Books with dead authors

[nexus-6-mariner]

A couple of years ago i bought a new copy of Mein Kampf from Waterstone's. Only today whilst reading a book on persecution of jews did i start to think. Mein Kampf's author is quite obviously and thankfully, dead. Now i know absolutely nothing about authors, publishers and money earnt from writing a book, but i know there are some authors who use this site so here's my question.

Where does the slice of money earmarked for the author go when said author is dead? Or is the author just paid a wodge of cash when the book comes out?

Tha same thought occured to me about other books i've recently read like Victor Klemperer's diaries. Rudolph Hoess' Commandant of Auschwitz. My shelves are littered with dead authors so who gets my cash?

Thanks in advance.

[Andy Harris]

I think that the author's estate (meaning his wife and kids) usually get the money. I know that's the case with JRR Tolkein. His offspring have done quite well as a result of the increased Hobbit/Rings trilogy sales, after the movies.

[bigschuss]

Well here's a question, who profits when Mein Kampf is sold in my local Barnes and Noble? Does somebody own the copyright to that book? Is it public domain?

[Adrian Stevenson]

Profits from the book:

http://www.newstatesman.com/200106250039

Cheers, Ade.

[bigschuss]

Wow! What a great article. Thanks for that link.

Blair

[Jono]

I wondered the same thing after i bought my copy of Mein Kampf.
Actually purchasing it was kind of harrowing. I stood in the aisle and waited for the checkout to be clear until i took it up, so I wouldn't have to stand in line holding onto it!
The girl at the checkout looked very, very surprised and when she asked if i wanted a bag i said "yes please!" a little too quickly and loudly!

Its quite funny now, looking back

[Theodor]

Some countries are mentioned in the article, but there is also one more country, where it was publshed after 1989 /twice, I think/ and is sold freely

[Adrian Stevenson]

I read a late 1930's dated English printed example which my friend's Dad happened to own. I was 16 at the time. It still had the dust jacket with comments from a couple of English critics saying what a wonderful book it was... I bet they felt pretty stupid a couple of years later. Even though it is a load of old rubbish, Hitler's aims in it were very clear from the start. A few weeks later I read "Das Kapital", this was hard work too and again a load of rubbish.

Cheers, Ade.

[Stahlhelm]

Good question! I'm not sure I have the answer, but I'll at least tell you what I think.

Sometimes, stuff like this winds up in what's called the "public domain." That's the case with lots of clasical music, old B movies, and some writings. That just means that anyone can print it, record it, publish it, etc., because no one has a copywright on it or cares anymore, for whatever reason. I had previously thought that Mein Kampf might be in the public domain, as well.

I guess another good way to answer the question is to start looking in currently-published copies of Mein Kampf, and see who, if anyone, has an exclusive copywright on it, at this time. If it's just many different publishers with no one claiming to have a copywright, then I'd say public domain is currently the answer. I am actually now interested enough that I will begin to check this out myself. I'll let you know what I find later.

Chris

[Warren O]

Praise to you patient people that can read through Mein Kampf.
Albert Speers post war autobiography is a much easier read even though it's near a thousand pages.....

[Stahlhelm]

I've actually never read Mein Kampf. I've considered buying Albert Speer's autobiography, especially since it's at the local used book store for $10.00.

Chris

[Jono]

I think Mein Kampf is worth a read. It is of course, full of anti semetic rantings that don't make sense, half truths and whole lies (follow the footnotes otherwise it will get very confusing) but it does give an insight into how he thought. It really does show what a nut-case he was. For someone in this hobby i think its worth a read.

[Stahlhelm]

Jono,

You've just convinced me to get a copy of Mein Kampf and read it. The more I think about it, I'm not really sure why I haven't read it already. I'd say it is about the best way to get a look inside his mind and see exactly what he was thinking. Not that his thoughts would be of any particular value, but it would at least satisfy some curiosity I have had. Besides, I don't think it would matter if I added yet another book to my already overflowing library. Every time I say I've bought my last one, there's always another!

Chris