Editorial Review

This is a fantastic reference for writers interested--and all should be--in legal issues concerning contracts, collaboration, agents, defamation, copyright, taxes, and high-tech publishing. Authors Brad Bunnin and Peter Beren have written this guide with such style and clarity that you might find yourself reading it, rather than just consulting it. But that's okay: you can't help but feel empowered by having read such a thorough and, when appropriate, opinionated text. Consider, for instance, the book's first chapter, "The Publishing Contract." Contrary to what publishers tell you, Bunnin writes (Beren contributed the chapter on "The Author and the Business of Publishing"), there is no such thing as a standard book contract. In fact, he says, "virtually without exception, publishers willingly change contracts at the author's request." Bunnin proceeds to lead his readers, line by line over 63 pages, through every single element of a publishing contract, including the grants-of-rights clause; warranties and indemnities; royalties, revisions, and remainders; and "all that incomprehensible, apparently unimportant stuff at the back of the contract." Whether or not you've retained a literary lawyer to work on your behalf, you'll want a book such as this on your shelves, to refer to when you need advice on avoiding defamatory statements, protecting yourself against copyright infringement, or even knowing which home-office expenditures you may deduct come tax time. Read more

Reviews (6)

This novelist wouldn't do without it!
Without this book, I would never have been able to negotiate my first book contract.Bunnin and Beren gave me the necessary tools:book contract language and what it means, fair and unfair clauses, negotiating tactics, and how to get most of what I wanted.The sections on contracts alone are worth the price.They are by far the most valuable aspect of this book Knowledge really is power
Aside from writing every day and knowing his craft like a master, the best thing any writer can do for himself is to understand writing as a business. "The Writer's Legal Companion" is an excellent tool to get you started down that road. Never Sign the First Contract
To understand why, I will begin with a page on author-publisher contracts from my own book: Successful Nonfiction: Turning Thoughts into Books.Read more

Subjects:  1. Authors and publishers    2. Authorship    3. Composition & Creative Writing - General    4. Copyright    5. Handbooks & Manuals    6. Law    7. Popular works    8. Practical Guides    9. Reference    10. United States    11. Contract law    12. Intellectual property, copyright & patents    13. Jurisprudence & General Issues    14. Publishing industry    15. USA   

Subjects:  1. Computer Books: General    2. Computer Peripheral Equipment    3. Computers    4. Computers - Computer Security    5. Hardware - Peripherals    6. Security - General    7. Computers / Security   

Subjects:  1. Business & Financial    2. Business Aspects    3. Handbooks & Manuals    4. Intellectual Property - General    5. Law    6. Law and art    7. Legal Education    8. Legal Reference / Law Profession    9. Patent, Trademark, Copyright    10. United States    11. Business law    12. Industrial or vocational training    13. Legal skills & practice    14. Reference works   

Subjects:  1. Administrative Law & Regulatory Practice    2. Authors and publishers    3. Contracts    4. Copyright licences    5. General    6. Great Britain    7. Law    8. Legal Reference / Law Profession    9. Patent, Trademark, Copyright    10. Reference    11. English law: copyright    12. Intellectual property, copyright & patents    13. Language Arts & Disciplines / Communication   

Editorial Review

Whether you're a musician, writer, or collage artist, at some point you'll run into the problem of copyright.Nolo Press has come to the rescue with Read more

Reviews (6)

The Shortest Path to Understanding Copyright Issues
If you'd rather spend most of your time on your creative work rather than wade through the government's articles and circulars on copyright issues, I can't recommend this book enough. Getting Permission not only addresses common misunderstandings about copyright issues, but it provides clear instructions for getting permission if in fact you need to. Before I purchased this book, I was under the impression that you always had to request permission, but that isn't the case. This is one of the most valuable references you can own if the topic of copyright seems overwhelming, and I highly recommend that you read it before creating your masterpiece.

Excellent practical advice
I can't add much to the other reviews for this book, but I would like to add my two cents...
One-of-a-Kind Information
So many other books talk about how to protect your own intellectual property, or how you can get into trouble if you use someone else's material.Read more

Subjects:  1. Copyright    2. Copyright Law    3. Copyright licenses    4. Law    5. Legal Reference / Law Profession    6. Patent, Trademark, Copyright    7. Popular works    8. Practical Guides    9. Reference    10. United States    11. Computer programs    12. Law and legislation    13. Online information services   

Reviews (2)

Cato Institute Book Covers Some Issues
I read this book for a law course on current copyright law issues.The book is based off of a conference sponsored by the Cato Institute, so it has a libertarian slant.The first section on copyright theory is helpful if you aren't familiar with it, but I found that the arguments were basically the same ones I read in my copyright casebook.A large chunk of the book talks about the DMCA and in particular its anti-circumvention provision, with most of the writers complaining against it.The points they make can get repetitive, and I found myself skimming them after a while.I was disappointed that the writers weren't more creative about their topics; there are certainly other issues going on out there.There are a few chapters towards the end that talk about patents, and since I know nothing about patents and didn't get the book to learn about them I didn't bother with those chapters at all.

Yes!
If you are a copyright "nerd" (as I am) this book is a great addition to your collection.This book has some wonderful essays on the current issues facing the copyright world.I couldn't put it down, all of the essays are very thought provoking and well written.If you like books written by Lessig, Litman, and Siva, you will love this book. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Administrative Law & Regulatory Practice    2. Copyright and electronic data    3. Copyright and electronic data processing    4. General    5. Intellectual property    6. Political Science    7. Politics - Current Events    8. Politics / Current Events    9. Politics/International Relations    10. Reference    11. United States    12. Current Events / General    13. Intellectual property, copyright & patents    14. POLITICS & GOVERNMENT   

Reviews (7)

Lightweight, dependent on another book, and showing its age.
Mr. Glazier has the makings of a blockbuster PowerPoint presentation here; unfortunately, he stretched it into a book. Of nearly 200 pages, fully half is devoted to reprinting information (court cases, patent applications) which is available online for free. While convenient access to such detail might appeal to some, it is in sharp contrast to the broad-brush approach Mr. Glazier takes in his original text.
Wonderful book! Worth a fortune!
The new practical ideas in this book are very valuable.The case studies of how real businesses have used patent strategies in software and business methods bring to life how this can affect my business today to help the bottom line.The latest legal developments and cases are analyzed, but there is no useless lawyer-speak, instead the author brings out the rules for running a business profitably that are buried between the lines of the cases.Obviously, this author is on the front lines of the patent wars, and brings back here what he has learned that we can all use.Good for the CEO, Chairman, or General Counsel of any business that uses software or the internet, about how to use all that new patent mumbo-jumbo for revenue, profit and shareholder value.A great e-companion and update to the classic "Patent Strategies for Business" by the same author. terrible
This is a terrible book, a scam if you will.In the first place, charging [$$$]for a under 200 pages, and with very small demensions, is outright theft. Secondly, the book is merly a summary of court cases, which can be obtained freely on the internet or from the US patent office web site, in greater detail.Thirdly, the author repeats himself many, usually entire paragraphs worded in slightly different ways.I can only think is is an attempt to "pat" the book and add more pages. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Administrative Law & Regulatory Practice    2. Business & Financial    3. Intellectual Property - Patent    4. International    5. Law    6. Law / Patent, Trademark, Copyright    7. Legal Reference / Law Profession    8. Business    9. Electronic commerce    10. Intellectual property    11. Patent, Trademark, Copyright    12. Patents    13. Protection    14. Software   

Subjects:  1. Economic aspects    2. Economics - General    3. Intellectual Property - General    4. Intellectual property    5. Law    6. Legal Reference / Law Profession    7. Research    8. Study and teaching    9. Business & Economics / Business Law    10. Intellectual property, copyright & patents    11. Law / Intellectual Property    12. Operational research   

Subjects:  1. General    2. Intellectual Property - Copyright    3. Intellectual Property - General    4. Law    5. Legal Reference / Law Profession    6. Intellectual property, copyright & patents   

Subjects:  1. Administrative Law & Regulatory Practice    2. Copyright    3. Distance Education    4. Distance Education & Learning    5. Education    6. Fair use (Copyright)    7. Intellectual Property - General    8. Law Of Intellectual Property    9. Legal Reference / Law Profession    10. United States    11. Intellectual property, copyright & patents    12. Library, archive & information management    13. USA   

Subjects:  1. 1632-1704    2. Business & Economics    3. Business & Financial    4. Business/Economics    5. Copyright and electronic data    6. Copyright and electronic data processing    7. Franchising    8. Information Management    9. Information Technology    10. Intellectual Property - General    11. Intellectual property    12. Legal Reference / Law Profession    13. Locke, John,    14. Management Information Systems    15. Right of property    16. Business & Economics / Information Management    17. Intellectual property, copyright & patents   

Reviews (1)

Arnold Rocks!Super copyright and trademark literature!
If you're going to buy one copyright law reference book, make it this one!Robert Lutzker's father describes the intricacies of complex American legal standards like no one else.A great read for Amherst Collegestudents taking the course "Copyrighting's Fun" or anyone else. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Copyright    2. General    3. Intellectual Property - Copyright    4. Intellectual Property - Trademark    5. Law and legislation    6. Legal Reference / Law Profession    7. Mass media    8. Media & the Law    9. Performing Arts    10. Performing Arts/Dance    11. Trademarks    12. United States    13. Computers / Interactive Media    14. English law: copyright    15. English law: media & the law (press, radio, television)    16. Intellectual property, copyright & patents    17. USA   

Reviews (1)

R. Schultz
I highly recommend this book. This book provided me with insights on various Intellectual property disciplines. It helped guide me on the best new strategies, developments, and technologies in trademarks and unfair competition ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Business & Financial    2. Business Law    3. Competition, Unfair    4. Intellectual Property - General    5. Intellectual Property - Trademark    6. Law    7. Law Of Intellectual Property    8. Law and legislation    9. Legal Reference / Law Profession    10. Trademarks    11. United States    12. English law: intellectual property    13. Intellectual property, copyright & patents    14. Law / Intellectual Property    15. USA   

Reviews (1)

Authoritative and essential
This is one of two books that are essential resources for software acquisition - "Software Agreements Line by Line" (ISBN 1587623692) for commercial software, and this one for open source.Read more

Subjects:  1. Computer programs    2. Copyright    3. Free computer software    4. Industrial Technology    5. Intellectual Property    6. Intellectual Property - Copyright    7. Internet - General    8. Law    9. Law and legislation    10. Legal Reference / Law Profession    11. Open source software    12. Patent, Trademark, Copyright    13. Technology    14. United States    15. Privacy & data protection    16. Software engineering   

Reviews (2)

Cost
The book has some interesting information but it is certainly not worth the cost.Many of the legal conclusions seem unsupported and the text is poorly edited.

Up to the "right this minute" commentary!
Looking for a very good layman's explaination of Intellectual Property? This thorough explaination of the newest frontier of law is exactly what you need. The best part, reference charts and websites will help you"zoom" into the subject matter! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Intellectual Property    2. Law    3. Law Of Intellectual Property    4. Law Office Administration    5. Law Office Education    6. Law and legislation    7. Legal Reference / Law Profession    8. Patent laws and legislation    9. Patent, Trademark, Copyright    10. Trademarks    11. United States    12. Industrial or vocational training    13. Intellectual property, copyright & patents    14. Law / Patent, Trademark, Copyright    15. Legal skills & practice    16. Office & workplace   

Subjects:  1. Critical legal studies    2. Cultural policy    3. Intellectual Property - General    4. Intellectual property    5. Law    6. Law Of Intellectual Property    7. Legal Reference / Law Profession    8. Popular Culture    9. Popular Culture - General    10. Sociology    11. United States    12. Anthropology    13. Cultural studies    14. English law: intellectual property    15. Intellectual property, copyright & patents   

Subjects:  1. Intellectual Property    2. Intellectual Property - General    3. Legal Reference / Law Profession    4. Business & Management    5. Civil law (general works)    6. Intellectual property, copyright & patents    7. USA   

Reviews (1)

Essential reading for anyone creating intellectual property
This is a book whose content is something that I should have read years ago. I am a part-time college instructor, have my own business and edit material for publication. In all three of these areas, questions and conflicts regarding intellectual property have arisen.
Read more

Subjects:  1. Intellectual Property    2. Intellectual Property - General    3. Law    4. Law Of Intellectual Property    5. Legal Reference / Law Profession    6. Engineering: general    7. Intellectual property, copyright & patents    8. Law / Patent, Trademark, Copyright    9. Law as it applies to other professions    10. Science: General Issues    11. USA   

Editorial Review

One of the things that attracts some people to lawyers and repels the rest of us is their ability to see and create loopholes. If the law is an ass, it is a very clever one.This book, by a University of Pennsylvania law professor, investigates the loophole phenomenon to a fare-thee-well.Want to use damaging information about a competitor to keep her away from an interview for a job you're both vying for, but don't want to violate the extortion statutes? Then see p. 2. Mad enough at your son to want to burn his house down with him in it but don't want to get convicted of first-degree murder? The recipe for that is on p. 38. Katz serves up a rich variety of examples and their variations to arrive at a general theory of what lawyers are doing when they -- legally -- walk their clients around a law. Truth be told though, the examples are a lot more compelling than the theory. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

I like the way he thinks
I'm turning into quite a fan of Leo Katz. I was so impressed by his _Bad Acts and Guilty Minds_ that I picked this one up almost at once. And it's just as good.Read more

Subjects:  1. Commercial crimes    2. Criminology    3. Ethics & Moral Philosophy    4. Extortion    5. Fraud    6. General    7. Law    8. Legal Reference / Law Profession    9. Social Science    10. Tax evasion    11. United States    12. Criminal law    13. Intellectual property, copyright & patents    14. Jurisprudence & philosophy of law    15. True Crime / General    16. USA   

Subjects:  1. Business & Financial    2. Handbooks, manuals, etc    3. Intellectual Property - General    4. Intellectual Property - Patent    5. Inventions    6. Inventors    7. Law    8. Law and legislation    9. Legal Reference / Law Profession    10. Patents Law    11. Popular works    12. Science/Mathematics    13. Taxation    14. United States