El Don de Volar

by richard-bach

'El don de volar' le permitira disfrutar en compania de un amigo que le hablara de su vida, de sus inquietudes y de algunas de las respuestas que encontro.

Genres: Fiction, Aviation, Philosophy, Spirituality, Short Stories, Religion, Fantasy

364 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1974

Reviews

[John Mahon · Rating 5 out of 5]

A collection of short stories that Richard had published in Flying Magazine. I bought my (first ) copy on my 18th birthday. It gave the strength to believe in my dream of becoming a pilot. Some of the stories are brilliant in their simplicity, and depth. It might be a little too technical in places. Highly recommended.

[Tom Fowler · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love everything Bach wrote. Don't always agree with his theology, but do his imagery.

[Terimila · Rating 5 out of 5]

Before I started reading this book, it had NEVER happened to me that I would feel that someone expresses my real and secret thoughts and feelings better than I do by myself. Now I know it's possible. And it's wonderful to see that not only I am a crazy dreamer who's in love with flying, but also a very experienced pilot feels something similar. I am lost for words about this book.

[Lara · Rating 5 out of 5]

THIS MIGHT BE MY NEW FAVOURITE BOOK EVER
Richard Bach tiene algo con las palabras... que hace que exprese idas complejas con conceptos simples, generalmente aplicados a lo que él sabe: volar aeroplanos. Cada cuento es un nuevo descubrimiento y les juro que si pudiera subrayar todo el libro lo haría, pero ya lo marqué bastante con mi lápiz, pobrecito.
Aunque me gustaron mucho todos, entre mis favoritos están "Carta de un hombre temeroso de Dios", "Dicen que cuando despertamos..." (que también es el prólogo y es exquisito), "Una chica de hace mucho tiempo", "Siempre hay un cielo", "El paraíso es algo personal", "Gente que vuela" y "El placer de su compañía", aunque seguro me estoy olvidando de alguno.

Hermoso.

"(...) y esa noche advertí algo que no había notado antes.
Que el cielo siempre se está moviendo, pero nunca se va.
Que ocurra lo que ocurra, el cielo siempre está con nosotros.
Y que al cielo no se lo puede molestar. Para el cielo mis problemas no existían, no habían existido nunca, ni nunca existirían.
El cielo no interpreta mal.
El cielo no juzga.
El cielo, simplemente, es."


➸5 estrellas

[Rick · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent compilation of the wide variety of Bach's capabilities as an aviation author. These short stories entertain and educate as well as give insight to the mind of the writer. Bach to me is comparable to earlier aviation authors along the St. Exupery or Anne Lindbergh genre. It's an easy read as most stories are short, some too much so. Bach has the ability to draw his reader in to his story and sometimes leaves them wanting more when he ends them.

[Maija · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love the book. It's inspiring and allows to fly up in the sky every time I open it.

[Jakub · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm not a pilot and never will be, so in my opinion..
Some of the stories had some nice points (School for perfection, Found at Pharisee, Letter from a God-fearing man), but mostly it was (for me) an over-enthusiastic rambling on flying, which I do not understand, as personally I am not one of those people. I prefer to look up at the sky, rather than look down at where I could be walking. But I can imagine some people would enjoy it and understand it way better than me, since they might have the need to get away and be free in the air. I'm just too happy on the ground and in the moment. In the end, the book is quite average for me, but I did appreciate the enthusiasm which you find on every page of the book. He really loves what he does and I am happy for him.

[Summer Houston · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is great for anyone that loves flying. Bach takes you into the clouds with every detail of the pilots control. Places and scenes you'll never come to know until you've been behind the controls. Adventure in the open skies.

[Kari Phillips · Rating 5 out of 5]

...makes me homesick for wind and sky ...

[Caroline · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm stunned to find out how much of my life has been based on Richard Bach's writings - I guess I could do worse.

[TSEliot]

i learned to fly

[Rick · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great read for any pilot.

[Usama Tariq · Rating 5 out of 5]

Inspiring... <3

[Joe · Rating 5 out of 5]

I started reading Mr. Bach's works when I was very young and in love with a very smart and progressively thinking young woman. We were in our teens. High school. All the drama. But, Bach's Jonathan Livingston Seagull changed the way I thought about things. That I wasn't "wrong" for thinking differently than the majority of people in my small town.

A Gift of Wings echoes in my love of motorcycling. What the plane is to Mr. Bach, the motorcycle is to me. I share so many similar thoughts that it becomes downright eerie to me.

I am grateful Mr. Bach shared his thoughts with us. I will dream of flying again.

Next month I am scheduling a "Discovery Flight" at a local flight school. I am 54 years old now.

[Mala Ashok · Rating 3 out of 5]

My first thought as I started reading this book was that it was not as inspirational as "Jonathan Livingston Seagull" or "Illusions;" but as I read along I changed my mind. The author is very perceptive and he shares his views through his flight experiences for example when he warns us that whatever we pray for we get. He himself finds out that the perspective he has found in flight means something more than all the miles he's flown.One of the more interesting essays in the book is where he compares "aviation 'and "flying."The most important lesson learned from this book though was that everything we need to know, is already within us, waiting till we call it.

[João De Matos Zacarias · Rating 3 out of 5]

Um livro muito interessante para quem gostar de aviões. Sobre a forma como são feitos, os diferentes tipos e também histórias sobre aviação. Apesar de não gostar muito de aviões e ter ficado algo desapontado por já ter lido previamente outra obra do autor (que tinha gostado bastante) apreciei muito a forma como o autor fala sobre voar dando-lhe um valor de liberdade e crescimento pessoal por exemplo de perceber a ascendência do vosso próprio avião. O livro apresenta descrições de aviões muito detalhadas e difíceis de entender para quem não percebe de aviões.

[Julia · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a bit slow to get into, but some parts made me smile. The last chapter was a redemption, and I really laughed on the page that ended mid-sentence, for reasons obvious if you are reading the book. It is very much a book for "airplane people," reminding me why a relationship with a pilot didn't work out. 😏

[Ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

This collection of short stories about flight was a really enjoyable read. Lots of beautiful imagery that sparked a deep appreciation for the art. Also some good messages about how to live a good life that are universally applicable.

[lettrici_geniali · Rating 4 out of 5]

Il desiderio di staccare i piedi dalla sicurezza del suolo e, più in generale, l'anima dalle certezze e difficoltà della vita, per raggiungere un luogo al di là dello spazio e del tempo, non è da tutti. Però è da me. Perciò adoro tutti i libri di Bach.

[Karen · Rating 3 out of 5]

A set of short essays previously written for aviation magazines. Interesting and insightful.

[Shane Sanders · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lovely collection of short stories. Most would think they'd only appeal to those who have flown, but it's not the case.

[Chris Tschirhart · Rating 4 out of 5]

A nice book about what it feels like to be an airman.

[aline · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful book.
I read it went I was younger and now I can understand why the life of a eagle.

[Linda Carraro · Rating 1 out of 5]

Abbandono, non ho ritrovato la scrittura che mi aveva conquistato

[Molly Ricks · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book. I love his passion for flying and he is a good story teller. He describes the flying experience beautifully.

[felipe · Rating 3 out of 5]

leve, reflexivo, nada muito demais, mas fofo e bem escrito. as histórias cumpridas eu não li, preguiça.

[Nnamdi Nweke · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good 👍

[Ellen · Rating 4 out of 5]

this was my second time through. I enjoyed the trip.

[Mila N. · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 1/2 stars

This book is not for everyone.

I start with this because I'm seeing a lot of five stars reviews and they probably come for a lot of people who love flying.

I love flying too. I studied to be a flight attendant (among other things) because my view is not so great as to fly for a living (although I still want to pursue that pilot license), but I recognize that this book doesn't have much to do with Illusions and Jonathan Livingston Seagull. It is a collection of short stories that were published through the years by the author on Flying Magazine. I mean, the essence of Richard Bach is still there, but this stories felt more like his diary. There was some fiction in between but mostly they were (presented, at least) as non-fiction.

Some of these stories were really great, some not so much, but in many of them the author makes you think.

I got distracted a little bit by some of his... let's say 'pride'... as a pilot. I don't think a pilot is a better person that anyone else just for flying, but this is what he wants to let you know on some of this pages. At least it seems like it. He gets kind of angry sometimes when people don't want to go flying with him on a sunday afternoon, and even impersonates one of these characters rather satirically on his final tale. Those are really one dimentional characters that have a clear distinction between who is the bad one and who is the good one. The good one flyes, the bad one leads a more common life.

--------------------

Bach is a very religious man, if you take flying as his religion, and that shows a lot in this book. But, even if you do not fly, I'm sure you will at least think about booking a class after finishing this reading. It's inspiring. I know that one word describes everything Bach ever writes but it really is. There's something beautiful about reading about something from a person who feels such passion for it. If we could do anything in our lives with the same passion with which he flyes, I'm sure we'd all live a much happier life.

So, going back to my first line of this review, this book is not for everyone, but if you feel passionate about anything, this might be a good book for you.

[Amber · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review posted on my blog The Writer's Library.



I am no pilot. I don't know about fuel gauges, aviation, airports, or turbulence. I'm not a mechanic. Nuts and bolts are just objects to me; meaningless objects. Yet somehow this book grabbed me and refused to let me go until I'd finished.
A collection of very nice short stories indeed. Some I liked more than others. Some were just so philosophical I automatically understood and loved them ("Letters from a God-fearing Man"). It's not Bach's best; it's one of his most interesting, though. It packed something that even those who do not know the joy of flying could understand. It makes me want to ride a biplane into a golden sunset, and that's saying something.
All in all, an enjoyable read that will make those on the ground feel as if they are in the air and a part of it.