Is a table of contents copyrightable?

[Dr. Drib]

Originally Posted by HarryT

Ask yourself this question: "Would the immortal Dale M. Courtney use it?", and then act accordingly .

[Hitch]

Originally Posted by HarryT

Ask yourself this question: "Would the immortal Dale M. Courtney use it?", and then act accordingly .

OMG, we are all going to burn in hell, you know that, right?


Hitch

[JSWolf]

I do like the following review for Moon People. It is 5 stars.

5-stars Mindboggling - so awful that you can't put it down.
By Amazon Customer on 8 January 2015
Format: Kindle Edition|Verified Purchase

I have to start by saying that this is the worst book I have ever read. Why the 5 stars? Because it is so appallingly atrocious that I was compelled to read it. Like other reviews I have read, I am not entirely convince that this was written as a serious book, either that or it was written by a child. If it is the latter, then hats off to him. If, however, this is a genuine publication, then my sympathies go out to the author for not having anyone to advise him on how badly written it is.

If only this was on Kindle Unlimited, I might give it a go.

[Dr. Drib]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

I do like the following review for Moon People. It is 5 stars.



If only this was on Kindle Unlimited, I might give it a go.

Ah, but it is and that's the problem: Reading it may turn your mind to mush.

https://www.amazon.com/Moon-People-1...ourtney+kindle

[Hitch]

Originally Posted by Dr. Drib

Ah, but it is and that's the problem: Reading it may turn your mind to mush.

https://www.amazon.com/Moon-People-1...ourtney+kindle

For some of us, it's not far to go.

Hitch

[Dr. Drib]

Originally Posted by Hitch

For some of us, it's not far to go.

Hitch

I was on the edge, but 'reading' this book pushed me over.

[Hitch]

Originally Posted by Dr. Drib

I was on the edge, but 'reading' this book pushed me over.

Yabbut, if your brain is mush now...how do you know it's mush? That's like the old question about, if you think you're insane, are you? Or is the mere fact that you can consider such a possibility rule it out?

Hmmm....I wonder if that book is another gag. What was that atrocious book that was published by, was it, the SFWA?

Hitch

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by Dr. Drib

Ah, but it is and that's the problem: Reading it may turn your mind to mush.

https://www.amazon.com/Moon-People-1...ourtney+kindle

I just bought it. I may have paid too much.

[Cinisajoy]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

I just bought it. I may have paid too much.

Read it quick. 7 day no questions asked return policy.

[crich70]

Originally Posted by Hitch

Well, first of all, we're talking about legends, that were carried verbally before they were written down (although there's argument about Geoffrey versus La Morte d'Arthur, yadda, but we don't need to digress on that). It's hardly surprising that oral legend would adulterate. That's not the same thing as lifting a story, in toto, and mooching it. (IMHO). Not in today's era, when it's not even remotely "accidental," as in, you heard some story someplace, metabolized it, and think you came up with something new.

Reimagining, I can take. Outright recycling or regurgitation is something else altogether.

Hitch

Good points. The legends were written long before the idea of copyright was even brought up too. I do agree that outright copying is wrong. Ideas can't be copyrighted but the way that they are presented i.e. the actual word for word text is a different matter. You and I could start with the same premise for a story and as long as I don't copy you or vice versa there is nothing wrong with that. Sherlock Holmes and Hercule Poirot are cases in point. Both deal with detectives who solve what to others seems a mystery, both have sidekicks (i.e. Watson and Hastings) both have official police contacts (i.e. Inspector Lestrade and Chief Inspector Japp) but Christie didn't steal from Doyle. She used some of the same ideas as far as characters and their relationships, but Poirot isn't a virtual clone of Holmes. And you could say the same about Miss Marple and Jessica Fletcher. Both are older women in a small community who find themselves involved in solving murders, but Mrs. Fletcher isn't a virtual clone of Jane Marple either.

[Dr. Drib]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

I just bought it. I may have paid too much.

Sometimes free IS too much!

[Dr. Drib]

Originally Posted by Cinisajoy

Read it quick. 7 day no questions asked return policy.

This is one of those few books that Amazon should pay a buyer to read. And then, if it doesn't meet one's expectations, the money stays in the buyer's pocket.

The catch is that the book can neither be returned nor deleted from one's account.

[Dutchbook]

I actually start to think he wrote it this way on purpose, just like Kazuo Ishiguro intentionally locationalized the sentences to match what his protagonist would have used.

Somebody on Goodreads concurs

it is nothing short of a radical reworking of literary form. it is like a novel written by someone who has never read a novel. any & all conventions of the English language in its written form are either completely disregarded, or mutated to fit into Dale M. Courtney's singular worldview. [...]

[...] i could probably go on quoting from Moon People forever & never run out of amazing material until i hit page 77, which is the final page...

His “Look Inside” version is already a “one more page” addictive masterpiece, I can’t even grasp how brilliant the entire book must be.

[arjaybe]

Originally Posted by Dutchbook

I actually start to think he wrote it this way on purpose, just like Kazuo Ishiguro intentionally locationalized the sentences to match what his protagonist would have used.

Somebody on Goodreads concurs


His “Look Inside” version is already a “one more page” addictive masterpiece, I can’t even grasp how brilliant the entire book must be.

Yabbut, what about the table of contents? Does it hold up to the quality of the rest of the book?

[Dr. Drib]

Originally Posted by arjaybe

Yabbut, what about the table of contents? Does it hold up to the quality of the rest of the book?

You mean is it 'incompetent'?