Monday, October 7, 2013

Book cover threatened by Einstein estate

I have a picture of Albert Einstein on the cover of my book, How Einstein Ruined Physics. Nobody threatened me, but physicist Tony Rothman was not so lucky:
Several years ago I had a book in press, Everything’s Relative and Other Fables From Science and Technology. Given the title, the publisher’s house artist not unreasonably designed a cover that included a photographic image of Albert Einstein. The publisher (Wiley) had properly licensed the photo from Bill Gates’ firm Corbis. One would have thought that would end the matter.

One would have thought. Six weeks before publication I received a frantic email from the editor. Albert was to be stricken from the cover. Why? For fear of being sued by the “Einstein estate.”
I am not worried, as Einstein is now in public domain.

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