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John Gall
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The Systems Bible: The Beginner's Guide to Systems Large and Small Paperback – January 1, 2003

by John Gall (Author)
4.3 out of 5 stars 293 ratings
Book is in Good condition
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  1. Print length
    316 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    General Systemantics Pr
  4. Publication date
    January 1, 2003
  5. Dimensions
    6 x 0.75 x 8.75 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    0961825170
  7. ISBN-13
    978-0961825171
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Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ General Systemantics Pr (January 1, 2003)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 316 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0961825170
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0961825171
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.05 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6 x 0.75 x 8.75 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.3 out of 5 stars 293 ratings

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John Gall

John Gall

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Customer reviews

4.3 out of 5 stars
293 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find the book insightful and entertaining, with one review noting it's a great resource for learning about systems and systems thinking. Moreover, the book receives positive feedback for its humor, with customers describing it as hilarious, and one review highlighting its sarcastic and provocative style that challenges assumptions.

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24 customers mention "Knowledge"21 positive3 negative

Customers find the book insightful and thought-provoking, with one customer noting its comprehensive coverage of system operation examples.

"...after 50 years of working as a professional, and this book is the best description of "how things actually work" I've yet to meet...." Read more

"...Just don't think it's a "Bible". It's a good thought exercise and will give you another lens to view your systems through, but it is by no..." Read more

"...Life itself is a complex system and there are many non-intuitive insights that the author provides that have helped me be a more effective person at..." Read more

"...these aphorisms, oh Student, are based on a Lifelong and Deep Study Of Systemantics, and proposed as semi-serious Laws (like Murphys)...." Read more

11 customers mention "Humor"11 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the book's humor, finding it hilarious, with one customer noting its sarcastic and provocative style that challenges assumptions.

"...What's more, this book brings it to you with a great sense of humor, in itself a vehicle to open up to John Gall's geniality in analyzing our castle..." Read more

"I enjoy this refined manual on systems. The style sarcastic and provocative challenges your assumptions and keep you thinking...." Read more

"...Full of insight and wrought with wit, this book explains the strange world we live in by analyzing its various systems--from garbage collection to..." Read more

"A brilliant, witty, magisterial work that magnifies and analyzes so many dysfunctional aspects of systems...." Read more

5 customers mention "Entertainment value"5 positive0 negative

Customers find the book entertaining, with one mentioning it's a fun read for systems enthusiasts.

"...But it is very entertaining and it dispenses some very useful insight into why complex systems that work are very difficult to develop...." Read more

"...Otherwise, the book itself is entertaining...." Read more

"This book is cheeky and has the same edge of its time. It's engaging and a fun read for systems lovers. Highly recommend." Read more

"Somewhat entertaining, but uninteresting and useless, despite its pretensions." Read more

Top reviews from the United States

  • Solextre
    5.0 out of 5 stars Written so cleverly it almost seems like a joke - but it's very real
    Reviewed in the United States on August 18, 2021
    Verified Purchase
    I've retired after 50 years of working as a professional, and this book is the best description of "how things actually work" I've yet to meet.

    No math, no academic phrases; just plain English that explains why, for example, you can never seem to get your prototype system to scale up - or why the new plan always seems to return results that are no better than the old chaos.

    Systemantics belongs up there with Parkinson's Law and The Peter Principle as books that every manager, if not every human, should read.
    13 people found this helpful
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  • DMH
    4.0 out of 5 stars Critical Theory for "Systems". Good thought exercise but NOT a "Bible".
    Reviewed in the United States on April 7, 2018
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    This book - either you seem to hate it or love it. I enjoyed it for what I believe (or at least hope) it is supposed to be. It is designed to get you really thinking about systems in general. It has definitely helped me see things differently. A key takeaway for me is the idea that a properly functioning system should generate a minimal amount of "messages". It's been very hard to come up with effective ways to measure the efficiency of processes I manage. Now I can see a much easier way to get a general read on efficiency: how much message traffic (emails, phone calls, IM's) is required to complete a task?

    Now for the bad. This is really Critical Theory as applied to Systems. It does a good job of highlighting weaknesses but offers no real solutions. It's great to get you thinking but like Critical Theory in general, you'll need to come up with solutions on your own. The author also undermines his own credibility by being pretty obvious about his biases.He is very much a part of the "you can't hug your children with nuclear arms" crowd and it undermines his credibility to some extent. Everyone is entitled to their views but the simplistic examples make you start to question the author's intent.

    This is why I call it Critical Theory. It's very easy to cherry-pick your facts to bash something you don't like, especially when you don't consider benefits or alternatives. You can string together a bunch of facts about Oil Supertankers to make them seem silly but neglect to mention where the gas in your car comes from.

    A quick example of his bias and simplistic analysis: in attempting to criticize Military systems he uses the example of what was the M1 Abrams tank, new when this book was first written.

    "The latest model Tank for the U.S. Armed Forces are so designed that the engine must be removed in order to change the oil, a procedure that must be performed every few hundred miles. Huge cranes - themselves armored - must follow the Tanks into battle to ensure proper servicing."

    Yes, these facts themselves are true for the most part, but even a little bit of research will give you the real story. Or, simply ask a Vet. The M1 has a turbine engine that is removed as an entire pack for quick replacement in the field. Oil changes are a bit different than crawling under your Honda. It's use on the battlefield might be a little bit different, too.

    Overall, I like this book because it approaches systems from a different angle and really makes you think about then in a different light. However, you really need to be aware of the author's selective biases as you think about the implications of your own systems and processes. Just don't think it's a "Bible". It's a good thought exercise and will give you another lens to view your systems through, but it is by no means a complete reference to Systems or System design.
    60 people found this helpful
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  • RDaly
    5.0 out of 5 stars This is a great book for anyone regardless of whether or not you ...
    Reviewed in the United States on September 22, 2016
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    This is a great book for anyone regardless of whether or not you are involved in technology related to complex systems. Life itself is a complex system and there are many non-intuitive insights that the author provides that have helped me be a more effective person at both the professional and personal level. Much of what he wrote about systems was before computers were everywhere yet seems to apply directly to computers as well. Granted, this is not a strict theoretical treatment of the subject of complexity and systems. But it is very entertaining and it dispenses some very useful insight into why complex systems that work are very difficult to develop. This book is a must-read for anyone that works in a large organization (public or private) or has to interact effectively with a large organization.
    7 people found this helpful
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  • Nicholas Lesiecki
    3.0 out of 5 stars Fascinating but Irritating
    Reviewed in the United States on May 24, 2016
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    The aspiring Student of Systemantics embarks upon a tour of systems Large and Small with the Humble But Wise Author, whose approach to the subject may be summarized thus:

    ANNOUNCING PITHY QUOTABLES IN ALL CAPS

    Luckily these aphorisms, oh Student, are based on a Lifelong and Deep Study Of Systemantics, and proposed as semi-serious Laws (like Murphys). The approach wisdom in the limit, but often seem to rest on

    ASSERTING THEM WITH CONFIDENCE

    and when that fails, the Extremely Humble, But Very Perceptive Author can resort to

    PROOF BY ONE MADE UP EXAMPLE

    ~~
    I want to like this book, but the whole thing reads like the prose above, and want Gall to settle down and spend time exploring his genuine nsights, and explaing why systems behave the way they do rather than Just Asserting That They're Weird.
    55 people found this helpful
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  • Leonardo Wild
    5.0 out of 5 stars Essential to Understand our World
    Reviewed in the United States on October 3, 2011
    Verified Purchase
    I first found a copy of Systemantics: How Systems Work and Especially How They Fail. It was the first edition of The Systems Bible. If you wonder why the world cannot be fixed by creating more systems, this book is for you. Even if you haven't wondered, this book is still for everyone who likes to ask questions and wants clear answers. In short, the system does not do what the systems says it's doing, and reality is what is being reported to the system. Clear insights like these allow you to recognize the absurdity of so many things we take for granted. What's more, this book brings it to you with a great sense of humor, in itself a vehicle to open up to John Gall's geniality in analyzing our castle of cards.
    11 people found this helpful
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  • Charles F. Tutt
    4.0 out of 5 stars Thought Provoking
    Reviewed in the United States on April 7, 2024
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    I plan to read this book again—this time to capture notes on work I’m doing.

    I’d recommend this book to anyone in business, government, or academia. You’ll certainly get some ah ha realizations.
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  • Carlos Arias
    5.0 out of 5 stars A bit pessimistic but brilliant nevertheless
    Reviewed in the United States on August 26, 2019
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    I enjoy this refined manual on systems. The style sarcastic and provocative challenges your assumptions and keep you thinking. I found it a bit pessimistic because systems (not all of them!!!) are the foundation and the way societies reinvent themselves. I liked the image about that the parts of a plane fight the purpose of flying but in the right combination and the due maintenance they are able to fly! So are systems...
    One person found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

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  • Kostas
    5.0 out of 5 stars Useful, fun, easy to read
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on March 18, 2024
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    A very interesting book about how things work! Written in an accessible, tongue in cheek way makes it a solid good companion and a quick and fun read!
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  • Kaz Kearns
    4.0 out of 5 stars Good addition to my profession library
    Reviewed in Australia on November 7, 2019
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    Some really interesting principles and guidelines to appreciate systems thinking from.
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  • Christian Pier
    5.0 out of 5 stars Die Welt ein bisschen besser verstehen
    Reviewed in Germany on January 16, 2015
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    Systeme haben eine Eigendynamik. Man kann über Systeme keine Kontrolle erhalten und oft tun Systeme nicht das, was man von ihnen erwartet oder wofür sie geschaffen wurden. Was zuerst sehr theoretisch klingt, wird mit vielen Beispielen aus der Praxis überzeugend erklärt.
    In der ersten Hälfte des Buches erfährt man, dass sich daran nichts ändern lässt. In der zweiten Hälfte erfährt man, warum das gar nicht schlimm ist und wie man diese Erkenntnis für sich nutzen kann.
    Die englische Sprache sollte man sehr gut beherrschen, um an diesem Buch bis zum Ende Spaß zu haben.
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  • Jifising
    4.0 out of 5 stars for systematic sinners
    Reviewed in France on June 13, 2016
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    fun and witty , enjoy a sample :
    "At 2 AM on Sunday, October 27, 1985, Amtrak trains all over the United States ground to a halt and remained motionless for a solid hour. Bewildered passengers were informed that the nation was switching back to Standard Time from Daylight Saving Time, and the trains were waiting for the clock to catch up."
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  • Gerardo Hernandez
    3.0 out of 5 stars Not as good as expected
    Reviewed in Mexico on July 8, 2020
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    The explanation is hard to follow, the axioms are explained vaguely using examples that are non-recurrent (and some of them come from engineering complexities), and there’s no proposed clear solutions for the problems that are posed.
    Anyhow, some axioms maybe useful as food for thought.
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