Publishers Weekly
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Cognitive scientist Kreuz (Linguistic Fingerprints) offers a wide-ranging investigation of plagiarism as both a psychological and cultural phenomenon. Surveying famous examples across history, he spotlights plagiarists’ reasonings, litigates whether the charge of plagiarism is really warranted in some cases, and explores whether the idea of “unconscious plagiarism” is scientifically plausible. (It is, it turns out—Kreuz ends up making a case that it’s so plausible the law should hold those who’ve committed it less culpable; among the “unconscious” plagiarizers he pinpoints as perhaps deserving a pass are Helen Keller and George Harrison). Examples cited range from Vladimir Putin, who seems to have partly plagiarized his college thesis from a textbook, to the likes of Mahler, Nabokov, and Bob Dylan, the latter of whom, when accused of plagiarism, asserted that “all my stuff comes out of the folk tradition” and “you make everything yours,” adding that “only wussies and pussies complain about that stuff.” Kreuz notes that his most surprising finding is that plagiarism is far more common a practice than he had realized and that nearly everyone engages in it at some point, many routinely. Indeed, the book presents no one as above reproach—even Jesus, Kreuz points out, was accused of plagiarizing Plato. Full of entertaining anecdotes, this is a thorough overview of current understandings of plagiarism’s motivations and its role in artistic production. (Jan.)

Library Journal
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How is plagiarism defined, and why is it so important? In this work, Kreuz (psychology, Univ. of Memphis; Linguistic Fingerprints: How Language Creates and Reveals Identity) outlines the history of the concept of plagiarism, from Plato to fan fiction. Integrating anecdotes with meaningful discussion points, he guides readers through a comprehensive examination of various elements of plagiarism, drawing on examples from diverse fields, including literature, cartography, music, politics, and academia. He asks, are some examples of plagiarism simply poor citation methodology? What is a copyright trap, and why do some publishers include them in encyclopedias or dictionaries? And finally, in the modern era, is it ethical to use pirated works of literature to train modern artificial intelligence if the authors of these works disapprove of this use? VERDICT Engaging and thought-provoking, this accessible study of plagiarism offers a nuanced perspective on a complex topic. Readers will enjoy the journey and may be left contemplating viewpoints they hadn't previously considered.—Jennifer Moore