what's the deal with classic GCA books being reproduced in India?

[Michael Wolf]

I've noticed a couple of GCA classics showing up on AbeBooks lately as reproductions originating from India. The descriptions seem to indicate that they are straight copies of the original text. Multiple publishers are listed, and multiple sellers offering the books, all from India. Very low prices and free shipping. Doesn't seem to add up.


As an example, a reproduction of Golf Course Architecture in America is listed right now in new condition for $23.13. And there are several others.

[Kalen Braley]

I'm guessing they don't have the same copyright laws....

[Tom_Doak]

The copyright on those books expired about 15 years ago.  The law in the U.S. keeps being rewritten to extend copyrights further and further into the future, but I believe that for at least a few of those books the copyright was not renewed by the original publisher, so they are considered to be "in the public domain."  Which means you could Xerox copies of them and sell them yourself.


Sleeping Bear Press did reprints of a couple of them.  The Classics of Golf did, too.  I do not believe they paid anything for the rights.


Apparently one of my own books was also printed somewhere overseas, even though its copyright has not expired [here in America], which makes it illegal to sell the book in America.  But I would have had to hire a lawyer to trace the sales and argue for my royalty.

[Cal Seifert]

The one book I really want but cannot fathom paying the price its being asked for is The Evangelist of Golf.  Must still be under copyright laws as the cheapest available is still exorbitantly high.

[Tom_Doak]

The one book I really want but cannot fathom paying the price its being asked for is The Evangelist of Golf.  Must still be under copyright laws as the cheapest available is still exorbitantly high.

The law is different for older books, but for books published since 1978, the copyright lasts for the life of the author PLUS 70 YEARS.


This is generally put down to "protecting the author's intellectual property" even though in most cases the author [or their estate] is only getting 10-15% of the royalties.  Intellectual property rules are closely safeguarded by the very large companies that own most of them. 

[Cal Seifert]

The one book I really want but cannot fathom paying the price its being asked for is The Evangelist of Golf.  Must still be under copyright laws as the cheapest available is still exorbitantly high.

The law is different for older books, but for books published since 1978, the copyright lasts for the life of the author PLUS 70 YEARS.


This is generally put down to "protecting the author's intellectual property" even though in most cases the author [or their estate] is only getting 10-15% of the royalties.  Intellectual property rules are closely safeguarded by the very large companies that own most of them.

Not sure if you would be able to answer this question, but do you see the Evangelist of Golf book being reprinted anytime soon, if ever?

[Tom_Doak]

Not sure if you would be able to answer this question, but do you see the Evangelist of Golf book being reprinted anytime soon, if ever?

Not sure I can answer.  I don't even know who owns the copyright to it at the moment.


It's a big book, so the publisher would have to be confident of selling at least 1,000 more of them to make it worth his while.  Just because it's going for high $ now is no guarantee of that.