Authors, Publishers and Politicians: The Quest for an Anglo-American Copyright Agreement, 1815-1854

First published in 1974, Authors, Publishers and Politicians describes the efforts to secure an Anglo-American copyright agreement. It explores the underlying causes of the failure of this quest, a failure which enabled literary pirates on both sides of the Atlantic to continue operations for another forty years. It traces the effects this had on the writers and producers of books as well as their reading public. Few aspects of Anglo-American relations were untouched by the drama presented in this study. Its broader implications range from straightforward business transactions, official diplomatic manoeuvres, endless legal complexities, and clandestine political intrigue to the peculiarities involved in book smuggling, newspaper rivalries and industrial espionage. The book will be of interest to students of legal history, publishing and literature.