4 ms·

That happened with "Life of Pi". https://www.theguardian.com/world/2002/nov/08/bookerprize2002.awardsandprizes https://www.theguardian.com/world/2002/nov/08/boo

by soneca 8y ago

That happened with "Life of Pi". https://www.theguardian.com/world/2002/nov/08/bookerprize2002.awardsandprizes https://www.theguardian.com/world/2002/nov/08/bookerprize200... The author who stole was very arrogant admitting he stole the premise because he didn't want to leave it to a "lesser writer"

asplake 8y ago
With the comically ironic correction: “Our report should have acknowledged the New York Times as the source of some of the quotes.”
jmull 8y ago
The Life of Pi case looks a lot different than this one. In that case, it’s only the premise that is the same and the author of “Pi” gave credit to the other author, up-front and unprompted. So there’s no deception and the similarities are broad but shallow.
- taeric 8y ago
  Reminds me of folks that were convinced Hunger Games was a copy of Battle Royale.
  - benj111 8y ago
    The concept predates that. I remember reading a Sci fi novel from the 80s at least, with teenagers being dumped on a planet to fight it out. Don't think it was last man standing, but similar in all other respects.
    - taeric 8y ago
      This is why it reminds me of it. The Running Man is the easiest pop culture reference that predates both of them. That said, the concept could easily be said as just a public gladiator contest. Because... that is what those were. Sometimes things are just similar, was my point. Both being enjoyed should take nothing from the others.
  - bradknowles 8y ago
    Or “Lord of the Flies”?
    - ghaff 8y ago
      Not really. The Lord of the Flies is the rather different premise of children being abandoned and things basically going to hell. There's no contest/game or outside influence generally.
  - sametmax 8y ago
    We litteraly calls all the games genre based on the concept of last man standing a "battle royale". So if you take a battle royal theme scenario, and you used kids, and you make it a politic mive, of course it will ring a bell...
  - skookumchuck 8y ago
    Stephen King's 1979 book "The Long Walk" is the same idea as well.
whack 8y ago
Here's the whole essay where he made the "lesser author" comment: https://medium.com/@Powells/how-i-wrote-life-of-pi-6ffe1c0177ac https://medium.com/@Powells/how-i-wrote-life-of-pi-6ffe1c017... He made that comment as a hypothetical in the context of a really bad book review. He even said in the very next sentence that the book may possibly have been very well written. I don't think he's trying to make any personal attack. My personal opinion on plagiarism is that everything is fair game as long as it's clearly acknowledged upfront.
- deleted 8y ago
  [deleted]
- zaksoup 8y ago
  Isn't that called quoting people?
  - whack 8y ago
    In the most extreme form, yes. And no one should be shamed for quoting someone with attribution.
munificent 8y ago
Here's the quote in context: Why put up with a brilliant premise ruined by a lesser writer. Worse, what if Updike had been wrong? What if not only the premise but also its rendition were perfect?
gota 8y ago
Which is tragically funnier because the original author is a better writer in every aspect

by soneca 8y ago

asplake 8y ago

With the comically ironic correction: “Our report should have acknowledged the New York Times as the source of some of the quotes.”

jmull 8y ago

The Life of Pi case looks a lot different than this one. In that case, it’s only the premise that is the same and the author of “Pi” gave credit to the other author, up-front and unprompted. So there’s no deception and the similarities are broad but shallow.

taeric 8y ago
Reminds me of folks that were convinced Hunger Games was a copy of Battle Royale.
- benj111 8y ago
  The concept predates that. I remember reading a Sci fi novel from the 80s at least, with teenagers being dumped on a planet to fight it out. Don't think it was last man standing, but similar in all other respects.
  - taeric 8y ago
    This is why it reminds me of it. The Running Man is the easiest pop culture reference that predates both of them. That said, the concept could easily be said as just a public gladiator contest. Because... that is what those were. Sometimes things are just similar, was my point. Both being enjoyed should take nothing from the others.
- bradknowles 8y ago
  Or “Lord of the Flies”?
  - ghaff 8y ago
    Not really. The Lord of the Flies is the rather different premise of children being abandoned and things basically going to hell. There's no contest/game or outside influence generally.
- sametmax 8y ago
  We litteraly calls all the games genre based on the concept of last man standing a "battle royale". So if you take a battle royal theme scenario, and you used kids, and you make it a politic mive, of course it will ring a bell...
- skookumchuck 8y ago
  Stephen King's 1979 book "The Long Walk" is the same idea as well.

whack 8y ago

Here's the whole essay where he made the "lesser author" comment: https://medium.com/@Powells/how-i-wrote-life-of-pi-6ffe1c0177ac https://medium.com/@Powells/how-i-wrote-life-of-pi-6ffe1c017... He made that comment as a hypothetical in the context of a really bad book review. He even said in the very next sentence that the book may possibly have been very well written. I don't think he's trying to make any personal attack. My personal opinion on plagiarism is that everything is fair game as long as it's clearly acknowledged upfront.

deleted 8y ago
[deleted]
zaksoup 8y ago
Isn't that called quoting people?
- whack 8y ago
  In the most extreme form, yes. And no one should be shamed for quoting someone with attribution.

munificent 8y ago

Here's the quote in context: Why put up with a brilliant premise ruined by a lesser writer. Worse, what if Updike had been wrong? What if not only the premise but also its rendition were perfect?

gota 8y ago

Which is tragically funnier because the original author is a better writer in every aspect