h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I'm thinking of making some 'Order of the Day' sheets for my wedding next year and thought that it might be nice to include the text of the readings we are going to have. One of the readings is an excerpt from Captain Corelli's Mandolin by Louis de Bernieres and it occurs to me that this is copyright the author.

Does anyone know how to go about getting permission to print this? Is it likely to cost anything? Can we just print it and put 'copyright the author' or aomething after it?

Thanks for your help
k

I think you can use short excerpts without violating copyright. So long as you don't put "all my own work" at the bottom.

RF

People are always reading poems and quoting prose at weddings, funerals, baptisms, graduations, etc. As these are private/public affairs I don't think you need to worry about copyright any more than if you read something aloud to friends in your own livingroom.

Though to be on the safe side you could always invite Louis to the wedding.


az

I am sure we'd be alright for the reading aloud of the passage, it was printing it on the Order of the Day sheets that I was worrying about really. We don't have to do that but it would be nice

Do you think he'd come?

I think it is as long as you do not use more than 10% for a chapterless book, or a single chapter for a chaptered book, you should be OK. Until later....
BCNU - Crescent

How about I post it here and see if it gets removed?

From Captain Corelli's Mandolin

Love is a temporary madness, it erupts like volcanoes and then subsides. And when it subsides you have to make a decision. You have to work out whether your roots have so entwined together that it is inconceivable that you should ever part. Because this is what love is.

Love is not breathlessness, it is not excitement, it is not the promulgation of eternal passion. That is just being "in love" which any fool can do. Love itself is what is left over when being in love has burned away, and this is both an art and a fortunate accident. Those that truly love, have roots that grow towards each other underground, and when all the pretty blossom have fallen from their branches, they find that they are one tree and not two.

Should be okay with citing the author and work. I'll check with my librarian-in-training friend.

As long as it can be considered an insubstantial extract you should be okay. And there's that old saying, if a tree falls in the woods and nobody hears it who cares, is it a breach of copyright?

Thanks Mina, a few lines from one page out of the whole book is probably insubstantial enough

As long as it doesn't give away the name of the murderer.

The one time I wanted to use someone's work in print, I managed to contact the authors via the newspaper in which the pieces were originally published.
When the circumstances were explained, both happily gave their permission.

Would it be possible to drop Louis a note via his publishers? He might be pleased to know you value his work in such a personal way - and he might send you a wedding present

In terms of copyright, I agree that it's fine.

Interestingly, I went to a wedding on Saturday, and that was one of the readings. How spooky.