Pynchon-L Public Discourse?

[Bruce Appelbaum]

     I few years ago, somebody was planning a bio of Iris Murdoch and had 
     one of those author query letters in the NY Times Book Review seeking 
     copies of correspondence from IM for use in the book.  IM (or her 
     representatives) quickly had a letter published in the NYTBR saying 
     that the contents of the letters were not public domain, that 
     permission for their use would not be forthcoming, and the author and 
     publisher would be sued should they be used in the book.  I don't know 
     if the bio was ever published.


______________________________ Reply Separator _________________________________
Subject: Re: Pynchon-L Public Discourse?
Author:  "Henry Musikar" <gravity at nicom.com> at Internet
Date:    4/23/97 9:57 PM


How about snail mail? If I receive a letter from you, is it mine or 
yours? Can I (legally) publish it without your permission. I'm just 
askin'.
     
On 23 Apr 97 at 21:35, jester <jester at snet.net> wrote:
     
> Hi all, 
> 
> Just some thoughts...
> 
>         Pynchon-L Public Discourse? 
> 
> Hmm... doesn't one have to be a member of the list to recieve the 
> posts? They are archived on the Web and publically available, but 
> the people posting EXPECTED the posts only to be read by list
> members.  Though email is certainly NOT private and CAN be accessed 
> by "others," there is FAIR EXPECTATION that email is generally
> private, and certainly there is FAIR EXPECTATION that it will not be 
> used (published or anthologized) without the author's permission if 
> it is to be profited from, as Jules and his publisher will certainly 
> profit from this book.  It's not private, but it is OWNED. In many
> ways, email is SELF-PUBLISHED onto the internet by the poster, and
> thus that poster never relinquishes legal rights to the work, he/she 
> only allows it to freely exist in the electronic arena (not
> downloaded and published in paper form for PROFIT). 
> 
> Just some thoughts... I may be wrong... but...   JJ "Jester"
     
AsB4,
Henry Musikar
     
Keep cool, but care. -- TRP
Moderation in moderation. -- Husky Mariner