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Out of My Mind: The Discovery of Saunders-Vixen

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The author of eleven books, including such classic bestsellers as Jonathan Livingston Seagull , Illusions , and One , Richard Bach has earned a permanent place in the hearts of readers around the world.  His visionary works have shown millions of readers the amazing possibilities of imagination, mind and spirit.  

An enthralling flight into the realm of possibility, Out of My Mind shows what happens when Richard Bach sets out to solve the design problems troubling his Piper Cub.  He is taken on an unforgettable journey back to 1923 and the creative heyday of a British airplane manufacturer, Saunders-Vixen Aircraft Company, where problems are solved for confused aviators.  There, Bach meets Derek Hawthorne, his guide through Saunders-Vixen, and a mysterious young aircraft designer named Laura Bristol who will provide the astonishing answers to his unspoken questions.  This profoundly resonant tale reminds us of a powerful although our dreams may lie beyond the limits of time, space, and belief, they are never beyond reach.

112 pages, Paperback

First published September 7, 1999

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About the author

Richard Bach

164 books3,769 followers

Since Jonathan Livingston Seagull - which dominated the #1 spot on the New York Times Bestseller List for two consecutive years - Richard Bach has touched millions of people through his humor, wisdom and insight.

With over 60 million copies of his books sold, Richard Bach remains one of the world's most beloved authors. A former USAF fighter pilot, Air Force captain and latter-day barnstorming pilot, Bach continues to be an avid aviator-author, exploring and chronicling the joys and freedom of flying, reporting his findings to readers.

His most recent works include Travels with Puff, which recounts Bach's journey from Florida to Washington state in his small seaplane, Puff, and Illusions II: The Adventures of a Reluctant Student, which incorporates Bach's real-life plane crash.

In October 2014, the never-before-published Part Four to Jonathan Livingston Seagull was published.

Readers can find more about Richard and his work at www.richardbach.com

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Displaying 1 - 30 of 69 reviews
Profile Image for Federico DN.
1,163 reviews4,397 followers
September 11, 2023
Surreal.

A mystic travel through time and parallel universes to the Saunders-Vixen Aircraft Company, an ethereal place where all airplane improvements come from.

The restless aviator Richard Bach and a beautiful ode to fantasy and imagination that, due to its brevity, unfortunately leaves a small taste of incompleteness. Also a bit too technical on the engineering side.

Enjoyable, although pales greatly in comparison to the incredibly unforgettable Jonathan Livingston Seagull, forever imprinted in my heart.

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PERSONAL NOTE :
[1999] [101p] [Fantasy] [2.5] [Not Recommendable]
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★★★★☆ Jonathan Livingston Seagull
★★★☆☆ There's No Such Place As Far Away [2.5]
★★★☆☆ Out of My Mind: The Discovery of Saunders-Vixen [2.5]

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Surreal.

Un místico viaje a través del tiempo y universos paralelos a la Compañía Aeronáutica Saunders-Vixen, un lugar etéreo de donde provienen todas las mejoras de aviones.

El aviador incansable Richard Bach y un hermoso canto a la fantasía y la imaginación que, por su brevedad, lamentablemente deja un pequeño sabor a incompletitud. También un poco demasiado técnico por el lado de la ingeniería.

Disfrutable, aunque palidece enormemente en comparación con el increíblemente inolvidable Juan Salvador Gaviota, por siempre impreso en mi corazón.

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NOTA PERSONAL :
[1999] [101p] [Fantasía] [2.5] [No Recomendable]
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Profile Image for Peiman E iran.
1,436 reviews1,095 followers
October 8, 2016
‎دوستانِ گرانقدر، «ریچارد باخ» در این کتاب در هاله ای از ابهام مینویسد... در این کتاب شخصیت هایی را با نامِ «ساندرز» و «آنتوان» خلق کرده است... « ساندرز » را به روباه ماده ای تشبیه نموده است، ولی نه یک روباهِ مکار و حیله گر... بلکه به ماده روباهی تشبیه کرده که سرمست و بازیگوش است و «آنتوان» برایِ آرام نگاه داشتنش، ناگزیر از اهلی کردنِ اوست
‎در این کتاب سخن از جبر و اختیار است و سفر به جهان هایِ موازی... من بلیطی برایِ سوار شدن در هواپیمایِ «ریچارد باخ» تهیه کردم و در این سفر کنارش بودم، آنهم در هواپیمایی که دستگیرۀ دربِ آن کنده شده بود و باکِ بنزینش نشتی داشت... شاید باید مثلِ قناریِ او از هواپیما به پایین میپریدم و او را در این راه بیش از این همراهی نمیکردم، شنیدنِ بخشهایی از سخنانش برایم عذاب آور و غیرِ منطقی بود
‎بخش هایی از این کتاب را به انتخاب برایِ شما بزرگواران در زیر مینویسم
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‎مدت ها پیش آموخته بودم که هرآنچه وجود دارد، هستی اش حتماً دلیلی دارد... خرده هایِ نان رویِ میز ما هستند، نه فقط برایِ آنکه یادآوری از طعمِ نانِ امروز صبح باشند، آنجا هستند، چون ما خواسته ایم که باشند... آنها را پاک نکرده ایم، همه چیز دلیلی دارد، حتی خُردترین جزئیاتِ کلیدی، دلیلی دارند
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‎گرچه سفر لذت بخش و دلنواز است، ولی این بدان معنی نیست که از جادۀ زندگی رخت بر بندیم و هرگز نرسیم
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‎عمیق و ژرف، دمی فرو میدهی... لحظه ای تأمل، و هوا را به آرامی بیرون میدهی... درنگی طولانی و پرتلاطم،... هوایی خنک را فرو میدهی، صبر میکنی و هوایِ گرم شده ای را بیرون میفرستی... تنها مسئولیتِ من، « بودن» است
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‎شما جنگِ جهانی را پشتِ سر گذاشتید، مگر نه؟ بسیار خوب، برایِ ما اینچنین نبود... برخی از مردمانِ ما دیدند که آن جنگ پیش می آید و تصمیم گرفتند که جزئی از آن نباشند، زیرا بیهوده و عبث مینمود
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‎انسان همیشه آرزویِ چیزی را که دل به انکار نمیپذیرد را دارد
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‎دنیایِ ما برآشفته و خشن است، اینجا جایی برایِ گربه هایِ نازنازیِ خانگی نیست...به هر ترتیب من خوشبختم که حقِ انتخاب دارم
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‎در پایان باید بگویم که: دوستانِ عزیز و خردگرایِ من، این را بدانید اگر شما اینگونه فکر کنید که در همۀ امور اراده و اختیار ندارید، مجبورید که همچون گیاهی در گلدانی باشید و بدانید که ریشه درخاک داشتن، جرمی نابخشودنی محسوب میشود... اینگونه باید گیاهِ گلدانی باشید تا هر زمان که اراده میکنند سیرابتان کنند، در غیرِ اینصورت محکوم به خزان خواهید شد

‎امیدوارم این ریویو مفید بوده باشه
‎<پیروز باشید و ایرانی>
Profile Image for Michelle.
300 reviews
July 12, 2010
Old-fashioned type novel. By which I mean it's nice idea then it ends before anything really happens. Only 100 pages, takes 50 pages of reading before you finish reading extremely detailed descriptions of airplanes. Yawn!

(Ahhhh... I see, I reserved this book in place of another with the same name... oops!)
1 review
July 6, 2020
An almost unique combination of spirituality and the deep love for flying and small aeroplanes! This is one of the best books by Richard Bach, because it is compact and because it touches the depth of the souls of those that love flying. (Maybe it is harder to comprehend by non flying readers) The fascinating search for brilliant ideas, that come from a parallel Universe, that interacts closely with ours, is a wonderful find by the author.I have read this book over and over again and still love it very much.
Profile Image for Ron Wroblewski.
679 reviews166 followers
October 17, 2018
Now here is the Richard Bach that I know - so much better than "There's No Such Place as Far Away".
Where do ideas to solve problems come from? A parallel universe that not only helps fix problems with his Piper Cub, but gives the impression that ideas that solve other problems are passed through to us. And by a beautiful woman no less.
134 reviews1 follower
February 21, 2014
A short joyful reading experience. The idea of parallel Universes and out ability to travel there. I enjoyed this book very much.
8 reviews
April 30, 2017
The only silver lining in the cloudy airplane related write-up was "Sometimes the only way to win is to surrender"
Profile Image for Masha Kly.
61 reviews
May 14, 2025
Как всегда приятно. Забавно, но с этим автором я познакомилась благодаря учителю литературы Шапошникову (он его похвалил) и бывшему сестры (он подарил книгу). С тех пор раз в какое-то время читаю работы Баха, и каждый раз они дают какое-то спокойствие. Хотя по сути они ни о чем. Здесь понравились мысли про свободу выбора и наличие причин у всего: «Давным-давно я научился понимать: все, что происходит, происходит по некоторой причине. Крошки на столе — это не только напоминание об утреннем печенье; они лежат там потому, что мы предпочли не убирать их».
Profile Image for Archana.
141 reviews7 followers
January 24, 2019
A simple, quick read to introduce some complicated and ethereal concepts. In the premise of airplane technicalities, details and types, Bach makes us go "what if".
What if those brilliant strikes of solutions we get after hours and hours of worry and hopelessness come from some unexpected solution-providers out there in the universe?
What if we are only limited by our minds?
What if there are more pleasant realities out there?

A small, 100 page book, that, if nothing else, leaves you with a happy, tingling, hopeful feel. A feel of green meadows and blue skies where sunlight is always a little more golden.
Profile Image for Ashutosh Kaushik.
7 reviews
February 22, 2015
I like reading Richard Bach, he has this unique etherial touch in his writing which can take the reader to a different world by opening up a far more sublime and perhaps spiritual side of us. This one though is not in the same league as Jonathan Livingston Seagull or Illusions but still a good read.

The only Bach book that disappointed me was the Messiah's Handbook but that was perhaps because of the high expectations I formed after reading Illusions.

A good read - quick and easy and will make you happy. Go for it.
Profile Image for Martin.
55 reviews
February 5, 2015
A 1999 story of a man (author), pilot of a plane, who realizes that inspiration for the technical improvements to his plane actually come from an unexpected source - a lady whom he sees in his mind each time he comes up with an idea. He explores the concept of this designer who 'sends' him the technical improvements just when he needs them. Nice and original main idea, rest of the story is quite static.
4 reviews
January 19, 2016
I don't know why i picked this up (was actually a gift to me, perhaps that's why) and it was by sheer power of my will that I was able to drag myself through this pseudo-spiritual self-help hotch-potch. No plotline, vacuous 'wisdoms' and the sort, surely drove me out of my mind.
Profile Image for Pam.
2,203 reviews32 followers
October 30, 2007
Bach visits a parallel universe -- Britain 1923 & disovers solutions for problems w/ his airplane.
Profile Image for Haman.
270 reviews70 followers
October 17, 2014
با وجود آن که ممکن است رؤیاهای ما در پس محدوده‏ی زمان، فاصله و اعتقاد بر نشسته باشند، ولی آن‏ها هرگز فراتر از دست‏رس نمی‏روند.
31 reviews2 followers
September 1, 2011
کتاب بدی نبود
ریچارد باخ در این کتاب سعی کرده بود نظریات خودش رو در مورد اختیار و جبر بست بده
Profile Image for juan martinez (╹◡╹).
96 reviews
March 25, 2016
Sinceramente no pense que le daria 1 estrella ya que me gusto algo la forma de escribir de Bach, pero simplemente no me dejo nada, me parecio hasta un poco vacio este pequeño libro...
Profile Image for SHR.
426 reviews
July 6, 2021
I like the way Bach writes, it is like reading a guided meditation.

In “Out of my Mind” he discovers a parallel time to his, after he is given a solution to a design problem for something on his Piper cub (an aeroplane). He meditates (“deep air in; wait; slow air out. Long slow wait. Cool air in; wait; warm air out. My only responsibility; is to be.”), or dreams of this place, he knows he could awake at any time but “whether it was in my mind or reachable through my mind, whether it was objective or subjective didn’t matter.”

I like that he lets readers decide what they want to believe, while guiding them to believe that what is important is being open to using our minds in different ways - to creative thought and sequence of events, to watching details (“The crumb is on our table not only as a reminder of this morning’s cookie, it is there because we have chosen not to remove it. No exceptions. Everything has a reason, and the tiniest detail is a clue.”).

In all of his work (if you have read his novels there is really nothing new in this novella), he advocates an open mind and never says this is the right way and this is wrong - it is all about possibilities.

Many would think him too “new-age” (many of the works I have read involve this other plane of being & the belief that time is not linear), while others would think him too simplistic, with not enough substance to grab onto and make your own. I like the simplicity of his writing (no wasted words or flowery phrases to be found) and the way thoughts are presented, there is a pure, spirituality about his work that I find calming.
Profile Image for Jane.
125 reviews
October 11, 2020
I went through a huge Richard Bach phase in the 1980s. His way of thinking about the metaphysical and putting it into novels has always been a pleasure to read. I missed this one previously and some of the planet recently. It was published in 1999. This is more of a novella and it tackles the concept of parallel universes or the membranes of worlds . The story was incomplete however, I felt he could have done a lot more with it and with a large font & double-spacing of only 100 pages I think he could have done a lot more with it.
Profile Image for Kevin Revolinski.
Author 35 books41 followers
April 13, 2024
I hadn't read Richard Bach since I was a teenager and we were big fans. Thought I'd pick this up out of nostalgia sake and give it a read. Feels a bit slight but I suppose not too far outside of the world of imagination and ideas. A quick read anyway and perhaps a bit more intriguing if you're into old airplanes as well.
Profile Image for Juli.
1,536 reviews143 followers
March 30, 2019
Los libros de este autor siempre me dan una caricia al alma. No se cómo explicar lo que me generan.

La prosa es sumamente bella. La pluma te enamora.

Parece que leyeras poesía.

Y como agregado, se leen SUPER rápido

"Para venir aquí no necesitas pasaporte; sólo debes amar este lugar"
39 reviews1 follower
September 10, 2019
Richard Bach. Main reason to read. Unfortunately, benchmarked book is outstanding, so all his other books suffer from mediocrity in comparison. Stand alone, this is a breezy read. The power of the mystic and the subconscious told through a narrative.
Profile Image for Joana Silva.
21 reviews2 followers
September 16, 2021
Lê-se este livro tal como se come uma deliciosa bolacha- devagarinho na primeira dentada, mas depois tudo de uma só vez! Um aviador, uma realidade paralela que quer comunicar com ele e um potencial romance (inter-dimensional?). Escrito de uma forma poética e intrigante, dá para ver a imagens tão claramente como um filme. Vou de certeza ler mais livros de Richard Bach!
Profile Image for Ken.
90 reviews1 follower
February 1, 2021
Pretty light weight fluff, but not a terrible way to spend an hour by the fireplace on a cold afternoon.
Profile Image for Ed.
592 reviews2 followers
December 15, 2023
Where do our problem solving guides come, whenever we are blocked without an answer, but appear from nowwhere or is it something right next to us.
1,153 reviews15 followers
December 12, 2024
A delightful fable of spirit and time travel from a master storyteller. Had me engaged till the end.
7.5/10
Displaying 1 - 30 of 69 reviews

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