When does a book set during the 20th century not count as a historical?

[Danielle The Book Huntress]

What's your cut-off? Is it arbitrary? For myself, I'm thinking definitely the 1960s or later. I consider that the modern period personally. What about you?

[Julianna]

In my opinion, the historical designation can be rather arbitrary. I think the further we go forward in time, the more "historical" the latter part of the 20th century will feel and become. For me, anything that takes place within my lifetime I would consider contemporary, but my kids would probably consider the 60s, 70s and probably even the 80s to be history. LOL!

I have to admit that even when I'm reading a book set in the 60s or 70s, I can still feel like I've been transported back in time. Case in point, I just finished a gothic mystery set in the early 1970s. The whole hippie culture along with Vietnam War protests and peace demonstrations played a big part in it, and while reading the story, I felt like I was in another era. With no cell phones, internet, video games, etc., it was a very different time even though I experienced it first-hand.

[Danielle The Book Huntress]

That's a good point, Julie.