C.S. Lewis was talking to his lawyer one day when the attorney told him he had to decide where his earnings would go after his death.
Lewis, who had already written “The Chronicles of Narnia” book series, told the lawyer he didn’t need to worry.
“After I’ve been dead five years, no one will read anything I’ve written,” Lewis said.
Lewis was a gifted writer, but he would have been a lousy estate planner. More than 40 years after his death, the former medieval literature professor has become the Elvis Presley of Christian publishing: His legacy is lucrative and still growing, scholars and book editors say.
The beginning of the article made me hope that the reporter would tell us how long CSL’s books would be under the control of the Gresham estate, i.e. when they will go into the public domain. It’s been close to 50 years since Lewis died (more than that for Joy Gresham), and it certainly would be a fabulous resource for evangelism to have all these books available on the web — one could easily search and copy passages, send people links, etc.
Does anyone know how this works? Based on my own research it looks like it is 95 years after copyright date (e.g. not for another 20 years at least, for some of his later works more like 30 or 40 years).
But it isn’t something I know much about. Does anyone here?
It is so long ago that I read the book, that I had forgotten the plot when I watched Prince Caspian on DVD this Christmas; but it gave me much to think about.
I also thought Bishop Martyn Minns’ sermon based on Aslan was well worth reading.
I am hoping to see the ‘Voyage of the Dawn Treader’ in the next few days and again I have forgotten the plot.
Voyage of the Dawn Trader is excellent and worth the money for the 3D.
#2: The film ‘Prince Caspian’ was terrible: the worst of Disney and the filmic LOTR intruded on the plot, while the Telmarines had bizzarely become Spaniards, when Lewis depicted them as, well,…
I missed “Prince Caspian” but recently saw “voyage of the Dawn Trader.” I was not impressed. “The Lion, Witch and the Wardrobe” was by far the best.
I haven’t seen the Dawn Treader yet, but based on Prince Caspian, I am quite dubious. Although, the people I know that loved Dawn Treader have loved it.
Hmmmm….I suspect Lewis would suggest people read the book. Then blame him if it isn’t as good as it ought to be.
Just saw Dawn Treader the other day. Much better than Prince Caspian, but again, there are plot changes, and some of my favorite scenes from the book are left out of the movie.
It’s not bad overall, and I hope it does well, but I was frustrated at some of the changes – notably a speech Aslan gives at the end about “those with noble hearts” which never appeared in the book, and which I think a real distortion of the original Narnia series’ message.
Jon at #1. Very good questions, to which sadly I too do not know the answers. Legal boffins welcome!
Re the others: Now that [i]Planet Narnia[/i] by Michael Ward is out in paperback (OUP), I seriously suggest folk get a copy and read it – before rereading the Seven Chronicles themslves (again!). Quite brilliant, and a real eye-opener. Enjoy!