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Bloomsbury Publishing, PLC, which publishes the popular Harry Potter series written by J.K. Rowling, has vowed vigorously to defend against a copyright infringement suit by the estate of author Adrien Jacobs seeking 500 million pounds.
Lawyers for the estate claim that the fourth book in Rowling's series about boy wizard Harry Potter, "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire," which has sold more than 400 million copies worldwide since its publication in 2000, reproduces substantial parts of Jacobs' "The Adventures of Willy the Wizard," a 36-page booklet published in 1987. Jacobs died penniless in a hospice in 1997.
Jacobs' estate claims that Jacob had sought the services of literary agent Christopher Little, who subsequently became Rowling's agent. Bloomsbury dismissed the lawsuit as unfounded, contends that Rowling never heard of Jacobs or his work, and notes that the central character of Willy the Wizard is not a young wizard, nor does the story revolve around a school for wizards.
One can only dread what the penalty for plagiarism might be at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
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How come no one sues poor authors for plagiarism? The principle is the same. I can't help thinking that income-generation is a key part of this and similar lawsuits. Is it a complete coincidence that - whoever - is suing the most successful author in recent history? A woman who's richer than the Queen of England? I think not.
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