (esp JLS
    and Illusions) and that he seems to have lost that (for me!) Perhaps
    it's me that's moved elsewhere...
    
    Does anyone agree?
    
    Brian

	I, too, feel very strongly that Richard Bach had something special
	going for him during the writing of JLS and Illusions.  It's as if
	he was reaching into someplace very deep inside (or beyond) him.

	I haven't read One, but I did read Bridge Across Forever and found
	it extremely egotistical and macho.  I could hardly believe it was
	the same person who'd written JLS.

	Carla

    .31
    
    Yes, although I can find some good things in both Bridges and One, I
    found JLS very good, and then Illusions to be, as mentioned many times,
    fantastic.
    
    You know it's funny, but thinking of it, stand back and look at the
    whole line of his books. 
    
    At a point in his life, he was writing about flying ( a book of short
    stories ). It seemed he was just wandering through life enjoying
    different things with no one direction, or concern.
    
    He then went on to question life after death with JLS.
    
    He later refined that with a book about life in general, with illusions.
    
    Then he took a turn, dealing with his life and the woman he is spending
    it with. Lastly, he has looked back at his life, wondering what would
    have happened had he made any number of the choices differently along
    the way.
    
    I find it interesting, in that I think a lot of us look at those things
    at different times in our lives. I must be close to his age, because
    I've related to a lot of what he is doing at the times he was
    reflecting on it. 
    
    food for thought.
    
    Jerry
    

take a moment and enjoy.....

"There's No Such Place as Far Away"
by Bach.  It's another precious one!!

...wonderful for children (like us :-)
love,
-pam