The recent discovery of 10 lost plays by the beloved mystery writer Agatha Christie highlights a lucrative trend in the publishing world. In this year alone, a host of "newly discovered" writings by J.R.R. Tolkien, Harper Lee, F. Scott Fitzgerald, and Dr. Seuss have enjoyed considerable commercial success. With each case, the same questions arise: how do we discern, and to what extent do we honor the wishes of the author when reproducing the work? Does the public have a right to see these works?
The recent discovery of 10 lost plays by the beloved mystery writer Agatha Christie highlights a lucrative trend in the publishing world. In this year alone, a host of "newly discovered" writings by J.R.R. Tolkien, Harper Lee, F. Scott Fitzgerald, and Dr. Seuss have enjoyed considerable commercial success. With each case, the same questions arise: how do we discern, and to what extent do we honor the wishes of the author when reproducing the work? Does the public have a right to see these works?…
