Jerry Pournelle RIP
I learned today that one of my favourite science fiction authors, Dr Jerry Pournelle, died earlier this year at the age of 84.
Pounelle was born in Shreveport, Louisiana, and served in the U.S. Army during the Korean war. Afterwards, he studied at the University of Washington, where he graduated with three degrees including a Ph. D in political science.
He was the co-author with Larry Niven of "The Mote in God's Eye," which in my humble opinion is probably the best "First Contact" novel of all time and a great many other novels and non-fiction works written either on his own or in collaboration with other authors, particularly Niven and Steven Barnes.
He is also remembered for defining what he called the "Iron Law of Bureaucracy" as follows:
...in any bureaucratic organization there will be two kinds of people: those who work to further the actual goals of the organization, and those who work for the organization itself.
Examples in education would be teachers who work and sacrifice to teach children, vs. union representatives who work to protect any teacher including the most incompetent.
The Iron Law states that in all cases, the second type of person will always gain control of the organization, and will always write the rules under which the organization functions."
There were a number of projects he was working on which I am most disappointed that neither I nor anyone else will get to read as he would have finished them.
Rest in Peace.
Pounelle was born in Shreveport, Louisiana, and served in the U.S. Army during the Korean war. Afterwards, he studied at the University of Washington, where he graduated with three degrees including a Ph. D in political science.
He was the co-author with Larry Niven of "The Mote in God's Eye," which in my humble opinion is probably the best "First Contact" novel of all time and a great many other novels and non-fiction works written either on his own or in collaboration with other authors, particularly Niven and Steven Barnes.
He is also remembered for defining what he called the "Iron Law of Bureaucracy" as follows:
...in any bureaucratic organization there will be two kinds of people: those who work to further the actual goals of the organization, and those who work for the organization itself.
Examples in education would be teachers who work and sacrifice to teach children, vs. union representatives who work to protect any teacher including the most incompetent.
The Iron Law states that in all cases, the second type of person will always gain control of the organization, and will always write the rules under which the organization functions."
There were a number of projects he was working on which I am most disappointed that neither I nor anyone else will get to read as he would have finished them.
Rest in Peace.
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