"Steal This Text": Plagiarism in Our Brave New (Digital) World

Oh, that cut-and-paste function is so tempting! Waldo Jaquith (yes, he's my son) was reviewing a book for The Virginia Quarterly Review and noticed jarring variations in the writing style.

Further investigation revealed equally jarring similarities between several Wikipedia entries and the author's text.

The author is Chris Anderson, the editor-in-chief of Wired magazine. The book, in a delicious irony, is entitled Free: The Future of a Radical Price.

The ensuing hoo-ha is available for your perusal at the VQR blog.

As you'll see from the comments posted there, the defense for this behavior is essentially: Hey, this stuff is available for free online, what's the big deal?

It is in that freewheeling spirit that I now present my brand-new novel, Moby Dick.

White Elephants on Parade in Charlottesville

The tenth annual Charlottesville LLL White Elephant Exchange was held yesterday at the Gracious Home of writer and documentary filmmaker Elizabeth Howard. Some twenty Literary Ladies were in attendance. As the exquisite wrappings fell away, we were left with many truly wretched offerings. (Why, this is the best holiday EVER!)

My personal favorite was Susie Langenkamp's new "pump" soap.

Hearty congratulations to our first- and second-place winners, Laura Rydin and Sally Honenberger!

LLL Summit at VaBook!

Better late than never, above is a photo of the first-ever National LLL, during the Virginia Festival of the Book, on Friday, March 28 at Hamilton's on Main. "National" because there were three Ladies from the Colorado contingent: Kim Reid, barely visible at 4th from left; Social Secretary Bella Stander in green, 4th from right; Carleen Brice leaning back, 5th from right.

We lobbied hard for Judy Merill Larsen (2nd from left), who was participating in the Fest, to start an LLL chapter in Missouri.

As for the other Ladies at the table, visible on the left are Jenny Gardiner, Judy and Marianne Sullivan. At the very end is Deirdra McAfee. The first three on the right are Susan Wright, Virginia Social Secretary Janis Jaquith and Susie Langenkamp.

The First Annual LLL VaBook Happy Hour, at South Street Brewery on Thurs. 3/27, was a grand success. More than 30 ladies and gentlemen attended. There are no photos of the fabulous event because Bella forgot to take her camera out of her handbag. That's the Lit Life for you!