Without Copyrights

Intellectual property rights are a necessity for the real world motivation of the producers of intellectual property. Similarly, and sometimes in opposition, are the necessities of the promulgators of such property. Do you want to distribute the works of a British author in the U.S.? Well, at one point, that was fine . . . as long as their works were printed here. Tactics ranging from court orders to the giveaway printing of low cost copies have been employed for just that sort of lock on competition.

In the 1960’s a slow process of U.S. copyright for J. R. R. Tolkien’s trilogy resulted in a frankly pirated publication of his vast intellectual legacy in the United States – a theft of almost unimaginable magnitude. The author does recount recurring outbreaks of civility and probity in the publishing field, and in fact advocates and hopes for evolution toward a modern and tolerant cooperation.

This book has within it extensive notes, a comprehensive bibliography, and is a leisurely, considered stroll through more than a century’s jurisprudence and legislation. I cannot even attempt to summarize it. I can only suggest, most strongly, that if you are a writer, publisher, or dedicated reader, that you purchase and peruse it.