The Modernist Cusine

[Anthony Vagnini]

Does anyone have a copy that they could put into pdf format . I really
want to read it. I have read all the books written by Herve This.

[Adam Danforth]

This is probably not the right list to submit such a ridiculous request; what you're asking for is illegal. It takes an immense amount of gall and oblivious disrespect to think you should be able to digitally download such a momentous volume of information, especially with a plea to a group that would obviously be devout fans. Even logistically it's absurd: the book is like 1600 pages long or something. Pony up the cash—it's well worth it as the entire series is a treasure trove of valuable, insightful, and inspiring information—and then excuse yourself from the group, as this was your first, and should be your last, post.

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On Wed, Apr 20, 2011 at 2:17 PM, Anthony Vagnini <chefa...@master-fon.com> wrote:

Does anyone have a copy that they could put into pdf format . I really
want to read it. I have read all the books written by Herve This.

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[David Barzelay]

That was way too harsh.  For all you know, Anthony has it pre-ordered and paid for but can't get it yet.  After all, it is on backorder.

It isn't disrespectful that someone should want to be able to digitally download the book.  Hundreds of enthusiasts well-respected in the community have asked for a digital version of the book, preferably at a lower cost since it negates the enormous printing costs.  Assuming it were in a reasonably searchable format, I would PREFER a digital version of the book to the massive hard copies.  And I, like most, are willing to pay for our those copies.  Perhaps Adam is, too. As I said, he may already have done.

It IS absurd that anyone (other than Google?) would scan the whole gigantic work.  But perhaps Anthony isn't as familiar with the tome as you are and didn't realize what he was asking.

Either way, you have no right to order anyone out of this community.

Also, take it from me (a chef and a lawyer) that scanning a book you own so that you can enjoy it in a digital format is not illegal.  You'd have a great argument that what you were doing (called space-shifting, in intellectual property law lingo) was a fair use, at least under U.S. copyright law.  Sending that copy to others as a replacement for them purchasing the work themselves is obviously a bit different.

David Barzelay
www.lazybearsf.com
www.eatfoo.com

[Adam Danforth]

Oh, sure. I guess this is the defense lawyer in you talking. I'll stand by my assumptions about what Anthony was really requesting—certainly not a digital copy while he waits for his pre-ordered one, or even that he was on-board with the masses interested in purchasing an easier-to-manage digital version—and my statement. 

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[Brian Zottoli]

Many of us feel a rising frustration at not yet being able to afford/access the clearly gorgeous yet phenomenally expensive and back ordered printed books. Nathan and co. may not have known initially how great the demand would be for an electronic version, but I'm sure it is obvious to them now. Let's hope a digital edition (one hopes, at a price reduced from the durable and lovely "coffee table" version) has been put on the fast track.

[pablo escolar]

I am pretty confident that there will eventually be a digital copy.  I think it will take awhile (and rightfully so).  It is an incredibly expensive book to research and produce, and at a 625$ price tag it is a prime candidate for piracy.  If it were me, I'd wait until the hard copy sales slowed to a crawl before making the soft copy available.  Don't give up hope, I read a Boston Globe review of Modernist Cuisine that said the following:

"Now the revolution has arrived between hard covers. “Modernist Cuisine: The Art and Science of Cooking’’ is a six-volume work, 2,438 pages long, 47 pounds, priced at $625. 

...

What I saw was not the physical artifact but a digital review copy."

cheers.

~p

pablo escolar . professional (and amateur) jackassery

http://blog.medellitin.com

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From: bzot...@gmail.com
Date: Thu, 21 Apr 2011 03:20:45 +0700
Subject: Re: [MG] The Modernist Cusine
To: molecular-...@googlegroups.com

[Nick Reynolds]

I had access to the PDF version of the book prior to its release and can say from experience that it is not very user friendly and is hard to both read and use. I very much doubt that Nathan et al will release a PDF flat file as their digital copy. Consequently, it is going to need some substantial adaptation to get it into a suitable digital format. My advice would be, don’t hold your breath or hold off waiting for a possible digital copy.

 

Cheers,

Nick

[Anthony Silverbrow]

Personally, I've overcome my original reticence over cost.  First, professional books are often very expensive by the standards of books meant for retail.  This is true for pretty much any profession, including the kitchen.

Second, these are six books.  I've seen hard copies, held them, read them (in parts) and they are definitely six big books.  At the current Amazon price of $466.62 the average price is just over $77 per book or 19c per page.  Yes, that's not cheap, but neither is it insanely expensive. It all comes down to what you consider value for money.

It seems there is a strong argument to recommend the content to go online.  But having read parts of the books, I think that for it to really sing online, not stuck in a static pdf, it would need to be entirely re-worked and would therefore be another enormous undertaking.  Given the extent of the work required it would have to sit behind a (high) paywall.

One final point for those considering buying it. Depending where you are, you can play the foreign exchange markets to your benefit.  I'm based in the UK and noticed that by ordering through Amazon.com, one could save £80, when compared to buying from Amazon.co.uk. 

Anthony

Silverbrow on Food
@silverbrow

[Jack Lang]

While discussion of this seminal work is welcome, as is discussion of the
intellectual property position of food books, requests for copies that are
not clearly in the public domain without evidence of prior purchase will be
banned as potentially illegal, besides being disrespectful of the authors
and publishers.

Jack
Listmaster

.

[Harald A. Mossle]

My opinion some will be useable in the daily operation some not.
The first review I have seen was the making of the perfect hamburger.
I ask you, can you do it?
I'm sure, I CAN'T. Tell me how to get all the stuff together in an third
world country.
I hope we will get the digital version, so we can put our hand on to do
experimenting.
Shipping to my country from Amazon will cost me about US$ 200 plus taxes 56%
from the total price and shipping cost. (So no way to do this purchase.)
Hope the editor will think about people like me.
Have a nice eastern.

Harald A. Mossle
Chef propietario
www.aubergine.com.do
Tel. 809-374-1382

-----Original Message-----
From: molecular-...@googlegroups.com
[mailto:molecular-...@googlegroups.com] On Behalf Of Jack Lang
Sent: Thursday, 21 April, 2011 4:08 AM
To: molecular-...@googlegroups.com
Subject: RE: [MG] The Modernist Cusine

Jack
Listmaster

.

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