Comments on: RIP James P. Hogan (1940 – 2010)

By: Bev Freed

Bev Freed — Tue, 20 Jul 2010 23:24:22 +0000

My first encounter with Jim’s work was Inherit the Stars when first published. We met years later and became great friends, swapping thoughts, fantasies, and ideas even long distance across the ocean late at night/early in the morning over the years. It didn’t matter. He seemed to have energy for anything at anytime. I helped him with background notes and geographic details for one of his novels. I built his first Web site and helped his son take it over. My thoughts go to the last time we chatted, and I am so glad that I kept all his letters. He had a knack for writing wonderfully entertaining letters.

By: John McLaughlin

John McLaughlin — Sun, 18 Jul 2010 02:11:47 +0000

I’ll always consider myself extremely lucky that I knew Jim Hogan personally. But then, Jim was a very open guy, and made it so easy that even if you didn’t know him, should you happen to run into him at a con party, for example, he’d make you feel as if you did.

It’s therefore particularly upsetting that in the wake of his passing, I find I can’t google around and read what people have to say about Jim — what a nice guy he was, what a spectacular con guest, how incredibly well he treated his fans, how his books were so imaginative and clever that even professional physicists wrote admiring reviews.

I can’t, because I keep coming across people blathering about the Holocaust denial thing and completely derailing any sort of rational discourse. Folks, the man who wrote “The Proteus Operation” was NOT a Holocaust denier. I know this because two friends and I happened to be visiting him while he was writing it, and he told us a lot about the things that inspired him.

It was a great weekend — we had originally planned to visit for just a few hours, but as the day ran on into evening, and evening into late night, he refused to let us make the long drive back from Sonora, and put the three of us up for the night. The next morning Jim took us out for breakfast before he sent us on our way.

We’ve lost another of the great ones; and it’s just plain sad that not enough people know it.

By: Sonoma Lass

Sonoma Lass — Fri, 16 Jul 2010 01:29:50 +0000

I am very sad to hear this. Inherit the Stars is one of the books that got me hooked on science fiction. Mr. Hogan was a fine writer.

By: Jacklyn Hogan

Jacklyn Hogan — Thu, 15 Jul 2010 05:13:49 +0000

On a good day James could charm the honey from a queen bee’s mouth. I loved watching him create worlds, give life to characters, and create chaos to allow those characters to grow. I saw how much of himself he put into writing those books. My heart ached when I got news of his death. Our sons are devastated. He leaves behind the best of himself and we will find comfort in our memories of him and in his works. My prayers go out to Sheryl and his Daughters Tina, Jane and Debbie.

By: Jonathan Vos Post

Jonathan Vos Post — Wed, 14 Jul 2010 15:45:01 +0000

Jim was always kind to me and my family, and fun to be around. He exemplified the rational quest for problem solving, and had been the top salesman of computers at DEC, and then trainer of salesman, because he loved asking the scientists, engineers, glass or steel or paper manufacturers, or physicians, what they actually did, with genuine and enthusiastic curiosity. Then he would tell them what computer would help, which was often NOT the more expensive one that the company wanted him to push.

He put his money where his mouth was on libertarian ideals. He gave me good career advice, patiently explained the benefits of informed choice and tolerance, sexual liberation, nonviolence, and was one of the best room-mates I ever had to save money on an overseas Worldcon. He never asked for his share of the room charges, and was pleased when I repaid him at the next Worldcon — he’d have done it gratis for a friend in need, but was satisfied that I honored even an implicit oral contract.

He wasted no time with pursuits that he thought unimportant, such as sports. He focused with laser coherence on the big questions of what the universe was and how it worked; on what it meant to be human; and what was the role of a human in that cosmos.

I wish the best for Sheryl and the children, who will miss him even more than I do, and my heart is broken.

By: Jacqueline Lichtenberg

Jacqueline Lichtenberg — Wed, 14 Jul 2010 15:43:54 +0000

I am so very sorry to hear this news. James P. Hogan was a great writer and a good person. He will be missed even by those who have never heard of him or read his work.