• RELATED STORIES

• Avon plans free e-book giveaway

  HarperCollins imprint Avon ...

• Patchett: 'Authors must work with trade'

  Orange Prize-winner Ann Pat...

• Publishers donate Nook e-books to Get London Reading

  Major publishers are donati...

• Apple tells DOJ: 'we negotiated individually with publishers'

  Apple has responded to the ...

• Nick Perrett to open debate at the FutureBook Innovation Workshop

  Nick Perrett, group strateg...

Dyer accused of plagiarism

15.06.10 | Catherine Neilan

Popular self-help author Wayne Dyer has been accused of plagiarism by a scholar noted for translations of ancient classics.

According to Hollywood Reporter, author Stephen Mitchell yesterday filed a copyright infringement lawsuit in a Los Angeles court claiming Dyer "copied verbatim a significant portion" of Mitchell's
interpretation of the ancient Taoist scripture Tao Te Ching in two separate books.

Mitchell claims that Dyer copied "at least 200 lines" directly from his book Tao Te Ching: A New English Version (HarperCollins) in two books: Living the Wisdom of the Tao and Change Your Thoughts - Change Your Life (Hay House), as well as their digital spinoffs.

Mitchell alleges he studied the texts and various interpretations for years, immersing himself in Zen training before writing the book. As a result, "rather than provide a literal translation, the book embodies language that conveys Mitchell's version of Lao-tzu's meaning and the spirit of his
teaching," the lawsuit says.

"Accordingly, Mitchell's book is a highly original work."

The Hollywood Reporter said it had "reached out to Dyer for comment".

• Catherine Neilan
• HarperCollins
• hay House
• plagiarism