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
Dr. Pournell was a “renaissance” man with SO many interests, talents, and contributions. He seemed able to master any topic that was worthy of his attention. Looking back to Byte and Chaos Manor, and at his treasure chest of sci-if writings, it seems clear that we have lost a giant resource. Rest In Peace.
At the risk of being self centered, I find myself wanting to post again. I once had an exchange with Dr Pournelle concerning the launching lasers employed by the Moties in THE MOTE IN GOD’S EYE. In my blundering attempts to write some hard Sci Fi emulating Jerry Pournelle’s as well as Larry Niven and others, I did some actual number crunching on the performance of lightsails. It turns out that the equation for a light sail’s kinetic energy as it accellerates from a star is very similar to the equation for gravitational potential energy. The mass to surface area ratio of the light sail and payload is analogous to the Mass of the central body. When you actually crunch the numbers as Dr Pournelle’s writings taught me to do, the Motie’s launching lasers were really redundant! More importantly, if launching lasers were used to boost the light sail, the duration should have been relatively brief or the lasers would have been far to feeble to light up the New Caledonia system.
When I communicated these surprising results to Dr Pournelle, he admitted that he and Niven had indulged in some poetic license regarding the performance of the Motie lightsail. They wanted to have the launching lasers to be extremely visible for years for dramatic effect. The light of the launching lasers inspired the Church of Him. They also minimized the accelleration and velocity of the lightsail so that it could be launched during the intergnum after the fall of the first empire then arrive after the Second Empire is established. Jerry was bemused that I had read the book repeatedly without ever doing the math to question the premiss.
This was yet another valuable lesson.
May God rest Dr. Pournelle’s soul after his many labors, which were so well performed. May He also comfort the family, in their loss.
Dr. Pournelle was more than a gracious correspondent; He was like a wise grandfather to me (and surely to many). Mr. Heinlein taught us to think about freedom. Dr. Pournelle taught is *how* to do that thinking, and about all the ancillary items that are prerequisites to maintaining it. His wisdom and clear analysis were a needed guide, but now they are a challenge. May at least some of us prove at least half so wise in guiding those who come behind. He really did pay it forward, and with compound interest!
My sincerest condolences to Dr. Pournelle’s family and friends. His wit and wisdom will be sorely missed by all.
We are all better for having read your works all these decades.
Jerry’s column in BYTE was always the first thing I turned to when a new issue arrived. But it was through his journal here that I came to appreciate his insights into society, history, politics, and current events. I will miss him. We’ve lost a national treasure.
I was stunned when I read the post last week.
The good doctor will be sorely missed by me. I was simultaneously introduced to both his fiction (‘Footfall’) and Chaosmanor in the 80’s and have been a fan and supporter ever since. I loved the healthy skepticism that he brought to things and his discussions of political, scientific and world events was always respected by me.
My condolences to his family and friends.
May you be reborn in a happy wonderful family and have a long and long and blissful life.
You and your writings had a great impact on me, first as a little kid who wanted to be an astronaut, later influencing me to major in Political Science at college and serve a 30-year career as an Army officer. Thanks and Godspeed, Sir.
My condolences to the Pournelle family. I have enjoyed reading Jerry’s column in BYTE since the early days, and only recently discovered the current blog. He usually had insightful comments about life, the Universe, and everything.
I will miss his writings – the world is poorer for his passing.
David Murphy, Adelaide, South Australia
Godspeed Jerry. You have had a huge impact on me and millions of others. Many of our future scientists and writers will benefit from your grace,brains,and wisdom.
By deepest condolences to Jerry’s family,friends,and admirers.
He addressed a session at Boskone 2012. He was interesting as always. I enjoyed his writings on various topics, and feel sad that they will now end.
I am so sorry for your loss. I have been reading Jerry’s stuff on and off since the 70’s. He was the master of the military science fiction novel. I had always wanted to see a movie made about the adventures of John Christian Falkenberg and the CoDominium.
Jerry was one of my favorite authors and his works have and continue to have a huge impact on my thinking and doing in this world. I shall miss him but his words and works will be shared with my children and grandchildren.
He was one of the greats of science fiction and freedom.
I am deeply saddened to hear of Jerry’s passing from this world to the next. I had some brief email correspondence with him a few years ago. I have been a reader of his work all of my adult life. His words and wisdom have inspired me and will continue to do so. My sincerest condolences to Dr. Pournelle’s family and friends.
My condolences to his family. I have been a fan of Jerry’s fiction since childhood and followed his computer columns since the 80’s and a regular at the Chaos Manor web journal since the 90’s. I have been entertained and educated by him for almost all of my life and will miss him tremendously.
Jerry’s writing and insight, and his commitment to ideas, reason, and freedom are inspiring. We are left with much, but will miss him in the here and now. My most sincere condolences to his family and friends.
will forever miss the Master of Chaos Manor – the whipped cream and cherry topping in every issue of byte magazine.
I am so sorry to see him go. He was brilliant to the very end. He had my attention at Byte and later at Chaos Manor and he guided many of my thoughts. Perhaps there will be an association of readers publishing their continuing inputs. Please advise on this forum if there is such an effort. Thanks and so long Jerry!
Thank You