Jonathan Livingston Seagull [ Rare Signed Bevo Howard Aviation Pioneer Edition ]

The Macmillan Company, 1970. Bevo Howard Aviation Pioneer Edition: 1 out of 3000 limited editions issued by the Beverly Howard Memorial Foundation. Hardcover. Book is in still fantastic condition with the exception of the spine cracking along the front leatherette board, a very common quirk that we've found with this edition. Some very light sunning to the spine, and very light smudging to back board. An incredibly beautiful copy. Interior is very clean, with Richard Bach's signature on the half title page. It is the 1970 edition, 25th printing.

This is a special memorial copy of Jonathan Livingston Seagull created for an event for renown pilot Beverly "Bevo" Howard in 1973 in South Carolina. This edition was signed for Parrish Books at a local independent bookstore. When presented with this edition, Mr. Bach mentioned never seeing one before.

An entirely unique slipcase accompanies this edition. The front piece of the slipcase displays the text: Bevo Howard A Tribute to Aviaton's Pioneers. It features "Bevo" on the back with informational panel, as well as the emblem for the "OX-5 Club Aviation Hall of Fame." This is a special limited slip-jacket edition which was issued by the Beverly Howard Memorial Foundation (Charleston, S.C.) in a quantity that did not exceed 3,000 copies. It shows wear we've found quite typical for this slipcase, with some rubbing away of the silver paper and smudging/toning to the overall color, along with some wear to the edges. A previous owner's signature is written to the back of the slipcase.

A truly unique edition of "Johnathan Livingston Seagull" that we've never come across with a signature before.

Bevo Howard was a tremendously gifted pilot. He became the youngest airline pilot at the age of 22 and trained over 6,000 pilots for World War II. His Buecker Jungmeister biplane was presented for permanent exhibition to the Smithsonian Institute. Richard Bach, the author, expressed his passion for aviation throughout many of his works. His aviation expertise led him through various roles, including service in the US Navy Reserve, the New Jersey Air National Guard, work as a fighter pilot, and even as a stunt pilot operating as a "barnstormer.

Both "Jonathan Livingston Seagull" and "Illusions: The Adventures of a Reluctant Messiah" ranked among the best-selling books of the 1970s. "Jonathan Livingston Seagull" is an allegorical fable reminiscent of stories Aesop might have appreciated. The narrative traces a seagull's transformation from mundane existence to spiritual enlightenment. Accompanied by black and white photographs captured by Russell Munson, the book achieved notable success, selling nearly 1 million copies. Its popularity primarily stemmed from word-of-mouth recommendations.