Quote:
Originally Posted by rogue_ronin
That's not the point at all. I can read them whenever I wish. It's the fact that I (or anyone else) cannot derive works from them for what is in effect a century after their introduction. We cannot quote them extensively, rewrite, transform, reuse... I'm in the theatre -- there are plays to be written about questions Heinlein asked, or statements he made about human nature, etc.
Or pulling together a master collection of the man's work, done out of admiration, in an easily transformable or specifically beautiful format. Or whatever. The man and his wife are dead, he cannot be importuned to create any more works, no matter how much we pay him (or his inheritors.)
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You can do some of that:
1) You can quote them for critical purposes, though you can't quote great swaths of his books. You can reference the books themselves if you need to.
2) You can parodize, but not reuse. Rewriting and tranformation requires you to change his work extensively, so you can call it your own.
3) You can certainly write a play about his ideas. You just can't use his words except as modest quotes, and you have to credit him.
Why do you think you should have the right to re-edit or republish his works without paying? Prettying up someone else's work isn't adding value. Go write works of your own. I certainly encourage you to "react, infuse, refold and add. What is changed is both what is added and something new." The law just requires your changes and addition to be non-trivial and truly new.
Regards,
Jack Tingle