Armchair BEA 2013: Ethics & Non-Fiction

This post is part of my week-long participation in Armchair BEA 2013.

Ethics

I don't know a lot about the legality of what things you're allowed to post or not post (even with permission), but I do think I have a pretty firm grasp on ethics. To me it really boils down to asking: "Does this belong to me?" If it does, then use it any way you want. If it doesn't? Then you have to examine your options. For the most part, this means linking back to a website where you might have got a quote or information from. For images it's a bit trickier. For things like ideas? That's getting even more murky.

There are times when you might start up a feature or type of blog post and not even be aware that another blogger has done something similar -- this is legitimately possible, even if you do some Googling ahead of time. But if you do know that someone else has done something similar? I'd say it's always good to link back to that particular person, and even better would be if you let them know ahead of time, or even ask for permission to post. Just being conscientious will go a long way. Think about your own content and how you would feel if someone took it without permission, especially if they didn't give you credit.

I know there are far more specific and intelligent posts out there on this subject, so feel free to link me to those if you have a favourite. Otherwise, I look forward to hearing what you all have to say.

Non-Fiction

I was going to say that I can't even remember the last time I read non-fiction, but upon further reflection I do remember. I have a couple of fandom essay collections on my eReader that I've been slowly working through. Along similar lines, I reviewed the Friday Night Lights Companion back in 2011. So I guess the non-fiction that appeals to me the most is related to my interests (in these cases, essays that analyze TV shows and book series that I enjoy).

Besides those, though? I don't consider myself a reader of non-fiction. I was a history major in university so I read a LOT back then, but only what was required. I still love reading articles about historical figures and strange kind of pop culture events, but I don't tend to seek them out... I'll just click on links if I see them on Twitter or mentioned on someone else's blog.

I feel like I categorize myself as someone who reads to escape, and escaping to me is going into the life of someone fictional, experiencing their existence. But I know that good non-fiction can do that as well. I think I just prefer the form of the novel, rather than straightforward facts. To me the appeal of history was always the stories behind the people and events, not the memorization of dates and statistics.

One non-fiction book that I've always wanted to try is Devil in the White City, because the subject matter interests me, and I've heard that it reads like a novel.

While it might take me a while to get to it, I'd love any of your recommendations for more novelistic non-fiction.