This page is for site visitors to post remembrances and thoughts at the time of Dr. Pournelle’s passing (8 Sep 2017). Your thoughts can be added using the form at the bottom of this page. Comments that are not related to words of encouragement or condolences will be removed.
Dr. Pournelle’s family appreciates those that have taken the time to send condolences and well wishes.
For those that are interested in Dr. Pournelle’s books, please see the e-books page or the Amazon page . Here’s a list of all of Jerry’s books: All The Books.
Jerry’s last post is here. The text of the eulogy given at the memorial is here. Site news is here. – Editor
Jerry accompanied my way into the PC-world with his articles in BYTE. I`d always a lot of fun reading his comments about technical stuff. Now and then I asked him about problems and he always gave his advice. I’ll miss him so much.
Volkert
I hope that everyone is well and safe from the wildfires around LA.
I still come here, missing Dr Pournelle.
I would like to throw out the idea that someone should take over the CoDominium universe to write in. Maybe S. M. Stirling. Years ago, I corresponded with Dr Pournelle regarding some of his ideas for the ‘future’ of his future history. He mentioned he had some thoughts about the founding of the First Empire and the fall of the CD.
Someone should try and get the rights sold or leased or whatever to someone like Stirling who has shown he is fully capable in that arena. Would love to see Falkenberg and Lysander in action some more.
A just-published research paper on the black holes behind the Andromeda Galaxy is titled “A Mote in Andromeda’s Disk: A Misidentified Periodic AGN Behind M31,” and is published in the Astrophysical Journal. If only Jerry were alive to see this!
Through his fiction and essays, Dr. Pournelle first introduced me to several life shaping ideas: The virtue of Democratic Capitalism vs. Statist Collectivism, the plastic nature of reality under extreme conditions (black holes for instance), and a general sense of wonder at the size and mystery of the universe.
In recent years he was a source of wisdom and strength for me, as we struggle against the re-emergence of various kinds of tyranny.
R.I.P.
I was deeply saddened tonight to find that Dr. Jerry Pournelle had passed away, the world has lost a truly great mind. His science fiction captured my imagination. His Byte columns entertained and informed me. (He would have endorsed my wCapLock utility for making the CapsLock key work like a typewriter does if I’d gotten the marketing together, IIRC – my bad.) The Pournelle political axes is a brilliant insight, one that I frequently cite from my perspective in the top left corner. I’m going to miss the man I’d hoped to meet one day. I’m sorry for everyone who has suffered from this loss.
I’ve posted this rememberance on my blog at http://wfredk.com/blog/2017113019/r-i-p-dr-jerry-pournelle
Alas , it’s a lesser World without Dr. Pournelle. Thank you for posting his Remembrances. Please continue.
I keep coming back.
I definately want to second Mike Clark’s suggestion that someone be recruited to finish Mamlukes. Roland Green would be the obvious choice but Jerry’s daughter Jennifer Pournelle proved herself quite capable by writing Outies.
I think that there are many Pournelle fans who would rush to the bookstores to purchase it.
I discovered Jerry in his Chaos Manor column in Byte magazine in the early days of the IBM PC in the 1980’s. Wonderful writing and great insights into the nascent world of all things add-in to the PC world. I later discovered a connection in my B-52 days. He was the designer of the revised Electronic Warfare position in the B-52G/H. I worked in that aircraft for 9 years and appreciate his work to make it a more ‘user-friendly’ place. I wrote him to thank him for his work and he responded kindly to my email. Many thanks and prayers to the family as they cope with their loss. Such a talented and wonderful man.
My favorite author ever, for over 40 years. I miss his books and columns.
I have always enjoyed his books and the way he told a story. His writing is among the finest I have read. So sorry he is gone.
This isn’t my first contribution to this Well-Wishing message area, but two months later I feel I need to make one more contribution.
When I consider the many works of his which I read and enjoyed over the years, I am saddened that some things that were in progress will not be finished.
I have waited many years for the next installment of the Janissaries series, and recall that he had written that he was close to complete on it. I was the originator of the Wikipedia article “Janissairies series” back in 2006, and recall some discussion among other editors concerning the incompleteness of the series (with “Mamelukes” so long in the making), and this leads me to want to suggest that perhaps his previous collaborator on the series, Roland Green, might be engaged to finish the book? I’m sure Jerry would have preferred his good work not to go to waste.
I was so sad to learn today of Dr. Pournelle’s passing two months ago. It was mentioned in a web article about the Star Wars program.
I first started reading his works in 1969, when I was 19, a student at the University of Washington, and came across the non-SF adventure novel Red Heroin, set in Seattle, and describing perfectly the U District where I lived (with scenes in the cafes I frequented). The RAH endorsement on the book jacket convinced me to buy it, and I was hooked on his writing for life.
Of course, I read all of his SF novels, and enjoyed them, but just as important were his Byte articles, that I often discussed in depth with my father, who was a computer buff.
Dr. Pournelle, through his writing, had a tremendous influence on the person I came to be. I last checked his web site blog a year or two ago, and it appeared at that time that his health was slowing him down, which was sad. However, reviewing the posts in the few months before his passing showed me today that he had recovered and seemed back to his “normal” thoughtful and insightful self, right up to the end. That, at least, was a bright spot.
I wish his family, friends, and fans the best. His influence on many in my generation was tremendous and very positive.
I only met Dr. Pournelle once, at White Sands after the first public flight of DC-X, but he was a major influence on my life. I first read about the SSTO program in his Byte column, and I spent almost a decade trying to make it real on X-33. I'm afraid we let you down Jerry, but I would do it all again.
Thank you for the childhood pleasure of reading your fiction, the knowledge from A Step Further Out, and the inspiration to try to make the vision real.
We have lost one of the wise men of our age. I first encountered Dr. Pournelle’s works when I was in high school in the late 70s. In a pessimistic age, his books contained a sense of optimism that I found refreshing and invigorating.
Later on I was privileged to be able to read Dr. Pournelle’s commentary on this website. He conveyed much wisdom and sound thought, and again provided me a sense of reassurance in a seemingly insane world.
Our Lord in Heaven has surely welcomed you unto Himself, Dr. Pournelle. You are missed.
Our world lost a bit of its light. Having read his columns from the Byte days forward as well as having read many of his books I can state with no doubt whatsoever that Dr. Pournelle will be missed sorely. And he cannot be replaced. I remember the thrill of having him reply to an email or reply via this site, only a few times but each is a treasured memory.
My thoughts to his family and of course to the greater family he included all of us in.
Clear sailing and calm seas sir.
Farewell and thank you for years of entertaining education. Valhalla awaits.
We have lost a lot of computer pioneers lately – Jerry, David Bunell and a few others who weren’t as well know as Jerry. I have been following Chaos Manor off and on for years and have read many of his sci-fi books.
Condolences to the family. We share your sorrow.
He will be sorely missed. In these troubling times I will miss his insights and vast knowledge. I am so saddened that all else I can say is he will be remembered with great fondness and respect.
Jerry will be missed! I think he always addressed issues head on and gave sound economic and philosophical answers to current problems. And he was not afraid to admit things he didn’t know!
I hope the family and others will team up to keep his website and works available at low or minimal cost. They are very valuable, and it is convenient to have them online for quick access.