Editorial Review

Reviews

Finally, making the Commons Clear!, September 3, 2010
I've been working on a film about our commons, working with people who care about seeds, cultural commons, intellectual property and its limits on sharing, the water, our air....and it is hard to make a clear argument for why these commons are related and worth fighting for. Hyde is a magician with words, and he's pulled a winner out of his hat. The topic is vital, and the read is a pleasure.

Must Read for Anyone Making Content Seen Online, October 31, 2010
A wonderful book that suggests how US copyright law may change to maintain the Founder's intent in a digital age.

Private property vs common ownership, October 15, 2010
This is an excellent treatise on "the commons" in relation to property rights and the common good.

Turn Back Time, December 9, 2010
I applaud Hyde's research and thesis, but have to classify this book as so much closing the gate after the horses have left the barn. The "commons" was swept into the dustbin of history when capitalism brutally overran the socialist impulse. Human beings are, for better or worse, innately self-interested and will seize upon any chance they can find to lift themselves above the "common" existence of the rest of the species. You need only read the first few pages of this book before you realize the author has little courage in his convictions. This statement--Copyright 2010 by Lewis Hyde All Rights Reserved--says it all.

don't even bother, November 22, 2010
just aweful. premise is bad. the book is poorly written and cumbersome to follow. i made it 1/2 way through wanting to know what all the hubbub was, and, well, to use the old phrase: if yo don't like it, don't read it.

not worth your dime. download the sample, read it, and you will realize you don't need to spend your money on this drivel.
... Read more

Editorial Review

Patent your creation with the world's bestselling guide to patents!

Have a world-class idea? Ready to protect your invention from copycats? Then turn to the best resource available-- Patent It Yourself.

Attorney David Pressman takes you through the entire patent process, providing scrupulously updated information and clear instructions to help you:

Editorial Review

The No. 1 bestselling business book for bands!

If you belong to a band and love the art of your job, but sing the blues when it comes to the business side, you need Music Law. Composed by musician and lawyer Richard Stim, the book explains how to:

Editorial Review

* You have an idea you want to pitch to a production company; how do you safeguard your concept?
* There's a painting in the background of your independent film; is it necessary to clear the rights?
* The screenplay you and a friend wrote gets optioned; how do you split the proceeds fairly?
* How do you get a script to popular Hollywood actors or deal with their agents?
Find quick answers to these and hundreds of other questions in The Pocket Lawyer for Film and Video, the next best thing to having an entertainment attorney at your beck and call. Written by a TV-producer-turned-entertainment-lawyer, this no-nonsense reference provides fast answers in plain English: no law degree required! The Pocket Lawyer is designed to help producers reduce legal costs by providing the vital information needed to make informed decisions on the legal aspects of film, video, and TV productions.

Film and video production is a litigation lighting rod: actors get hurt, copyrights are infringed, and contracts are broken. Big-budget producers have lawyers on retainer, but many independent filmmakers are left legally exposed. Arm yourself with the practical advice in this book. You will not only avoid common pitfalls, but become empowered in your daily work. Too many otherwise competent producers turn over every aspect of the deal negotiations to their lawyers and agents. This book explains the principal deals common to every production, putting producers back in the co-pilot seat with their representatives.

The format is carefully designed for quick reference, so you get the answers you need, fast. Features include:
* Clause Companion: explains the meaning and impact of typical contract clauses, taking the headache out of reading them.
* F.A.Qs: instantly answers the most commonly asked legal questions.
* Warnings: alerts you to critical areas and common mistakes.
* Pro-Tips: advice on unions, escrow accounts, etc. for producers who want to distribute their video widely.

* Avoid legal pitfalls with this quick reference guide: get instant answers
* Written in plain English for filmmakers, not lawyers
* Three books in one: a handy manual on film contracts, a step-by-step guide to critical legal issues on and off the set, and a quick reference on copyright and intellectual property issues ... Read more

Reviews

Excellent and Approachable Guide to Key Filmmaking Legal Issues - Great for Non-Lawyers, March 3, 2007
Even though I've practiced law for many years outside of the entertainment law area, now that I have moved over into independent film production, I have found the legal issues involved in properly putting together a film to be daunting. If these entertainment law issues are hard for me, as an experienced attorney, I can imagine that they are dramatically more difficult to handle for everyone else. As a result, it is frankly tempting to instead focus on the artistic side of filmmaking so you can skip slogging through the legal quagmire, but you do so at your peril. This is true for a number of reasons, but most importantly, you are taking a huge risk because distributors won't touch a distribution deal for a film with serious legal problems. Fortunately, I've found that this book takes away much of the pain of learning about the legal issues in film, simply because it is so approachable. After reading this book, I really believe that even non-lawyers can quickly grasp the legal challenges of filmmaking. Best of all, the book skips typical "legalese" and instead offers easy to understand, quick references to the contracts, rights clearance and negotiating issues that everyone should understand. Not only did I like the book, but it really is unique, because there's very little else out there on this subject. It really should be on the desk of every producer. I couldn't recommend it more.

A powerful guide in a small package!, March 22, 2007
This book contains a wealth of information presented in a clear, concise, yet thorough manner. Whether you are a writer, producer, composer, or actor, this book will help you understand the legal issues that are part of the process of filmmaking. You can use it as a quick reference to answer a specific question, or you can read it from the beginning as the author unpacks legal concepts and the step-by-step process of setting up a production company to selling your film. As a bonus the book has appendices that make up a valuable law library of intellectual property, i.e. copyright, trademarks, contract law, labor, and employment law. And if you are a lawstudent or lawyer, this book is better than any entertainment law class you will ever take and at a fraction of the price.

Good Legal Advice Has Never Come So Cheap!, June 16, 2007
This book has allowed me to craft a sound legal structure around my ideas, and my film making has become a true business venture. "Pocket Lawyer" has already saved me from several minor blunders, like not posting a Notice Release when shooting in public, and it will undoubtedly save the day in bigger ways as my projects grow. Where was this book when I was in film school? Valuable legal advice has never come so cheap--well worth the $21.75.

A Law Student's Perspective, August 1, 2007
Mr. Crowell has done the art and legal worlds a great service by distilling so many critical issues of intellectual property into an enjoyable and widely informative format. The index and chapter systems make quick searching easy; and the humorous and humble prose let's you relax while learning. The demystification of legalese is not an easy task, but it's much needed, and Mr. Crowell has thrown a valuable contribution into the fray. Being a film and music artist, as well as a law student, Mr. Crowell's work is a must read for any with a similar background; and it goes a long way to supporting those artists who seem to underestimate themselves when it comes to the legal side of their creative endeavors. The Pocket Lawyer for Filmmakers empowered me, and I'm sure it will do the same for countless others.

You need this book!, April 14, 2007
This is an outstanding tool for anyone and everyone working in film. If you're a creative artist, it's easy to forget that making a film is a business venture--and one you hope will turn a profit! "The Pocket Lawyer for Filmmakers" is a welcome wake-up call. Thomas Crowell gently reminds readers to protect their interests and keep an eye on the bottom line at all times. If thoughts of "business" and "protecting your interests" make your eyes glaze over, have no fear. "The Pocket Lawyer" is a breeze to work with. It's clearly written, full of helpful examples, and anticipates every question you could have. The book follows the entire process of making a film, from forming a production company to distributing a completed film. Each chapter tells you what to expect at every step, and how to deal with it. Personally, I found the sections translating copyright law into simple English massively useful. Also, the book includes a stripped-down "law library" that gives filmmakers a primer in intellectual property and labor law. Whether you're a novice screenwriter wannabe (like me!) or a seasoned independent producer, you need this book! "The Pocket Lawyer for Filmmakers" is indispensable.

Awesome book! Just what a filmmaker needs!, March 6, 2007
Not only does this book give you the answers you need - it does so quickly without your first having to sort through a bunch of legalese. If you want to find out how to negotiate an actor's deal, just flip to the right page and start negotiating.

No long, boring contracts to fight through. Each deal is broken down into handy "deal points," allowing you to get a grip on the important aspects of each deal without caught up in legal mumbo jumbo.

The fact that the author was a television producer helps make the book readable - even humorous at times. Highly recommended.

Pure and simple...it's great., February 14, 2009
I was so hesitant about this book. I was thinkig "Pocket Lawyer?" Great, like a mini-dictionary that the Starbucks writer crowd uses and still attept to look cool with.

No, I was wrong. The information in this book is not only necessary, but vital. If you want to be a producer, this is the no-nonsense bible you've been looking for. It's straight forward and clear. The language isn't dense. Rather, it's helpful.

This is a book that can help you make the transition from, "Producering" to PRODUCER. It honestly is the real deal.

Finally...a book I can use, February 13, 2009
This book is a great help and a fantastic reference. I refer to this book all the time. I usually can just open up the book to find the answer to whatever legal question I'm looking for.

My copy is all beat up and dog eared.. I never read it straight through, just skipped around to the stuff I want to know about. If I have a question, I know the answer is in there. It's more than just law, It's a guide to be in this business.

Plus, it's easy to understand. The copyright section helped me out the most.
I have produced things before, but life would've been easier with this book. They should require this book in film classes.

Great resource, March 4, 2008
I am an in-house attorney for a film production company. This book is a great resource to point you in the right direction in many respects: reminders of what terms various contracts/agreements should contain, the different types of agreements common to the film industry, copyright information ... just to name a few items. Money well spent for a very focused look at legal aspects to the film industry.

A must have for anyone in the entertainment industry, June 22, 2008
This book helps anyone who wants to do or is doing anything in entertainment be on top of their game. I carry this book with me, along with my bible (that says a lot about the book right there!) I read it every chance I get and learn so much more as a Writer/Producer, about the legalities and expectations of each member of a production team. This book is necessary for a business minded person. Crowell educates the readers in the basics of entertainment law, however he does not use language that only an attorney or judge can comprehend. He breaks concepts down in bite size pieces. I have gained a better understanding of what needs to happen in pre, pro. and post production of a film and will make sure that the many areas in film making get the attention and documentation that it needs because of this book. ... Read more

Editorial Review

If only it were as simple as popping open a bottle of Champagne. But as every hostess knows, life's myriad celebrations - whether they come in the form of a big holiday blow out or a small birthday party - require planning and effort to pull off. And in the midst of all that hors d'oeuvre making and centrepiece arranging, it can be easy to lose sight of what you're actually celebrating (whose birthday is it, anyway?). "Real Simple Celebrations" is filled with smart solutions to take the hassle out of entertaining. Each chapter is dedicated to a different occasion - such as Easter, New Year's Eve, a child's birthday party - and guides you every step of the way, from inviting the guests to cleaning up after they've gone. With its handy checklists, foolproof game plans, practical advice, and truly doable ideas, "Real Simple Celebrations" will make all your parties a lot easier to pull off. So, you can stay focused on what you're celebrating-and, more important, why. ... Read more

Reviews

Celebrate Good Times!, October 19, 2006
Real Simple scores again with this gorgeous, oversized hard cover book, "Real Simple Celebrations"! Over the years I have found the Real Simple books to be lush & lavish yet perfect for explaining special touches to make life more lovely! And Real Simple Celebrations does just that.

In this book you will find lots of unique ideas to make your occasion more fun. Even though I have read more than my share of women's magazines, holiday books etc. I found lots of ideas in the book I had never thought of!

The book covers 3 different types of Celebrations. The first section is on Annual Celebrations and includes Thanksgiving, A Holiday Open House and A New Year's Eve Potluck. The Occasional Celebrations section includes A Shower, Milestone Birthday and Summer Barbecue and the Anytime Celebrations Section includes a Cheese Party, Dinner Party and Dessert Party. Each of these celebrations can be adapted to other occasions.

Each Celebration is described in detail with information given on invitations, decorations and set up, the table, food and drink, activities, etiquette, and wrap up.

The book includes beautiful full color photographs a Real Simple trademark. Many yummy recipes are included from chunky guacamole for the Summer Barbecue to beef bourguignonne for the Dinner Party to Elephant Ear cookies for the Dessert Party.

One unique feature included in the 192 page book is the party planning wheel at the back of the book. Just dial the removable wheel to a food or beeverage item like wine, beer, cheese etc and it will tell you how much to stock for 6, 12 or 24 guests! A great feature!

Overall a terrific book to make entertaining fun and easy for your special celebrations!

Lee Mellott

For the wannabe Party Giver!, November 3, 2006
I really, really enjoy this book! I adore looking at the pictures of Martha Stewart magazines with a wistful "someday." But, this book brings me "today!" The ideas are fabulous, but manageable and affordable! I consider myself inept at any creative decorating for the holidays, but always envy those who can. The book gives fabulous, yet simple, methods for making every party a success, whether for your two-year old or your annual neighborhood bar-b-que. Excellent pictures (and lots of them) and helpful tips!

An excellent gift for yourself and others, November 25, 2006
This book has lots of creative ideas, described in a comfortable,yet thorough and entertaining, style. The illustrations are helpful and attractive as well. The book is well-designed too, with a durable cover and a pretty ribbon to mark my place.
After recently purchasing my own copy and enjoying it so much, I'm returning to purchase additional copies for special friends who also like to "celebrate" life.

Great book . But before you buy this, be aware that there's a softcover/magazine format of it on newsstands now that's cheaper., December 7, 2006
This is a great book. Beautiful pictures, great ideas, very easy looking, approachable yet appealing recipes. I actually bought it, and ended up returning it after I saw basically the same thing on the magazine rack at the supermarket. In fact, if I'm not mistaken, the magazine version has great Thanksgiving recipes in it that look great and aren't in the book, though I can't be certain because I've already returned the hard cover. Anyway, just thought some of you might want to know this information. Whichever version you end up getting, it's great! But I'm glad I spent less on the softcover/magazine format version.

good basics but underwhelming, June 27, 2009
first off, i should say that i'm a huge fan of real simple, the magazine and several of the books. i personally love, for example, their cookbook and highly recommend purchasing it.

that all said, this book left me underwhelmed. there are some solid ideas inside, but it felt a little too bland. the genius of real simple is that they are generally very good at showing you how to get a real "pop" out of simple ideas or activities. but the celebrations outlined in this book seemed to be missing that "pop" to me. some stuff, like the sections on etiquette or trouble-shooting were very strong. but i didn't see a lot of "oh wow!" simple ideas with bang.

personally i would recommend checking this out in your library or carefully at a bookstore before you decide to make an actual purchase. it's not quite up to the usual standard, IMHO.

Gorgeous book, March 8, 2007
This is a great book full of clever, easy party ideas. Every detail is covered, from invitation design to seating arrangements to games and entertainment ideas. The recipes are simple yet sophisticated. Can't wait to use it!

Best Gift-Giving Book!, December 19, 2006
This is a really great book full of simple but really cute ideas! I have already given 4 copies to friends for Christmas gifts and they all love it- I need to order several more copies!
Highly recommend this book!

Full of simple ideas for entertaining to make your party unique and fun!, July 8, 2008
This is the best book I could find that had party planning and entertaining tips, tricks, recipes, decorations etc. Not only is this a gorgeous book to look at, but it really contains some useful and fun info inside!

The book is divided into 3 celebration sections: Annual Celebrations (holidays), Occasional Celebrations (shower, BBQ, Birthday) and Anytime Celebrations (Cheese Party, Dinner Party & Dessert Party). What is awesome about this book is that it takes you through the ENTIRE planning process from when to send out invites and also an example of an invite, to the seating charts, decoration ideas, when to start preparing for the party in days prior, a sample menu and recipes for the party, even games for the party. They even go into detail such as which kind of utensils or platters you might need/want, how much to make for a crowd of a certain size, etitquette questions and even clean up and wrap up suggestions. I don't think there's anything this book has not thought of or included! I love it, and my sister borrows it every chance she gets.

My favorite part about this book is that there are SIMPLE and EASY tips for those of us who aren't professionals or naturals at entertaining (yet)! There's actually recipes I could make and not pull my hair out, as well as party favors, invites, decorations I could see myself using. That is a rare find when often many books go to the other side with way too elaborate planning ideas. Not to mention, the 4 color pictures in this book are gorgeous and the instructions/tips included are easy to understand. This is a great book for anyone who likes to entertain, or who would like to make entertaining simpler, easier and their parties a bit more unique and fun!

Makes a great gift for "home entertainers", January 18, 2007
Although I did not see "Celebrations" myself because it was sent out as a gift, the recipient was very pleased. She described it as very user friendly; easy to find what you want quickly. She said the book had some new and interesting ideas that she was already putting to use. She went on to say that it was one the best of this kind she had seen in a while (and she sees quite a few).

Oh! It's FABULOUS!, October 26, 2008
It's Perfect!, es el libro ideal de toda mujer jajaja, muy muy muy bueno, habla del mas minimo detalle para relizar cualquier tipo de celebracion, es excelente!!! lo recominedo ampliamente! ... Read more

Editorial Review

Useful tips and step-by-step guidance from filing to issue to license

Acquire and protect your share of this major business asset

Want to secure and exploit the intellectual property rights due you or your company? This easy-to-follow guide shows you how — helping you to evaluate your idea's commercial potential, conduct patent and trademark searches, document the invention process, license your IP rights, and comply with international laws. Plus, you get detailed examples of each patent application type!

Discover how to:

• Avoid application blunders
• Register trademarks and copyrights
• Meet patent requirements
• Navigate complex legal issues
• Protect your rights abroad

• The entire body of U.S. patent laws

• Example office actions and amendments

• Sample forms

• Trademark registration certificates

• Application worksheets

See the CD appendix for details and complete system requirements.

Note: CD-ROM/DVD and other supplementary materials are not included as part of eBook file. ... Read more

Editorial Review

Patent drafters charge $75 to $100 per sheet to prepare drawings -- but you can draw them yourself!

How to Make Patent Drawings is an essential guide for inventors who want to complete a crucial step in the patenting process themselves -- creating formal patent drawings that comply with the strict rules of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (and save hundreds or even thousands of dollars).

Written by two experts in the patent field, How to Make Patent Drawings shows you how to:

Editorial Review

Hollywood Dealmaking has become the go-to resource for new and experienced entertainmentattorneys, agent trainees, business affairs executives, and creative executives.Entertainment attorneys and Hollywood insiders Dina Appleton and Daniel Yankelevits explain the negotiation techniques and strategies of entertainment dealmaking anddetail the interests and roles of producers, writers, actors, directors, agents,and studio employees in crafting a deal. This new edition captures the dramatic changesover the past five years in the film and television industry landscape, with twonew chapters: Reality Television details the sources of revenue, syndication possibilities,and format sales of these shows as well as the talent deals that are made and theInternet/New Media chapter delves in new digital formats such as mobile phones, gameconsoles, video-on-demand, and web-based apps, and explains where today's revenuesare generated, where the industry is headed, and talent negotiation issues. All theins and outs of negotiating are explained, including back ends, gross and adjustedgross profits, deferments, box office bonuses, copyrights, and much more. This easy-to-followreference is packed with expert insights on distribution, licensing, and merchandising.The book's invaluable resource section includes definitions of lingo for acquisitionagreements and employment deals, twelve ready-to-use sample contracts, and a directoryof entertainment attorneys in both New York and Los Angeles. In Hollywood Dealmaking,readers will recognize the key players in the process, understand the "lingo" ofcrafting deals, learn how to negotiate agreements for the option and purchase ofbooks and screenplays, be able to negotiate employment deals for all members of afilm or television crew, understand payment terms and bonuses, and be able to registercopyrights in scripts and other literary works. ... Read more

Reviews

Super Helpful Book on Entertainment Industry, August 14, 2002
I work at a Production company and a lot of contracts we hand to outside lawyers, but this is a good tool for me because it goes into details and discusses each point in a contract. This is something I'd love to have had many years ago, when I just got started in the business, and now that I have it, I am learning a lot of new things. There isn't any other book out there- quite like this.

If you ever dreamed..., June 13, 2002
If you ever dreamed of seeing your book, script, short story or any creative idea turned into a movie or TV show, this book can improve your prospects of realizing this dream. In a clear, easy to follow narrative sprinkled with humor you are provided the scoop on the players and the rules that govern Hollywood deal making.

If you ever wanted to leave your mundane corporate law job and get into the exciting world of entertainment law, or if you work in the mail room and aspire to become the creative director of a Hollywood studio, or aspire to become a talent agent, this book is your GPS to guide you on your way.

I enjoyed reading the book

WISH I BOUGHT IT 2 YEARS AGO!, June 5, 2002
WOW! THIS BOOK IS AWESOME. I'M A LAWYER IN PRIVATE PRACTICE, AND REPRESENT A COUPLE OF WRITERS. THIS BOOK HAS EVERYTHING I COULD EVER WANT OR NEED TO MAKE A KILLER DEAL FOR MY CLIENTS. MY WIFE READ IT TOO, AND FOUND THE INFORMATION FANTABULOUS! I HIGHLY RECOMMEND!!

Hollywood Dealmaking is like having the main course and dessert all at once, January 25, 2010
I recommend Hollywood Dealmaking not only to those with dreams of working in the entertainment business, but also for those who are already in the business.

So many books make promises. Well Dina Appleton and Daniel Yankelevit's "Hollywood Dealmaking" delivers.

Hollywood Dealmaking breaks down, with clarity, the duties/responsibilities of feature and television actors, producers and directors.

Ms. Appleton and Mr. Yankelevits breaks down the negotiating process, so that the reader can understand the steps needed to achieve their goal. The reader will understand what executives want and what they, as creatives need.

A great addition to the book is the "Deal Point Summary" at end of every chapter. The summary is a breakdown of every detail discussed within the chapter. It is more than helpful because it highlights points that protect the reader's interest.

The book has a disclaimer that states -

"The information in this book is intended to help the reader better understand the dealmaking process in Hollywood. It is not offered as legal advice, nor should it be construed as such. The authors strongly recommend that the reader consult with an experienced entertainment attorney to address each individual situation and any legal documentation".

That being said, Hollywood Dealmaking will give the reader the utmost confidence when discussing and understanding the intricacies of Hollywood dealmaking.

Ms. Dina Appleton and Mr. Daniel Yankelevits have successfully produced the best, informative read on negotiating agreements. With it's informative insight and easy to understand style, Hollywood Dealmaking is like having the main course and dessert all at once.

There are not enough stars to properly rate Hollywood Dealmaking.

Buy this book.

Make your agent read this...but you should read, January 30, 2004
This is a great resource for dealmaking, but most actors and writers that I know aren't negotiating their own deals. The trick is to get your agent to work harder at creating opportunities, so that they actually have deals to make. Yes, your agent should read this book ... but for myself, as an actor/writer the book HOW TO AGENT YOUR AGENT...is my bible. It helps me kick my agents in the butt ( without them knowing)and I get results...they're working harder and I'm getting work. Also I liked that book with all the casting directors pictures...just in case you see them in Starbucks and want to say hello.

A MUST-HAVE FOR ANYONE WORKING IN ENTERTAINMENT!, August 13, 2002
LOVED THE BOOK - I HIGHLY RECOMMEND! ONLY AROUND 300 PAGES - BUT ALL USEFUL INFORMATION, WITH AN EXCELLENT DEFINITIONS SECTION ENTITLED "LINGO" ... Read more

Editorial Review

Keeping up with the fast pace of change in Intellectual Property, the third edition of Intellectual Property: Examples & Explanations offers timely coverage of central concepts in the proven-effective Examples & Explanations format. Student-friendly, concise, and timely, Intellectual Property: Examples & Explanations features: complete coverage keyed to the leading IP casebooks for the survey course proven-effective Examples & Explanations pedagogy that fills in any gaps in students understanding of casebook assignments consistent emphasis on central concepts, without digressing into more advanced topics free-standing chapters that are easily adapted to any course structure and make this study guide useful to as a reference throughout the semester Key Conceptsand Policy Issues highlighted in each chapter Updated throughout, the Third Edition includes: new developments effecting Internet service providers new material on patents, including landmark Supreme Court cases (on first sale, injunctions, patentable subject matter, licensing, declaratory judgments, nonobviousness, infringement abroad, and experimental use) and key Federal Circuit cases minimum statutory damages for downloading musicoriginality copyright in forms, digital images of public domain works DMCA anticurcumvention provisions new exemptions cases protecting legitimate uses of copyright protected works First Amendment limits on Congress's power to expand copyright protection international issues, such as copyright restoration for foreign works, and scope of protection abroad for US works copyright protection for databases, software, and orphan works consumers licensing, such as click-through copyright licenses and arbitration clauses new material on fair use thumbnail images in search engines Google Book case Turnitin, on-line plagiarism protection Public records in private databases Legal documents new cases on audio books, sampling, and data use restrictions new material on patents, including landmark Supreme Court cases and key Federal Circuit cases new material on trademark Trademark Dilution Revision Act use of trademarks as keywords in search engine advertising unauthorized use of trademarks in video games and films cases on likelihood of confusion standard, scope of international protection, functionality of trade dress, and fair use of trademarks new material on trade secret, such as remedies, reverse engineering, and government use of trade secret informationnew material on state intellectual property law, such as First Amendment limits on right of publicity; unjust enrichment and Intellectual Property law; scope of employee invention assignment agreements; preemption by federal law Intellectual Property is a big field and continually in the throes of change. Stephen M.McJohn keeps his coverage focused and current in Intellectual Property: Examples & Explanations, Third Edition. For a complete, concise, and clear introduction to central IP concepts, trust the proven-effective Examples & Explanations methodology to convey Intellectual Property concepts to your students. ... Read more

Editorial Review

The legendary Charles C. "Cash and Carry" Pyle, considered by most to be the first sports agent, negotiated a $3,000-per-game contract for Red Grange to play professional football for the Chicago Bears in 1933. Today, salaries in the tens of millions of dollars are commonplace, and instead of theatrical promoters and impresarios, professionally trained businessmen and lawyers dominate the business. But whereas rules and penalties govern the playing field, there are far fewer restrictions on agents. Incidents of agents' manipulating athletes, ranging from investment scams to outright theft of a player's money, are far too frequent, and there is growing consensus for reform

In The Business of Sports Agents, Kenneth L. Shropshire and Timothy Davis, experts in the fields of sports business and law, examine the history of the sports agent business and the rules and laws developed to regulate the profession. They also consider recommendations for reform, including uniform laws that would apply to all agents, redefining amateurism in college sports, and stiffening requirements for licensing agents. This revised and expanded second edition brings the volume up-to-date on recent changes in the industry, including:

- the closing of one of the largest agencies
- high-profile personnel moves
- passage of the federal Sports Agent Responsibility and Trust Act
- the National Football League's aggressive and high-profile efforts to regulate agents

Reviews

A Great Book about American Sports Representation, October 8, 2003
I just wanted to refute the review below. It must be for another book. This book has nothing to do with British sports or soccer. It deals with American sports--basketball, baseball, and football--and discusses both the history and problems of sports representation. As earlier reviews recommend, it is a 'must read' for anyone aspiring to be a sports agent.

Good book, February 28, 2005
This book explains the basics of how to become a sports agent. If you are looking for more info, I would also recommend you check out these useful sites: http://www.all-sports-agents-directory.com, http://www.become-a-sports-agent.com, and http://www.allsportsdirectory.net.

Highly recommended for anyone looking to get into the industry., September 4, 2008
It takes skill to deal with the massive corporations that are NFL, MLB, and NBA teams, just like it takes skill to play in those leagues. This newly expanded and updated second edition of "The Business of Sports Agents" is a guide to the subject of the title of the book. Covering the recent changes in the industry, including one agency closing in spite of its size, the constant changes that the business faces, and more. It also covers recent legal challenges, and the league's backlashes against some agents' tactics. "The Business of Sports Agents" is highly recommended for anyone looking to get into the industry.

Required Reading for Future Sports Agents, November 5, 2002
This book is a must read for anyone seriously considering to become a Sports Agents. It is a required reading for our online Professional Athlete Mangement course.

Dr. G. Lynn Lashbrook
President
SportsManagementU.com

Better for Britons, September 30, 2003
This book is interesting, yet focuses primarily on sports business in the UK, and particularly in regard to dealings with soccer clubs. But in terms of applicability to the US market, it's mostly interesting only as a tangential reference.

A MUST READ FOR FUTURE SPORTS AGENTS!, November 6, 2002
This book is a must read for anyone considering becoming a sports agent. The authors understand the industry and the issues it faces in the future. It is our primary textbook for our online Professional Athlete Management Course.

Dr. G. Lynn Lashbrook
President
SportsManagementU

A Must Read for Future Sports Agents, November 8, 2002
This is require reading for our online Sports Agent Course.

Dr. G. Lynn Lashbrook
SportsManagementU ... Read more

Editorial Review

In the fifth edition of Intellectual Property in the New Technological Age, luminary authors Merges, Menell and Lemley continue to offer broad, accessible coverage of the full range of legal protections for intellectual property. Including seminal and cutting-edge cases and materials, this landmark casebook incorporates practice problems that encourage students to think like practitioners.

Timely and forward thinking, the authors of Intellectual Property in the New Technological Age offer:
- Complete coverage of basic and cutting-edge Intellectual Property law issues;
- An excellent selection of cases and materials;
- Practice problems that develop students' skills in applying the law;
- A law and economics perspective;
- Detailed treatment of new media issues, such as computer software;
- An introduction to biotechnology and the latest legal developments in the Statutory and Case Supplement;
- An Author Website with new cases and developments in IP law.

Updated throughout, the Fifth Edition offers:
- Revised patent materials that include the Bilski decision;
- Changes in patentable subject matter, obviousness, and the law of willfulness;
- New developments in digital copyright law and fair use;
- Trademark chapter revised to include dilution, merchandising, Internet keywords, Rescuecom v. Google, and fair use Software cases newly integrated into main chapters. ... Read more

Editorial Review

The most trusted name in law school outlines, Emanuel Law Outlines support your class preparation, provide reference for your outline creation, and supply a comprehensive breakdown of topic matter for your entire study process.

Created by Steven Emanuel, these course outlines have been relied on by generations of law students. Each title includes both capsule and detailed versions of the critical issues and key topics you must know to master the course. Also included are exam questions with model answers, an alpha-list of cases, and a cross reference table of cases for all of the leading casebooks.

Emanuel Law Outline Features:
outline choice among law students
Comprehensive review of all major topics
Capsule summary of all topics
Cross-reference table of cases
Time-saving format
... Read more

Editorial Review

We live in a society that is awash with information, but few of us really understand what information is. In this Very Short Introduction, one of the world's leading authorities on the philosophy of information and on information ethics, Luciano Floridi, offers an illuminating exploration of information as it relates to both philosophy and science. He discusses the roots of the concept of information in mathematics and science, and considers the role of information in several fields, including biology. Floridi also discusses concepts such as "Infoglut" (too much information to process) and the emergence of an information society, and he addresses the nature of information as a communication process and its place as a physical phenomenon. Perhaps more important, he explores information's meaning and value, and ends by considering the broader social and ethical issues relating to information, including problems surrounding accessibility, privacy, ownership, copyright, and open source. This book helps us understand the true meaning of the concept and how it can be used to understand our world. ... Read more

Reviews

Groundbreaking and visionary, but very short indeed, May 28, 2010
Leaving aside the possibility of minds, souls, and the like, people used to think that the ultimate "stuff" of the universe is matter. Then thermodynamics matured during the 19th century, culminating with Einstein's theoretical demonstration that matter can be converted to energy, thus rendering energy apparently even more fundamental than matter. Now, as a result of multiple streams of developments during the 20th century, we live in an age when information is increasingly being viewed as the true ultimate stuff. This is at once both immensely stimulating and perplexing: stimulating because the concept of information has far greater interdisciplinary unifying power than any concept which came before, but perplexing because the concept of information is very abstract and thus elusively slippery.

In this book, Luciano Floridi clearly makes an earnest effort to navigate the difficult terrain presented by the manifold concept of information, and I think he does commendably well. The flow of the book makes sense. He sets the stage by describing how information-saturated our lives have become, to the point where we can be described as "inforgs" living in an "infosphere." He then looks at the concept of information by progressing through increasingly wider contexts: information as data, the mathematical theory of communication of data, semantic aspects of information, physical information (laws of thermodynamics, Maxwell's demon, etc.), biological information (a nicely nuanced discussion), economic information (emphasizing game theory and also touching on Bayes' theorem), a rather creative effort (even if not quite convincing) to reformulate ethical theory from an informational perspective, and finally an epilogue arguing for both the necessity and possibility of merging the natural and manmade worlds.

This broad scope properly reflects most of the key contempary perspectives on information. The follow-up question is whether this breadth comes at the expense of depth, and I think the answer is both yes and no. On one hand, Floridi writes at a fairly high level and thus manages to pack in a good bit of detail; this demands significant concentration by the reader and will make the book hard to follow for readers without at least a little background in the topics discussed. But on the other hand, I did find that the majority of the topics cried out for a much deeper treatment, to the extent that it was sometimes difficult to clearly grasp Floridi's key points because his discussion was simply too brief. In that sense, the book whets the appetite rather than serving up a full meal, so I'm tempted to deduct a star. But it can be argued that the book has fulfilled its mandate of providing a "very short introduction," so let's be generous and stick with 5 stars.

Since this book does a good job of introducing a fundamentally important topic in a groundbreaking and visionary way, and since I don't know of any better book for that purpose, I highly recommend it.

A lucid and interesting introduction to modern conceptualization of information, April 19, 2010
Information is all around us. As I write this, I am sitting at my computer whish holds more pictures, documents and videos than I ever thought were possible for any single person to accumulate. Besides the word processor, I also have my web browser open, and in it there are no fewer than fifteen different tabs that point to as many different web pages. Most of those are some form of news sites, where I continuously throughout the day feed my insatiable appetite for new and relevant information. It has been remarked for a while that we live in an information age, but that statement has never before been more true. An increasing percentage of US and global economy is dedicated to the handling and manipulation of non-tangible assets and resources, all of which can be thought of as some form of information. This trend is bound only to accelerate in the upcoming years, and this is why it's important to have at least some conceptual understanding of what we mean by information in the most elemental and abstract way. In that regard this book is a very useful and informative source of the basic theoretical framework within which modern scholars view information.

One of the virtues of this book is its immense readability. The author knows how to intrigue his audience and keep it interested in various aspects of information even through some very technically advanced sections. The book is very modern in its approach, especially with respect to the topics that are covered. It covers several highly technical aspects of information: the classical mathematical definition of information and communication due to Shannon, the physical representation of information, and the biological, economic and ethical aspects of information and the forms that information assumes. It also deals with many interesting philosophical issues, but due to the lack of space does not delve too deeply into any one of them.

Whether you are in a field that deals extensively with information or are just a regular 21st century individual, this book has a lot to offer for the understanding of the increasingly complex world that we live in.

Just out of reach, April 19, 2010
I came to this book full of hope for a concise introduction to the field of information. What I found resembled one of those dreams when you are following someone around endless corridors without any clear idea of where they are going, and you can't quite catch up to the figure to ask them: 'where are we headed and for what purpose?' Perhaps the author's St. Cross College, Oxford founded in 1965 consists of Borgesian labyrinths? From time to time during the reading, I stopped to check the structure and content of the sentences and yes they were properly constructed sentences, and they did appear to have information content by the author's criteria. But as I resumed reading, there was a nagging voice saying 'so what?' I liked his map of the subject matter that he kept pointing out: 'you are here', but then I realized that this did not really help. Reading this book made me have no new thoughts, and being generative is one of my key criteria for awarding stars. Increasingly, I began to wonder if this is the future of what the author calls the infosphere. We will have almost infinite connectivity with unlimited numbers of deeply interesting people (and I sure from his bio that Luciano Floridi is intelligent and interesting), and we will exchange messages of considerably complexity, but with little emotive richness. Messages about messages, self referential solipsist stimulation and I am not sure that is how we want to live? And perhaps unfairly I ultimately felt like I had spent some hours in the company of a Train Spotter (called Foamer in the US) explaining the finer points of the locomotive numbering system. Phew! I did finish it. And I will go back to check I am not doing it an injustice. If someone can help me better understand the author's macro take on information, please write a review. It may just be me. ... Read more

Editorial Review

From storybook weddings to family intrigue to the pageantry of ancient dynasties, the world of royalty is a modern-day fractured fairy tale. People goes behind palace walls to reveal the priceless jewels, sumptuous hideways and luxurious lifestyles of the rich and royal crowns, castles, servants, romances, pomp secrets and scandals: it's all here in a picture-packed, 144 page look at the public show and private lives of Prince William, Prince Harry, the British royal family and other privileged titleholders from around the world. ... Read more

Reviews

A Beautiful, Dignified Portrayal, June 5, 2007
The contents, photos, stories, and glimpses of history, sorrow, celebration and transformation are beautifully portrayed in this full color high resolution magazine.

[Side Note: I bought this when it first came out, and the front cover is different than the picture shown, but the title is the same.]

The areas covered are: "A Century of Style - From Princess Diana's star power to Queen Rania's modern take on tradition, royals have shaped the world of fashion."

"Jewels" - Just an incredible close up look at the jeweled crowns, jewelry worn, from brooches to bracelets, this is really a depiction that any jewelry lover would be glad to see.

"Weddings" - from Lisa Halaby & King Hussein of Jordan, to Princess DIANA and Prince Charles, Letizia Ortiz & Felipe of Spain, Crown Prince Al-Muhtadee Billah Bolkiah of Brunei & Sarah Salleh (the photo of the custom made gold Rolls Royce is quite a Kodak moment! Grace Kelly and Prince Rainier III of Monaco adorn the pages as well as a beautiful look back in time to 1947 when Princess Elizabeth married Philip Mountbatten. And there's more!

"Behind the Palace Walls" - This takes you inside the castles with rare, true behind-the-scenes photos that are quite amazing.

"Scandals" - There are plenty of them, and they are told in an unbiased manner.

"At Play" - Ski holidays, yachting, polo matches, fun in the water - it shows the more regular human side to the royals.

"The Next Generation" - this is a rare and especially splendid look inside the lives of the grown children: Exceptional photos of Prince's William and Harry, in-the-moment action shots (sports & hugs) along with their girlfriends. Princess Caroline's beautiful young adult children, Charlotte, Andrea, and Pierre - truly magnificent.

The Editors of PEOPLE really did one OUTSTANDING job. This is a magazine/book that I will always treasure. Their collector editions are so well put together. I'm looking forward to receiving the new one Diana: Her Story, as Told Through the Pages of People when it comes out this July. Get this issue now, while you still can!

HRH shops Lobb's for shoes, October 3, 2008
I thought it might be a good "read." It isn't. It's a darn picture book. If that's what you want & enjoy a strong lean into fashion, then it's for you. I did learn, however, that HRH Prince Charles wears Lobb shoes. They cost about $3,600 a pair higher than mine. Mine may cost up to $200, but Lobb's start at $3,800US. (Please remind Jeeves to park the Phantom so he may open the rear door curbside at Lobbs, not into traffic next spring when HRH is fitted there. Do remember that it is one's habit to sit at the left rear whilst in London. Whilst on holiday in the Colonies, one is seated at the right rear in those peculiar LHD Rolls-Royces. One's forward view is blocked, otherwise, what? It shall be fall when the bespoke shoes are ready, so Jeeves is to be ever so careful, what, so the old pair are not splashed, God forbid, by passing peasants as HRH steps out.) ... Read more

Editorial Review

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Editorial Review

Since the rise of Napster and other file-sharing services in its wake, most of us have assumed that intellectual piracy is a product of the digital age and that it threatens creative expression as never before. The Motion Picture Association of America, for instance, claimed that in 2005 the film industry lost $2.3 billion in revenue to piracy online. But here Adrian Johns shows that piracy has a much longer and more vital history than we have realized—one that has been largely forgotten and is little understood.

Piracy explores the intellectual property wars from the advent of print culture in the fifteenth century to the reign of the Internet in the twenty-first. Brimming with broader implications for today’s debates over open access, fair use, free culture, and the like, Johns’s book ultimately argues that piracy has always stood at the center of our attempts to reconcile creativity and commerce—and that piracy has been an engine of social, technological, and intellectual innovations as often as it has been their adversary. From Cervantes to Sonny Bono, from Maria Callas to Microsoft, from Grub Street to Google, no chapter in the story of piracy evades Johns’s graceful analysis in what will be the definitive history of the subject for years to come.

Editorial Review

For the first time, on the tenth anniversary of her death, the magazine that covered the Princess better than anyone else opens its archives to tell Diana's remarkable story as it happened: all the key stories and covers, in order, with original pictures and text, from her first date with Prince Charles to their engagement, the wedding, the births of William and Harry, the dresses, the laughter, the scandals, the divorce, and the final love affair of a shy woman who came to fascinate the world. ... Read more

Reviews

Wonderful book, July 26, 2007
People Magazine scrupulously chronicled Diana's life from when she became engaged to the Prince to her tragic death. This span of years from 1981-1997 are covered in this tribute book to the late Princess of Wales. The covers are reproduced and excerpts and selected photographs from the articles are included. People did add wedding pictures which were not included in the original issue. It is a poignant look with covers featuring a couple apparently in love starting a life together, the births of the children and the rapid descent into marital discord and eventual separation and divorce. There is an eery comment by Charles about his new fiancee in one of the early issues that he will have to get used to seeing the backs of photographers when Lady Diana is around; Charles' jealousy apparently started way back then--this jealousy of Diana's popularity was a factor in the erosion of the marriage. There are pics of the "other woman" Camilla Parker Bowles and issues highlighting Diana's friendship with her sister in law Sarah Ferguson (two covers stories including The Merry Wives of Windsor focus on the pair). There are lovely photographs of Diana with the young princes and chronicles the lives of William and Harry as they grew up. For those who are fans of the late Princess this is a must have. It will also serve as a guide to collectors who want the original issues--they can try to locate the original issues via ebay and other venues and now can match the issues and cover stories via the book. Highly recommended.

An Outstanding Tribute to Princess DIANA - One Extraordinary Person, July 22, 2007
I'm extremely impressed with the outstanding job the Editor's of PEOPLE magazine did in covering so many stories, unforgettable moments, touching times, the joy, the pain, the sadness, and most of all, portraying DIANA as she deserves to be remembered - with dignity, grace, and purity.

This is an exceptional book that I know I will be looking through again and again. If you want a great book capturing DIANA as she deserves to be remembered, this is one of the best. It would also make a great gift for anyone who loved DIANA, Princess of Wales who loved her children with all of her heart, and loved humanity. Her memory lives on and shines as bright as ever, as she deserves it to.

Diana covers - brought back lots of memories!, September 14, 2007
I really enjoyed this re-visit to the People covers! It was a great way to look back!

none, September 4, 2007
I would have liked to see a book with more of the People stories, not just the covers.

DIANA AN AMAZING LIFE FROM PEOPLE MAGAZINE, September 9, 2007
THIS WAS AN EXCELLANT BOOK WITH BEAUTIFUL PICTURES AND ARTICLES AND IT LEFT YOU FEELING LIKE YOU KNEW THE PRINCESS FROM THE BEGINNING OF HER LIFE TO THE END. AN EXCELLENT TRIBUTE TO HER LIFE.

super amazing, March 14, 2008
This is the book to own. I enjoyed every bit of it and would recommend it to everyone.

Good stuff but not really worth the money if you stil have the magazine issues, October 11, 2007
Kind of a start to finish collection of selected People Diana covers/articles. It's nice to look through and read (would make a nice keepsake for the Diana fan)- especially if you missed some issues like I certainly did- but not really worth buying if you still have the original copies in good condition. I don't regret buying it but had hoped for just a bit more than a buyer gets here. There was a paperback edition out at first, haven't seen it recently, only slightly cheaper but this version would be the one to get for durability.

Diana Our England,s Rose, October 1, 2007
Hi, I bought my People Magazine Tribute to Diana at local B&N Bookstore and i am so happy that I did!!! I love the history of Diana,s life from the begining as alittle girl, meeting Charlas, the engaement, the births of William and HARRY,diana,s sister in-law Sarah, her marriage troubles and diana rising up a Pheonix the fire bird.I am so glad Dodi made Diana so happy. I love all the colour photos!!! BIG CHEERS TO PEOPLE MAGAZINE!!!! ... Read more

Editorial Review

Now more than ever, anyone who wants to make money with a digital camera needs this authoritative and approachable guide. Written by the president of the Professional Photographers of America, and a leading New York copyright attorney, it provides photographers and visual artists with the most authoritative legal advice available. Everything is covered, from contracts, subcontracts, releases, and permissions to the copyright laws and all the steps artists should take to register and protect their work. Find out how to use copyright to protect your work from infringement, insure you are properly paid for your work, and how to proceed if your rights are infringed upon.

�

Editorial Review

This is an invaluable collection of sample entertainment contracts along with discussions of the concepts and terms contained therein. Completely revised and greatly expanded - including 20 new contracts - the second edition of this popular and essential handbook is the ultimate entertainment-law source of independent film makers, who, armed with this book can save themselves thousands in legal fees. It contains 62 contracts covering: depiction and copyright release; literary submission and sale; artist employment; collaboration; music; financing; production; distribution; and, merchandising and retainers. ... Read more

Reviews

This is the best book on contracts for film/TV, December 22, 1997
Mark Litwak's book is by far the best book available on film and television contracts. His book is a no nonsense, thorough guide to the complex world of contractual law for an industry that has a history of taking advantage of those who don't take the time or spend the money to hire good legal representation. He is an advocate for the rights of artists, writers, actors, etc., and his contracts are a good basis for negotiations and deals in the TV/Film industry. Even if you hire your own attorney, this book will help you understand the structure of your deal and alert you to details and potential booby traps in all that fine print. D. Kuspa

A fine and thorough book, July 10, 2001
Litwak provides about as much as a professional could share in this throrough outing. He also shares 'boilerplate' contracts for virtally all key players in a film production. Of course, direct experience is the best teacher, but EVERY neophyte in film or television must own this book, and its a handy reference for seasoned professionals and part-timers.

Also check out his companion book, "Dealmaking..." which has priceless cues on what gray areas to avoid in negotiating with lawyers and their clients.

Essential for producers, directors, writers and anyone hoping to get financed or paid or both!

Decent book - no CD, January 3, 2007
This book is a good collection of legal contracts for the industry, but it doesn't have a CD-ROM or associated website where you can download the contracts as a starting-point template.

I believe the author is gouging us by forcing us to buy the CD separately. Very cheesy business practice. I hope you have OCR software to scan these pages into your computer.

For those serious about producing, June 8, 2007
Good basic legal information oriented towards the independent feature film producer but useful for anyone who wants to produce film or other distributed video. Won't replace having an attorney but will allow you to do some things by yourself and understand what is going on when you need to hire one. Similar to "The Independent Film Producer's Survival Guide" but with enough distinct material (example contracts for instance) to be worth having both.

Irena Tully, Impulse Films & Prestige Entertainment, February 9, 2007
This is a useful and inspirational book that explains a variety of legal film production matters and provides drafts of contracts for basically every aspect of film & TV production. And it covers all major players in the colossal process of making a film, helping to make sure that whatever your role in the production is, you understand your rights.

Great!, September 30, 2008
Although he is based in L.A. and this book can throw New Yorkers off a tad, Litwak offers great information, clean and concise. Could not ask for more. Happy with the purchase and do recommend this to anyone needing these types of contracts. Although I do wish his CD (with these contracts) was alot more cheaper than what it is going for now. ... Read more

Editorial Review

Is the Internet erasing national borders?Will the future of the Net be set by Internet engineers, rogue programmers, the United Nations, or powerful countries?Who's really in control of what's happening on the Net?
In this provocative new book, Jack Goldsmith and Tim Wu tell the fascinating story of the Internet's challenge to governmental rule in the 1990s, and the ensuing battles with governments around the world. It's a book about the fate of one idea--that the Internet might liberate us forever from government, borders, and even our physical selves.We learn of Google's struggles with the French government and Yahoo's capitulation to the Chinese regime; of how the European Union sets privacy standards on the Net for the entire world; and of eBay's struggles with fraud and how it slowly learned to trust the FBI.In a decade of events the original vision is uprooted, as governments time and time again assert their power to direct the future of the Internet.The destiny of the Internet over the next decades, argue Goldsmith and Wu, will reflect the interests of powerful nations and the conflicts within and between them.
While acknowledging the many attractions of the earliest visions of the Internet, the authors describe the new order, and speaking to both its surprising virtues and unavoidable vices.Far from destroying the Internet, the experience of the last decade has lead to a quiet rediscovery of some of the oldest functions and justifications for territorial government.While territorial governments have unavoidable problems, it has proven hard to replace what legitimacy governments have, and harder yet to replace the system of rule of law that controls the unchecked evils of anarchy.While the Net will change some of the ways that territorial states govern, it will not diminish the oldest and most fundamental roles of government and challenges of governance.
Well written and filled with fascinating examples, including colorful portraits of many key players in Internet history, this is a work that is bound to stir heated debate in the cyberspace community. ... Read more

Reviews

Why the bordered Internet is necessary, June 23, 2006
"Who Controls the Internet?" by Jack Goldsmith and Tim Wu offers a clear-eyed assessment of the struggle to control the Internet. Starting with a discussion of the early vision of a borderless global community, the authors present some of the most prominent individuals, ideas and movements that have played key roles in developing the Internet as we know it today. As Law Professors at Harvard and Columbia, respectively, Mr. Goldsmith and Mr. Wu adroitly assert the important role of government in maintaining Internet law and order while skillfully debunking the claims of techno-utopianism that have been espoused by popular but misinformed theorists such as Thomas Friedman.

The book has three sections. Part One is "The Internet Revolution". The authors discuss the early days of the Internet through the 1990s, when Julian Dibbell and John Perry Barlow articulated a libertarian vision that gained wide currency in the public imagination. The Electronic Frontier Foundation worked to protect the Internet from regulation in the belief that a free online community might unite people and melt government away. However, Jon Postel's attempt to assert control over the root naming and numbering system in 1998 was short-lived, as the U.S. government flexed its power in order to protect its national defense and business interests.

Part Two is "Government Strikes Back". Users in different places with widely varying cultures and preferences want information presented in their local language and context, the authors explain. Governments use a number of techniques to pressure or control local intermediaries to restrict Internet content that a majority of its citizens find unacceptable, such as the sale of Nazi paraphenelia in France. Of course, bad government begets bad policy: the authors tell us how China uses its powers of censorship to block dissent and publishes propaganda that cultivates a virulent form of nationalism. Yet, the authors illustrate how good government can work by showing how the contest in the U.S. between the RIAA and Kazaa ultimately enabled Apple's iTunes to emerge as a legally acceptable service that balances copyright laws and the public's preference for using the Internet to source and download music.

Part Three is "Vice, Virtues, the Future". The authors present an interesting case study about eBay and its founder's idealistic faith in the inherent goodness of the Internet community; we learn that when the company found its business model severely challenged by fraud, a resolution to the crisis was made workable with the assistance of local law enforcement. According to the authors, eBay, the case of an Australian libel lawsuit against a U.S. publisher, and Microsoft's acquiesence to European Union (EU) regulation of its Passport service are examples of how the bordered Internet seeks to protect citizens from harm. They argue convincingly that as a communications medium, the Internet is not unlike other technologies that have come before and therefore the Internet is not likely to displace territorial government. Rather, it is more likely, the authors speculate, that cultural and political differences may be leading us into a technological Cold War where the U.S., EU and China develop their own competitive Internet platforms.

The author's reasoning that issues of Internet law might be handled in the same manner as environmental laws at the international level brings to mind an argument made by Robyn Eckersley in her excellent book, "The Green State" where the pivotal role of the state in preserving the natural environment is asserted. While these two books might appear to be unfashionable to some by their emphasis on the state, in my opinion it appears that the facts on the ground support these authors when they suggest that government serves as the most amenable and accessible mechanism for expressing the popular will of the people, and will likely remain so for the foreseeable future.

I strongly recommend this engaging, intelligent and visionary book to everyone.

BORDER IS NOTHING WITHOUT CONTROL, May 1, 2006
This well-written, smooth-flowing text has the capacity of keeping even the laziest reader reading without pause. Please, note that its essence does not include IT technologies like HTML, CSS, JAVA, and so on. Rather, the business of this book is based entirely on attempts (by both individuals and organisations) to bring sanity to the 'world-wild-net'!
Each argument seemed logical regardless of which side it is inclined to. At the moment, signs of change could be seen at the online horizon; yet, it may still take years (if not decades) for the holes to be completely plugged and monitored. But until when the future arrives, the Internet will remain a borderless world occupied by a flock of fly-free birds, many of which will continue to evade caging.
The chapters of this book did a good job in determining and weighing the pros and cons of effecting Internet controls. And, the most gruesome aspect is that the world wide web runs the risk of being balkanized into 'territorial waters'. And judging by Google's experience in China, this sort of control would cause professionalism to be compromised with the view of gaining market-shares.
In conclusion, there is no doubt that some measure of Internet sanity would be nice. However, absolute or high-handed governmental controls may serve to rob the Net of its flavors. Traditional online businesses would be the biggest gainer if this ever happens, whereas the biggest losers would include internet entertainment and leisure-oriented industries.
Most of the issues raised in this book are real-world. They constitute very good guiding principles. But as the Internet continues to grow and evolve, the validity of these principles may not be all that future-proof. Only time will tell. But until then, border will continue to mean nothing when control is non-existent.

Understand the complexity of the Internet, January 15, 2007
Jack and Tim made one thing dramatically clear: The Internet is no lawless enclave in our world. Their journey from the very beginning to the modern Internet is full of clear examples and anecdotes describing the "rude awakening" of idealists and patient people who participated in the development of the globe-consuming web.

When I read that the authors come from the dry plains of law science I was sceptical if the book would be worth to read. I imagined that their approach would be as dry as the 1000 ft law books in the libraries.

But, when I opened it and started reading I first put it down after page 186, the very last page of the remarkable work. Their writing is so gripping, so light to read, that even a none-English person like me could easily understand and enjoy it.

After working with the Internet since the beginnings of the 80's I thought I knew a lot about it and how it is screwed together, but I got surprised. Their view from a complete different angle, threw light on hidden aspects I honestly never thought about. In a modern world full of economical interests and its enforcement all makes absolute sense and even dramatic events like the Napster case fall into their logical place in this big puzzle.

Every part of the book is filled with cross-references and hints to further readings. All cases and examples are deep researched and very neutral presented.

Buy it, read it and give it to a dear one.

Poorly reasoned apology for government control/surveillance of the Internet, January 20, 2010
I was very disappointed with this book after seeing all of the high reviews here, and reading the description for the book. I thought I was going to be reading an in-depth analysis of the technical, legal, and political means by which governments control, censor, and surveil the Internet, what the sociopolitical effects of this are, and how people around the world are resisting invasion of privacy and deprivation of autonomy.

Instead, I discovered that it was actually a poorly reasoned apology for government surveillance, censorship, and control of the Internet. Bringing out those trusty old substitutes for rational analysis and debate -- child porn, Nazi hate speech, and computer fraudsters -- Wu and Goldsmith repeatedly attempt to show us how grateful we should be for our governments "protecting" us from "villains", and how we were all so "naive" for thinking that we wanted to be able to have a democratic, uncensored electronic communications medium, and how silly we were for thinking that we would actually be allowed to have one.

They discuss issues within inane framings such as "uninhibited debate vs. order", and talk about how it's great that governments are censoring and monitoring the public, because that's what people need to keep them safe from all of those Nazis and child pornographers. They of course, superficially touch upon the Chinese surveillance state, and how in *extreme* and *rare* situations like China, government surveillance, censorship, and control might *possibly* lead to political repression -- but other than that, they keep on the velvet gloves, hardly discussing government violations of liberty and privacy, and not touching at all upon the extensive surveillance apparatus in the United States or Great Britain. They're too busy scaring us with stories that are supposed to let us know how good all of this is, to honestly cover the reasons that people oppose these sorts of government activities

Instead of hearing WHY people are so "caught up" in these "naive" quest for the ability to have private, uncensored communications, we have over 1/3 of the book informing us that these programs are a "necessary evil", and how anyone who criticizes them is just a naive, ethnocentric "libertarian" who doesn't understand that they can't go around pushing the "uniquely American values" of free speech and privacy on other cultures who don't want them. They both under- and mis-represent the views of people who defend privacy and autonomy, and make them out to be a bunch of naive, overly-optimistic, idealists who have such an innocent, childish view of the world that they, in their quest after silly abstractions like political freedom, have overlooked all of those "public goods" like libel law and police repression that maintain that comfortable "order" (comfortable, that is, if you are an Ivy League professor who gets to experience the friendly side of it, instead of a Chinese torture chamber) that is threatened by "uninhibited debate" (like people being able to openly discuss corporate crimes without being hit with a SLAPP lawsuit for violating the libel/slander laws that the authors are so vigorously promoting).

They "prove" through the example of fraud on E-Bay, that people need government to protect them from fraud, conveniently ignoring the fact that the market system that those same governments were designed to protect are the sole reason that the fraudsters exist in the first place (if there was no money or economic inequality/injustice, what exactly would a fraudster *do*?).

And besides all of that, even as an apology for totalitarianism and nationalism, it was still poorly put together. The book has extremely low information density, and is very poorly reasoned. Even if you agree with them that governments should tightly control and monitor the Internet, you still won't learn much -- most of the book is irrelevant fluff. Their view of how governments "work" is very simplistic -- reminiscent of a high-school civics/government class. Seeing that the authors are law professors at Ivy League universities merely reaffirms Noam Chomsky's statement that many of the people in universities these days are not really "intellectuals", but in fact "a kind of secular priesthood, whose task it is to uphold the doctrinal truths of this society."

Don't waste your time, money, or energy.

must read, October 16, 2006
This book is the best complete statement of the second wave of internet scholarship. If you ever thought that the net destroyed the significance of geography, or that cyberspace should be thought of as a real place, you owe it to yourself to see how things are really turning out.

This book is great., March 30, 2006
Lately, news about music piracy, on-line privacy, e-commerce, China's Internet censorship, Yahoo, Google, etc. is everywhere and, given that we spend so much time on the Internet downloading music, web-stalking people, buying stuff and working, we should be really grateful (I know I am) that, without having to read all that news, we can become better informed about these issues and Internet regulation by just reading Who Controls the Internet? Goldsmith and Wu have done us a huge favor by sifting through a lot of information about these complicated topics and breaking it down without dumbing it down.

This book is interesting, accessible and engaging enough to read cover to cover in one sitting. It's not esoteric theory and bears no resemblance to a boring law review article. These professors don't wax poetic about whether or not one can control this wacky metaphysical world called the "Internet".

The current debates about the Internet seem to focus on who gets to control the Internet and, more importantly, our interactions on the Internet and how to exercise such control. Through good writing, thorough research and well-developed ideas, Goldsmith and Wu explain the history behind these debates, where they stand today and how they should be resolved. Their book is great and couldn't be any timelier.

...and, oh yeah, keeping in mind that these guys are law professors, you just gotta love the little shout out to Wu-Tang Clan. Somewhere out there, even ODB is smiling down on this book.

Who Controls the Internet, September 7, 2007
Despite what most people assume and many more wish the Internet has become regulated. The Internet is controled within a countries borders resulting in many conflicting laws. That's a problem for Internet companies who have assets across many borders. Can they get away with just following their countries laws? Time and time again the authors evince the answer being no. Companies like yahoo, google, mircrosoft, ebay, the Dow Jones, obsequiously follow foreign laws but not necessarily sacrifice their own.

Some of these companies have no qualms either assisting the Chinese filter pro-democracy websites, in short because they feel they have to. As I right this Yahoo is being sued by the World Organization for Human Rights for giving the Chinese government I.P. addresses of Chinese citizens who will then jailed and tortured for subversion. Yahoo asserts they were simply following the law.

And that is the problem facing these companies especially with China. They really have no other choice to or get out.

The book was well writen, fair and balanced.

a must-read for people interested in Internet law, July 2, 2006
This book lucidly debunks the notion that the Internet inherently possesses territorial independence or extra-legality, mostly by clearly laying out various ways that governments can (and do) enact enforceable restrictions upon Internet content and behavior. Recommended.

Will the internet change China or will China change the internet?, December 2, 2006
The title about China and other pointed questions in this excellent book are addressed with a perception rarely achieved. The thought processes that go into policy decisions effecting governments and individuals, a collectivism vs. individualism. The reader is easily made to understand complex technologies and issues, not only at their core but as they expand outward into the real world. From the internets architecture, bandwith, internet borders, copyright laws, crime and criminal law, domain names, eBay, economy and commerce on the internet,filesharing, globalization, and much more. Or questions such as, "How can it be harder to notice that information has become more difficult to find? It is hard, in other words, to know what you don't know." CENSORSHIP. Pick up this book. When you finally put it down, you be the one of the ones hitting their fast/curve balls out of the park.

A great recounting of the history of the Internet and the future of its legal ramifications., November 3, 2006
This book was required reading for a law school course on the Internet's legal issues. Aside from being one of the least expensive books I've ever been required to read, it is a great book that accurately addresses many of the relevant legal theories. One should note that while the authors do not claim to present a de facto statement of what the law is, there are significant factions of legal scholars who disagree with many of this book's conclusions, of whom my professor is one.

All in all, this is an excellent book for anyone wishing to better understand the way the Internet affects (or does not affect) legal rights without wading through 15 years of case law. Furthermore, the authors have written this book in a manner that makes easy to read and enjoy for the technically adept and the technically challenged (i.e. lawyers) alike. ... Read more