can i rewrite and revise a book

[copperascove]

i found an old non-fiction book and i was wondering if i can rewrite /revise it by changing names, places etc and write it as my own.

[saxy_jag]

Depends how old it is. Copyright remains with the author for 70 years after their death. You'd be advised to get permission from the author or their estate if it's still in copyright, even if you're changing names and places.

If it's out of copyright, then I'd still take care. It could feasibly be classed as plagiarism, especially if you try to claim it's all yours. You might get away with stating that it's based on another work etc etc, but that depends on the above circumstances.

I suggest you go ahead and write it, and then run it past a few agents to get their opinion.

[Buenchico]

If you base any work upon that of another person (unless copyright has expired as in, say, the works of Shakespeare) you must obtain the permission of the copyright owner.
http://www.ipo.gov.uk/types/copy.htm

Chris

[Quizmonkey]

Non-fiction??? How can you change anything anyway?

[obNOXious]

Historians do it all the time Quiz;-)

[saxy_jag]

Non-fiction??? How can you change anything anyway?

Well, as an example, I have an early nineteenth century copy of Culpepper's Herbal. The language and terminology is so old-fashioned that many a modern reader would be confused by it. The edition is out of copyright, so I could rewrite it in modern English, lift some of the wonderful drawings, republish it as something like 'Culpepper's 21st Century Herbal' or some such and put my own name to it. Not that I'd want to and I think it's already been done anyway, but legal matters apart, it's feasible.