avg_rating: 3.31
name: Roger Rapoport
about: As a newspaper and magazine writer and aviation specialist Roger Rapoport has written in all 50 states, 6 Canadian provinces, and 30 foreign countries. A lifelong sailor and enthusiastic kayaker, he has traveled extensively throughout the Great Lakes, along the St. Lawrence Seaway and the Atlantic Coast.Roger Rapoport graduated with a Bachelor's of Arts in Journalism in 1968 from the University of Michigan where he was editor of The Michigan Daily. While working on a story for Ramparts Magazine he met his first wife, Margot Lind. They had a son &amp; daughter and later divorced in 1993. In 1978, Rapoport began to work at California newspapers, including The San Jose Mercury-News, the San Francisco Chronicle &amp; the Oakland Tribune. In 1991 Rapopo As a newspaper and magazine writer and aviation specialist Roger Rapoport has written in all 50 states, 6 Canadian provinces, and 30 foreign countries. A lifelong sailor and enthusiastic kayaker, he has traveled extensively throughout the Great Lakes, along the St. Lawrence Seaway and the Atlantic Coast.Roger Rapoport graduated with a Bachelor's of Arts in Journalism in 1968 from the University of Michigan where he was editor of The Michigan Daily. While working on a story for Ramparts Magazine he met his first wife, Margot Lind. They had a son &amp; daughter and later divorced in 1993. In 1978, Rapoport began to work at California newspapers, including The San Jose Mercury-News, the San Francisco Chronicle &amp; the Oakland Tribune. In 1991 Rapoport went to work for Ulysses Press in Berkeley learning about the publishing business.In 1993 he launched his own publishing effort, RDR Books in Oakland, CA and has since published more than 60 books. Rapoport met Martha Ferriby, director of Hackley Public Library, while in Michigan in 1995. They married in 2000. Rapoport moved to Michigan in 2004.In 2007 RDR became a defendant in the seminal fair use case J.K. Rowling. v. RDR Books, aka The Harry Potter Lexicon Case. Rapoport and Steve Vander Ark, founder of “The Harry Potter Lexicon” website had sought to publish a book version of the Vander Ark's Potter fans' website.Author J.K. Rowling and Warner Bros. claimed copyright infringement. RDR Books claimed the right to publish under the fair use doctrine.Although RDR lost the case, Judge Robert B. Patterson Jr. awarded the plaintiffs less than $7,000 in damages for infringement, the minimum amount possible.Judge Patterson concluded that "reference guides in general, including the Lexicon, are transformative in nature and capable of fair use protection, and that the Lexicon could be published with less appropriation from the original works. "On January 16, 2009, RDR Books released  The Lexicon: An Unauthorized Guide to Harry Potter Fiction and Related Materials including more commentary than before the suit.For more information see: Right to Write.RDR Books is now closed. Most of the former RDR Book titles are now available from Ashley Creek Books. Books written and edited by Roger Rapoport are now available from New Lake Books and Lexographic Press.Rapoport published Steven Faulkner's  Waterwalk. With Richard Harris he has since co-produced and adapted Faulkner's story for a film starring Robert Cicchini. ...more