Archy and Mehitabel

[Peter Why]

The author, don Marquis, died in 1937. I have a copy, "the life and times of archy and mehitabel", copyright 1950 (though this may apply only to the particular selection, the introduction by E.B. White, who died fairly recently, or to the illustration).

It's quite a long book, with much more than the two more modern collections that I have.

Would this be okay? ...barring the introduction, of course ... which is a shame, because it tells quite a bit about the author. I was thinking of doing it as a joint reading, with a female reader for Mehitabel and any other voices that we can manage.

I can get the book scanned and send the other reader the pngs as we go.

Peter

[neckertb]

Peter, I have absolutely no idea. I guess if they did not change the text, the copyright applies only for the intro as you say.
Does anyone else have another view on this?

[Peter Why]

On the copyright pages, there are five blocks of copyright dates:

1928-33 don marquis
1925-34 p.f. collier and son co. (illustrations, according to a later acknowledgement)
1922-34 new york tribune (newspaper .. original verse publication)
1916-22 sun printing and publishing (newspaper .. original verse)
1927-50 doubleday and co (publishers of this edition; copyright may possibly refer only to the introduction by E.B. White, which starts "When the publisher asked me to write a few introductory remarks about Don Marquis for this new edition of archy and mehitabel, ....")

I imagine if I were to ask Doubleday, they would not give me a clear answer, but am I being a bit cynical?

[neckertb]

No, not cynical, realistic I would say
It is worth a try though.
I wish Ruth was around, she would know the answer to that kind of things.

[Cori]

It's exasperating, usually the Copyright Renewal is more specific than this:

http://collections.stanford.edu/copyrig ... 781316889X

I would think that if the works are previously published, then they'd be fine to record, and the 1950 / renewal are relating to the Introduction and illustration. The book would say something about editing the text if it was like Lovecraft, where editors took a hand in the final text, thus possibly altering the copyrights.

However, isn't there something about copyrighting an arrangement, too? Though if it's in chronological order, that surely wouldn't be possible.

[Hokuspokus]

The author died in1937, so it's pd in EU.

I don't understand what the copyright block refers to. When I get it right, there is more in the book than just Archy and Mehitabel? Or is it only about Archy and Mehitabel?

[Peter Why]

It's Archy and Mehitabel, plus illustrations by George Herriman, plus an introduction by E.B. White. That's all.

The two small collections of these poems that I already have are, as near as I can tell, identical to two out of the three sections that this book is divided into. That is, I have "Archy and Mehitabel" and "Archy's Life of Mehitabel" .. which are also the first two sections in this book. Then there's a further block of poems and prose about A&M's world, called "Archy does his part".

Peter

[Hokuspokus]

Ah, OK. Now I get it.

From all I know it should be OK for Legamus. Sounds like a funny project!

[Peter Why]

Cori noticed my archy and mehitabel books when she came to my flat for the U.K. chapter meeting last month. She's said that she'd like to share this project with me. I'll start scanning the book over the next week, and will set up the project once we've got something to read.

Thanks, everyone.

Peter

[Cori]

I'm looking forward to it. They're just lovely, and I've not read all of them, so I get that as a bonus.

[Peter Why]

I'm sorry about the three year gap. My Librivox solo ... a textbook on chemical assaying methods .. has both taken a lot of my time and had dulled my enthusiasm a little.

I've been rereading the Archy poems and would like to get going.

I've ordered a couple of copies of Archy and Mehitabel (published in 1930). Cori, if you'd still like to have a go at this, I'll send you a copy when they arrive, and we can talk out how to handle the reading.

Peter

[Cori]

Hi Peter! No problem about the gap, I've been on something of a slow-down too. I developed unhealthy habits about how I record and edit, and currently have 5 projects on the go (none of them far enough along to have an official thread made either here or at LV.) I need to focus more.

But yes, I'd still love to do Mehitabel.

[Peter Why]

Thanks, Cori,
I've PM'd you on LV about your address, so I can send you the book.
Peter