Review: One star for dishonest publishing (5 for the writing)
Rating: 1 out of 5
Date: 07 16, 2012
Karen Anderson's note really should say it all. While Amazon apparently doesn't want the details of the copyright dispute to be included in reviews, they can be discovered easily through Google-- query Poul Anderson, copyright dispute, and Project Gutenberg.Simple decency says that, when an author's widow is dependent on the authorized sale of his works for her livelihood, we shouldn't be sending our money to for-profit publishers who aren't paying the family their royalties.This isn't merely a case of disputed legal opinions regarding arcane copyright laws. This is a real flesh-and-blood human being, the woman Poul Anderson loved and to whom he was married for some 48 years, who is being damaged. The only ethical response we as readers of Anderson's work should have is to endeavor to do what we think he would have wanted regarding his work. Anderson's work is delightful and worth reading and re-reading; for that very reason, we should honor its author by purchasing authorized versions.We always have a choice, but somehow, the enrichment of 'Ignacio Hills Press' at the expense of Karen (Kruse) Anderson doesn't seem to be a very good choice.