When a work's copyright expires, it enters the public domain. The following is a list of works that entered the public domain in 2002. Since laws vary globally, the copyright status of some works are not uniform.
Entered the public domain in countries with life + 70 years With the exception of Belarus (Life + 50 years) and Spain (Life + 80 years for creators that died before 1987), a work enters the public domain in Europe 70 years after the creator's death, if it was published during the creator's lifetime.Directive 2006/116/EC The list is sorted alphabetically and includes a notable work of the creator that entered the public domain on January 1, 2002.
Names Country Birth Death Occupation Notable work L. Adams Beck fantasy writer, novelist, short story writer, biographer, esotericist The Openers of The Gate and Other Stories of the Occult, The Splendour of Asia: The Story and Teaching of the Buddha, The Way of Power: Studies in the Occult, The Divine Lady: A Romance of Nelson and Emma Hamilton, The Thunderer: A Romance of Napoleon and Joséphine Henry Gauthier-Villars novelist, music critic, literary editor Co-writer and editor of the novel series Claudine in collaboration with his wife Colette, marketed a line of dolls based on the novels. Graça Aranha modernist writer, novelist, dramatist, essayist, diplomat, judge Canaã, Malazarte, Estética da Vida (An Aesthetics of Life) Ida B. Wells investigative journalist, sociologist, educator Southern Horrors: Lynch Law in all its Phases, The Red Record: Tabulated Statistics and Alleged Causes of Lynching in the United States, Crusade for Justice: The Autobiography of Ida B. Wells Arnold Bennett novelist, short story writer, dramatist, diarist Anna of the Five Towns, The Old Wives' Tale, The Clayhanger Family, Riceyman Steps André Michelin industrialist, engineer Eponymous founder and publisher of the guide book series Michelin Guide Kahlil Gibran poet, visual artist, philosopher The Prophet, The Madman, The Earth Gods Nérée Beauchemin poet Les Floraisons Matutinales (The Morning Blossoming), Patrie intime: Harmonies (Intimate Homeland: Harmonies) Harald Høffding philosopher, theologian, university professor Søren Kierkegaard as Philosopher, Den nyere Filosofis Historie (History of Modern Philosophy), Psychology, the Problems of Philosophy, Philosophy of Religion Vasile Cijevschi Orientalist, nationalist politician, polemicist, journalist Founder and owner of the Russian-language newspaper Golos Kishinyova, editor of the regional Russian-language newspaper Nashe Slovo (Our Word),Ileana-Stanca Desa, Dulciu Morărescu, Ioana Patriche, Adriana Raliade, Iliana Sulică, Publicațiile periodice românești (ziare, gazete, reviste). Vol. III: Catalog alfabetic 1919-1924, p. 651. Bucharest: Editura Academiei, 1987 wrote the short story Unei prietene (To a Lady Friend) Bertha McNamara labour activist, political writer, bookseller Home Talk on Socialism, Commercialism and Distribution of the Nineteenth Century, Forgery and Workingmen's Homes, How to Become Rich Beyond the Dreams of Avarice, Shylock Exposed Delfín Chamorro language teacher, grammarian, poet Grammar Castellana Frank Harris memoirist, novelist, short story writer, publisher, editor My Life and Loves, The Bomb, The Man Shakespeare and his Tragic Life Story, The Veils of Isis, and Other Stories, Oscar Wilde, His Life and Confessions, My Reminiscences as a Cowboy Hall Caine novelist, dramatist, short story writer, poet, critic, World War I-era propagandist The Christian, She's All the World to Me: A Novel, The Manxman, The Master of Man: The Story of a Sin, The Woman of Knockaloe: A Parable Sue A. Sanders teacher, social leader, diarist A journey to on and from the "golden shore" Matilda Cugler-Poni poet, short story writer, comedy writer Unei tinere fete (To a Young Girl), Un tutor Jane Meade Welch historian, journalist The War of 1812, John Quincy Adams and Andrew Jackson, The Territorial Development of the United States, The Marking of Historic Sites on the Niagara Frontier Ernst Didring naturalist writer, novelist, leader of the Swedish Red Cross Malm (iron ore), Grålöga—Trilogin (former life in the Stockholm archipelago), Världsspindeln (The World's Spider), Det mörkblå frimärket (The Dark Blue Stamp) Arthur Schnitzler Modernist writer, novelist, dramatist Professor Bernhardi, Der Weg ins Freie (The Road into the Open), Reigen, Fräulein Else Lucas Malet novelist, short story writer, ghost story writer, fiction writer about sadomasochism The Wages of Sin, The History of Sir Richard Calmady, Colonel Enderby's Wife, The Gateless Barrier Juan Zorrilla de San Martín poet Tabaré, La leyenda patria (The Fatherland Legend), Himno al Arbol (Hymn to the Tree) Ole Edvart Rølvaag novelist Giants in the Earth, Peder Seier (Peder Victorious), Den Signede Dag (Their Father's God) Xu Zhimo poet, translator, founder of the literary society Crescent Moon Society Zaibie Kangqiao (Taking Leave of Cambridge Again) Vachel Lindsay poet, illustrator, writer on film criticism The Art of the Moving Picture, Rhymes To Be Traded For Bread, The Jazz Birds, The Congo, Every Soul A Circus Enrico Corradini novelist, dramatist, essayist, journalist, nationalist political writer Il volere d'Italia (Italy's Desire), L'ora di Tripoli (Tripoli's Moment), La patria lontana (The Distant Fatherland), La guerra lontana (The Distant War), Julius Caesar: A Play in Five Acts Melvil Dewey librarian, educator, founder of the Columbia University School of Library Service eponymous creator of the Dewey Decimal system of library classification, founder and editor of the Library Journal, writer of Librarianship as a profession for college-bred women. An address delivered before the Association of collegiate alumnæ, on March 13, 1886, by Melvil Dewey and Statistics of libraries in the state of New York numbering over 300 volumes Alfred Perceval Graves poet, songwriter, folklorist, president of the Irish Literary Society Father O'Flynn, Songs of Old Ireland, Irish Songs and Ballads, Irish Folk-Songs, Songs of Erin Ieronim Yasinsky novelist, poet, literary critic, essayist, science fiction writer, children's writer The Kiev Stories, Natashka, The Sleeping Beauty, Irinarkh Plutarkhov, The Old Friend, The Great Man, Under Satan's Cloak
Entered the public domain in countries with life + 50 years In most countries of Africa and Asia, as well as Belarus, Bolivia, Canada, New Zealand, Egypt and Uruguay; a work enters the public domain 50 years after the creator's death.