[Rightwing Conspiratr1]

Unless, of course, the copyright has expired. See #40.

On works prior to 1978, the copyright expires 28 years after the author's death unless renewed for another term. The author of the book ain't dead yet.

[Rightwing Conspiratr1]

I should add that the copyright act of 1976 grandfathers in a 47 year term for those works that hadn't already expired by 1978, and the Bono Act of ninety something or other grandfathers in a 75 - 120 year term for works that haven't expired yet.

The net affect of this is about half of Edgar Rice Burroughs and H.P. Lovecraft's books have entered the public domain and they died a long time ago. That is to say very roughly speaking that books written in the 1930's and 40's are the ones entering into public domian these days. Tolkein's books will enter the public domain in 2030 - 2040 something.