“Random House Inc. has settled a lawsuit against an e-book publisher that was selling digital versions of Kurt Vonnegut’s Cat’s Cradle and seven other popular titles.” – Washington Post, Dec. 5.
The TeleRead take: As the story notes, the decision still leaves “unresolved the issue of whether authors or publishers control e-rights to books when the contract has no specific language about the electronic format.” Interesting issues. One effect of a TeleRead approach is that it would encourage a more helpful resolution of these matters. The better the distribution, the higher the stakes–and the more chance of pressure for a clearer-cut ruling. Meanwhile both Random House and RosettaBooks, the e-publisher involved, have taken the sensible route of deciding on collaborations rather than an interminable legal war.
