Jonathan Livingston Seagull [ UK First Edition, First Printing ]

Richard Bach

London: Turnstone Press LTD, 1972. Illustrated by Russell Munson. UK First Edition, First Printing. Hardcover leatherette. Item #5379
ISBN: 0855000015

An uncommon find – A First Edition, First 1972 Printing (so stated) of the UK edition of Richard Bach’s “Jonathan Livingston Seagull.” This edition’s book comes in leatherette, light blue panels with silver stamped lettering on the spine. Book clean throughout, tightly bound and sharp cornered. The spine is unmarred and without wrinkling. Very minor toning, common, with clean front and back pastedowns. A gorgeous copy. Accompanied by a complete dust jacket, not price clipped as we have often noticed for these UK edition dust jackets. Dust jacket has a ¾th inch closed tear to the back cover, upper left. Minor edge wear and chipping to the head and foot of the dust jacket spine, though the dust jacket spine itself is clean, without sunning or wrinkling. The UK dust jacket for this title is a bit busier than its US counterpart. Included is the price ( £1.50), Ray Bradbury’s review of the book, along with 9 separate paragraphs for additional Turnstone Press Ltd. Publications, including works by Marion Campbell, Gopi Krishna, John Philip Cohane, Psychics Magazine, Peter Richelieu, Cyrus H. Gordon, Herbert B. Greenhouse, and P. D. Ouspensky. The inner front cover flap includes a long introduction of “Johnathan Livingston Seagull” by the publisher. The dust jacket’s pictorial back cover features Ernest K. Gann’s review of the book, where Gann compares the story to St. Expurey’s “The Little Prince.”

“Jonathan Livingston Seagull” suffered many rejections prior to publication, after which it became Bach’s most famous title and an enduring classic, selling millions of copies. Rumor has it that both Bach and Bradbury were in a book group at the time of “Jonathan Livingston Seagull’s” publication, which Bradbury endorsed, stating: “Richard Bach with this book does two things. He gives me flight. He makes me young. For both I am deeply grateful.” Soon after Bach’s success, a member from the book group decided to playfully spoof “Jonathan Livingston Seagull” with a short satire story titled “Ludwig Von Wolfgang Vulture,” which Bradbury also endorsed: “Dolph Sharp with this book does three things. He turns a vulture into a mockingbird. He gives a gull a plucking. And he tickles us with the feathers. I’m grateful all over again."

Price: $495.00  other currencies