Jonathan Livingston Seagull, written by American author Richard Bach and illustrated with black-and-white photographs shot by Russell Munson, is an allegorical fable in novella form about a seagull who is trying to learn about flying and, eventually, personal reflection, freedom, and self-realization. It was first published in book form in 1970 with little advertising or expectations; by the end of 1972, over a million copies were in print, the book having reached the number one spot on bestseller lists mostly through word of mouth recommendations. In 2014 the book was reissued as Jonathan Livingston Seagull: The Complete Edition, which added a 17-page fourth part to the story. Plot Part One Jonathan Livingston Seagull, a seagull, is frustrated with the daily squabbles over meager food and sheer survival within his flock, without any deeper meaning behind life. Unlike his peers, he is seized with a passion for flight of all kinds, and his soul soars as he experiments with exhilarating challenges of daring aerial feats and learns more about the nature of his own body and the environment in achieving faster and faster flight. Eventually, his lack of conformity to the limited seagull life frightens the Flock, and they officially banish him with the label "Outcast". Not deterred by this, Jonathan continues his efforts to reach ever-greater flight goals, finding he is often successful. He lives a long happy life, and is sad not due to his loneliness but only due to the fact that the rest of the Flock will never know the full glories of flying, like him. In his old age, he is met by two radiantly-bright seagulls who share his abilities, explaining to him that he has learned much, but that they have come to take him "home" where he will go "higher". Part Two Jonathan transcends into a reality, which he assumes is heaven, where all the gulls enjoy flying as much as he does, and they practice towards even more incredible maneuvers and speeds. He soon asks his instructor Sullivan why this community is so small. Sullivan says that Jon is unique in his willingness to learn; every gull chooses their next life through the choices made in their current life, a few progressing to this higher existence, but most others living through the same world over and over again. Jonathan approaches the Elder Gull of the community, Chiang, who admits that this reality is