Though it weighs less and its tone is lighter, this work can best be thought of as a counterweight to Ludwig von Bertalanffy's General System Theory.
John Gall was a pediatrician, and both children and families make more than a cameo appearance:
"Loose Systems Last Longer and Function Better ... consider the System of the Family ... Our close primate relatives, the gorillas, form family units consisting of husband and wife and one or more offspring. As Jane Goodall has shown, gorillas take naps after meals. (Every day is Sunday for large primates.) The youngsters wake up too soon, get bored and start monkeying around the nest. Father gorilla eventually wakes up, leans on one elbow, and fixes the errant youngster with a penetrating stare that speaks louder than words. The offending juvenile thereupon stops his irritating hyperactivity, at least for a few minutes. Clearly, this is a functioning family."
Gall, John [Christian] (1925-2014). The systems bible: the beginner's guide to systems large and small / being the third edition of Systemantics. Drawings by D[uane] H. Gall (1956-), David Martinez originally published in 1975 as General systemantics by General Systemantics Press, an expanded edition was issued in 1986 by Quadrangle, an imprint of New York Times Book Company in both hard-cover and trade paperback format the work was translated into Japanese, Italian, Spanish and German (not always with the author's permission), and pirated copies of earlier edition texts can still be found on the internet. Publication — Walker, Minnesota: General Systemantics Press, 2021 ©2002, 1995 3rd revised, expanded edition, 2015 printing. Physical — 8º Black lettering on stiff, glossy white and red card covers still in publisher's shrinkwrap price on rear cover a fine copy. 9 × 6 × ¾" (22.9 × 15.8 × 1.9cm) 1lb 1oz (475gm) 9½" (24 cm) minimum shelving xxv+[1]+315+[3 pub. ads]pp. B/W illustrations: Murphy's law in pen & ink drawings biblography: p.279-282 index: p.283-315. IDs —ISBN: 0-9618251-7-0 LCCN: 2002-95534 British Library (earlier editions): 009114248 009373898 011986092 013882627 OCLC: 488 252 293 Classification — Library of Congress: PN6231 .S93 G3 2002 Dewey: 03/.0207 BISG Subject Code: sci064000 · Science / System Theory. Subjects — System theory--Humor System theory Systems analysis Philosophy of science Non-fiction.