Google Book Settlement: answers to questions

[wolfinthewood]

The National Writers Union has posted an excellent FAQ page on the Google Book Settlement. It explains the background and sets out the options clearly and succinctly. There is a useful set of links.

The distinguished poet, essayist, science fiction and fantasy author Ursula Le Guin has resigned from the Authors Guild over the Google Book Settlement. She has posted an open letter to the Guild on her website:

I am not going to rehearse any arguments pro and anti the “Google settlement.” You decided to deal with the devil, as it were, and have presented your arguments for doing so. I wish I could accept them. I can’t. There are principles involved, above all the whole concept of copyright; and these you have seen fit to abandon to a corporation, on their terms, without a struggle.

She praises the courage and sound judgement of the National Writers Union and the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America, which has also been strongly critical of the settlement.