Houellebecq plagarizes Wikipedia, French Scandale! Options

[the fieryangel]

The French writer Michel Houellebecq (T-H-L-K-D), known as the «Baudelaire of the supermarkets». writes very highbrow but basically unreadable novels. He will have a new novel out on September 8: La Carte et Le Territoire. The French critics says that it is very good, and it could win a literary prize.

It seems however that several sections of the novel have been lifted directly from Wikipedia.

There are three examples of passages which seem to be lifted almost word for word....And the Creative Commons license is not respected in these citations.

However, the general consensus seems to be that nobody cares and nothing will be done, other than laugh at Michel Houellebecq....

Maybe this is a good thing?

[A User]

The French writer Michel Houellebecq (T-H-L-K-D), known as the «Baudelaire of the supermarkets». writes very highbrow but basically unreadable novels. He will have a new novel out on September 8: La Carte et Le Territoire. The French critics says that it is very good, and it could win a literary prize.

It seems however that several sections of the novel have been lifted directly from Wikipedia.

There are three examples of passages which seem to be lifted almost word for word....And the Creative Commons license is not respected in these citations.

However, the general consensus seems to be that nobody cares and nothing will be done, other than laugh at Michel Houellebecq....

Maybe this is a good thing?

We've already seen a number of titles that have been mass publishing wikipedia content with and without attribution, and discussed here on WR. I just noticed the other day in my local bookstore, the "Guns N' Roses" Encyclopaedia by Mick Shea, and The "AC/DC": The Encyclopaedia by Malcolm Dome. I was astonished to open and read these encyclopedias and find they are almost word-for-word copies of what's available on wikipedia, and no mention of wikipedia in the credits. These aren't obscure journalists or publishers. Malcolm Dome and Mick Shea are well respected in the music industry. Will wikipedia act? I doubt it...