I doubt they even could for a book from 1971; word processors and computerized layout that could really handle a book were still in the future. Even in 1981, Te

I doubt they even could for a book from 1971; word processors and computerized layout that could really handle a book were still in the future. Even in 1981, TeX was only 3 years old. I imagine any masters for it were destroyed, lost, or melted down in the intervening 50+ years. So the best anyone, even the publisher, could do would be to ask the Library of Congress for a photocopy. However, I firmly agree that not providing it for sale at a reasonable rate (no higher than the original sale price of a generally-available hardback edition, adjusted for inflation) should end copyright. You made it, you released it, you wanted to profit from it: fine. You own those rights for a long time: don't like it, but not really what I want to argue. You're embarassed by it and don't want anyone to know you published it: hey, man, if you sold it to the public, ever, you put it out there, and if you later decide you don't want to any more, well, you should not have published and taken advantage of copyright protection.