I am wondering if this book is out on Ebook, does anyone know or can guide me to a legit site that I can purchase it,If you can PM me with the site thank you

There does not exist a legal electronic version of this book.

Correct. I have no idea where mine came from. And I will NOT make a copy.

Doug

What is the status of the copyright? Is it in public domain?

Greater Magic's copyright was renewed and will not expire until 2033, presuming Disney does not buy yet more copyright extensions from Congress to continue to keep the earliest Mickey Mouse animations from falling into the public domain, which would also block Greater Magic.

See this earlier Café thread for more info: http://www.themagiccafe.com/forums/viewt......m=159&21

I'm not sure what Disney has to do with this discussion. Regardless, there is an argument that if you own a copy you could make a scan of it yourself. There is also an argument that would say otherwise. Personally, I am in the latter camp and not the former. Regardless, if you do not own a copy and there is no legally commercial electronic version available then owning a digital version is most likely a violation of copyright law.

Oh, but they'll have to pry it from my cold dead hands...LOL! Again, I have NO idea where this came from. Just glad I have it!

Doug

Simply read the warning in the older books (per computer electronic publishing), as their was not the ability to scan books at the time or to electronic publish them. I would say it is alright to scan a book that does not specifically state that no electronic method is allowed as well.

As for being able to make a copy as back up, I believe people are confusing Software rulings with the printed industry, to totally different entities. This does not pertain to printed books on paper from years ago. If you wanted a back copy of a book, they expect you to purchase another copy of the book at a retail store. Then you can store it any place you like.

I remember seeing it before on Lybrary. Not there anymore. I wonder what happened. Now I regret not picking it up when I had the chance.

That would indeed be curious since Chris has stated that he has not been able to secure permission to scan Greater Magic. Are you certain it was Greater Magic? The reason I ask is because I don't think Chris Wasshuber would scan a book without first securing permission.

I remember specificially the same cover of the first printing, Mephistophelian guy holding a pitchfork over his head and it was a book by Hilliard. What else could it have been?

Just stumbled over this thread. To clarify, Lybrary.com never offered "Greater Magic" as ebook in the past. As stated above, for many years I am trying to get a license to publish an ebook, but so far I have been unsuccessful. It is unlikely that an ebook will ever be published until the book falls into the public domain.

A Lybrary.com ebook of 'Greater Magic' would certainly be on of the greatest gifts to the magical community. I certainly hope you keeping trying to convince the estate it would be worth it.

I wonder if anyone can shed any light on why the copyright holders would not want Greater Magic published. That's evidently also why there has been no reprint of the Kaufman version. Chris, do you have any idea based on your efforts?

The Jones family, who own the rights to Greater Magic, will not allow it to be reprinted. It is not in the public domain and will not be so for many years, so there is no chance the book will be available again in any form, printed or ebook.

A true shame...

The rights holders certainly have a right to do with the property what they wish. I don't deny that.

However -- and this is perhaps a recent phenomenon -- this is exactly the kind of obstinacy that drives piracy.

That's not an endorsement of piracy, either. It's simply an awareness of current media trends and what readers (or end-users) have come to expect.

Thirty years ago? Yeah, this would make sense -- and might mean something. (If "refusal to reprint or republish" meant anything in the first place.)

Now? As I say, they can do what they want. But the consequences are -- and will be -- exactly what (I suspect) they don't want.

Weird paradox, sad situation -- especially sad given this particular book.

I have to agree with boinko. The best way to combat piracy is to offer a fairly priced ebook. That eliminates 98% of piracy.

Yeah, lots of people will be pirating a 1300-page magic book.

Amazon has a copy listed for $299.99. Worth every penny.

The reason piracy exists and flurishes is that some people feel their "wants" outweigh the "rights" of others, anything else is "rationalizing" one side or the other.