Biography of Richard Bach

June 23, 1936 Richard David Bach was born on 23 June 1936 in the United States, in Oak Park, Illinois. After having attended Long Beach State College, he enlisted in the United States Navy Reserve and then into the New Jersey Air National Guard's 108th Fighter Wing as a pilot of an F-84. Afterwards he devoted himself to various jobs, writing for Douglas Aircraft and collaborating with the magazine "Flying". Later, deals with flying and acrobatic rodeos before working writing: many of his stories have to do with the flight.

Flights and seagulls

His first book is "Stranger to the Ground," followed by "Biplane" ("Biplane") in 1966 and "Nothing" by Chance "(" nothing ") three years later; but it was in 1970 that Bach comes to success thanks to "Jonathan Livingston Seagull", known in Italy as "Jonathan Livingston Seagull": the story of a Seagull flying not only to get food, but above all for the love of flight. The work, which is published by Macmillan Publishers after many other publishers had rejected the manuscript, also includes photos of seagulls in flight made by Russell Munson, and soon becomes a publishing success (although it is a very short story, with fewer than 10,000 words): breaks sales records that remained intact since "gone with the wind" (only in 1972 , "Jonathan Livingston Seagull" will sell a million copies). Meanwhile, Bach does not abandon his passion for flying: in the summer of 1970, together with his friend Chris Cagle travels to Ireland, where he took part in the flying sequences in the film footage of Roger Corman "Von Richthofen and Brown."

Between the years ' 70 and ' 90

In 1973, the book by Richard Bach is transposed to the movies in a film produced by Paramount Pictures Corporation, with a soundtrack by Neil Diamond. Four years later, Bach, after publishing "A Gift of Wings" ("a gift of wings") and "There's No Such Place As Far Away" ("no place too far"), gives the prints "Illusions: The Adventures of a Reluctant Messiah" (known in Italy as "illusions: the adventures of a reluctant Messiah"), which tells the story of an encounter with a Messiah of modern times. Also in 1977, Bach, who as a young man he married Bette Fineman (which gave him six children), is married to actress Leslie Parrish, met while filming the movie Jonathan Livingston. In 1984 Richard back to publish a book: "The Bridge Across Forever" ("a bridge to eternity: a love story"), followed four years later "One" ("one"). After having published "Running from Safety" ("away from the nest"), in 1997 Bach divorces Leslie, while two years later marries again, with Sabryna Nelson-Alexopoulos. Also in 1999 released "Out of My Mind" ("wings of time").

The years 2000 and recent work

Between 2002 and 2003 are published "Air Ferrets Aloft" ("crash"), "Rescue Ferrets at Sea" ("lifeboat"), "Writer Ferrets: Chasing the Muse" ("in search of inspiration"), "Rancher Ferrets on the Range" ("good") and "The Last War: Detective Ferrets and the Case of the Golden Deed" as part of the so-called "Ferret Chronicles" ("the adventures of ferrets"). In 2004 released "Messiah's Handbook: Reminders for the Advanced Soul" ("the book found-the answers which help to live"), while in 2009 are given printed "Hypnotizing Maria" ("the sky is looking for you"). On 31 August 2012 Richard Bach becomes involved in a plane crash on San Juan Island, Washington: the aircraft of which is driving, a seaplane, during a landing attempt crashes into an electrical cord and crashes to the ground. In the days that followed, spread little reassuring news about the health of the writer, because of a head injury and a broken shoulder. Was in the hospital for four months, he recovers slowly: during convalescence, get inspired to conclude the fourth part of "the Seagull Jonathan Livingstone", which originally consisted of only three parts. In 2014 Bach gives published the sequel of Illusions: The Adventures of a Reluctant Messiah ", entitled" Illusions II: The Adventures of a Reluctant Student "story that also includes the story of the crash.
Article contributed by the team of collaborators.