I just discovered the advice from Book Doctor, Rosie Blau, in the column "How books can change your life", published by the Financial Times.
The length is perfect, not too long, not pretentious, it is just light, funny and such a good idea.
pretention
Now I know that when I have a crucial question (wich often happens) I will ask my new favourite agony aunt, the precious book doctor. Very useful !
A 16-year-old boy spent 24 hours at the police station for alleged forgery of Harry Potter and the deathly hallows : he published on his website a French version of the book, whereas the legal translation to be published by Gallimard is still in progress and shall be due in October.
What is particularly weird is not that a boy that is still in high school was arrested because he put on-line a translated (in French) version of the book but the way this was announced in the media. It is a pity because a work like Ms Rowling's is such a good example for explaining some copyright issues.
First, I am always cross by the way media in general talk about piracy. They always stress on the fact that the work was offered for free and in a way this could excuse the illegal act. Yes of course, in a way, it is often worse when a forged work is for sale. Nevertheless, this is not pedagogical at all. The act is illegal when it is done without prior authorization, no matter it is offer for free or not. And this case is very significant : directly, no financial aspect but the financial consequences are huge when you think of the economical impact of Harry Potter.
Secondly, I think, one element should have been clearly exposed : the translator owns a copyright. A translation is a work and reveals the intellectual personality of its author. This present case is particularly relevant. The words invented by J.K. Rowling were a good example to re-affirm it. Words like Slytherin, muggle, Snape ... were created on the basis of other pre-existing words and the" sound" and the impression they produce is very important. For instance, the French name of Professor Snape is Professor Rogue, as Jean-François Ménard (the man who has alone translated in French the whole series) and it "traduces" perfectly (I think) in French, the name of this character.
So when announcing that someone has already translated the last volume, one should have indicate the name of M. Ménard who, when translating the first volumes, did an impressive work, producing the basic vocabulary for the series, respecting at the same time the original work.
Finally, another point : the efficiency of the translation and its alleged professional quality has been reported. Of course, it is very impressive. But one of the question should be: was it possible to do it solo ? or is it an on-line collaborative work ?
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- study what services are offered by societies like media predict or brain juicer
- going to bookshops to read the jacket of hundred of books and to watch how people look at books
- read more books for children
- read books from this new history collection Texto published by Tallandier
- read, more and more and to read every thing (unfeasible but never mind !)
- post more notes on my dear vox page
- create a nice banner for my page
Today Rue 89, the innovative news website http://rue89.com/ (in French and in English) announced that they would create a website dedicated to literary world for the Nouvel Observateur. As far as I understood, they will only do the technical part, whereas the Nouvel Observateur will lead the editorial work. This site will be close to a portal because it will allow comments and notes from journalists and also from everyone interested.
The launch will be on September for the French "Rentrée littéraire". The name of this website will be bibliobs.com
Just hope it will not be full of elitist and Parisian critics and comments.
]]> Last Monday, Hachette, Albin Michel and France Loisirs announced they will create a joint society in order to publish audio books (CDs). Today, audio book is a small market in France and Gallimard is the only big publisher to lead its own collection. Actually, in France, CD-Books are considered to be directed for the sole market of the blinds.
On one hand, the announcement shows an adaptation of French groups to the European market but on the other hand: CDs (!!!). In this ipod era, I wonder why they chose CDs and not an innovating market for books like online selling ?
Just because these are tremendous books
I was thinking of the advantages digital dimension could represent for books (putting aside practical aspects). The thing is easier for other forms of work.
Visual arts for instance : the web offers a large window for exhibiting pieces of work
Music : web pages are a way to create a buzz, demonstrate a talent, showing your works to producers in a much easier way and of course downloading of works
Pictures : downloading, creating a new market (dvd to replace vhs...)
and so on.
But what about books. Up to now, i can only think of publicity advantages : a great website is a way for authors to maintain a relationship with their readers for example. But what about the book itself : who will download a book to read it on screen or to print hundred of pages ? I don't know anyone who does that yet. I also remember the first electronic books I saw when I was younger at the Paris Book expo. I never saw theem again. I also remember quite well French association of authors claiming a separate contract for digital rights would be highly recommended, following the legal obligation in French law concerning movie rights. Who remembers that ?
I still think that pocket books are the far more inventive creation so far or the literary world.
Am I missing something ?
Recently, Simon & Schuster US changed a clause in its standard contract. By tradition, it was understood that once a book was out of print, the author could ask his publisher to have its right reverted, so that he can sell it to another publisher.
This is a legal obligation in France where the French Intellectual Property Code organizes very strictly that in such cases rights are automatically reverted to the author.
By a new clause, Simon & Schuster decided that as long as a reader could order a book by print-on-demand, it was not considered out-of-print. As a consequence, it will be highly difficult for an author to get his right back.
Up to now, they seem to be the only publisher to propose such a clause.
Nevertheless, one do not forget that a contract is the fruit of a negotiation and this kind of clause can be refused.
cf New York Times 18th May 2007
cf The Guardian book blog (post by Nocholas Clee)