topic Re: You know you must be old when............ in Community Spirit

You know you must be old when............

ambercat16 — Sat, 11 Dec 2021 03:11:01 GMT

I was checking out the latest "best novel" lists and there was a book set in the 1980s that was listed as historical fiction 😳

WHAT!! The 1980s is only.......

.......oh wait, that is 40 years ago. But historical??

Yep. I'm old 😫

Re: You know you must be old when............

not_for_sale — Sat, 11 Dec 2021 03:26:25 GMT

I have flirted with the idea of writing an autobiography, but I guess it would be listed as ancient history. 😄

Re: You know you must be old when............

countessalmirena — Sat, 11 Dec 2021 08:12:08 GMT

1980s setting would not meet my criteria for historical fiction.

It's said that a good rule of thumb for classifying a work as historical fiction is a minimum of 50 years from the time of writing, but I am still dissatisfied with that. With many people living longer than ever before, there will be many readers for whom something set in, say, 1951 (exactly 50 years ago) is within their clear and vivid living memory. I would call such a work "General fiction" (or "mystery" or "adventure" or "modern literature", as the genre may be) and in a separate field note that it's set in the 1950s period.

In my view, it's very much a case of transporting the reader to a past era not in living memory, of which the details to recreate that setting are the result of research, not memory/experience.

Also in my view, it's fine if one's writing a novel set during WWII and there are some relatives or friends or what-have-you who lived through that time, whose recollections can help to give authentic flavour and colour to whatever written research the writer undertakes.

NOTE: I am disregarding any possibility of the Highlander butting into this thread and saying, "No, no, if such is your definition, what about me and my living memories?" Go away, immortals, and don't sabotage my argument.

Re: You know you must be old when............

repentatleisure1952 — Sat, 11 Dec 2021 09:48:55 GMT

@countessalmirena wrote:
something set in, say, 1951 (exactly 50 years ago)

I feel better now.... knowing that I am only 50 & not 70😉

Re: You know you must be old when............

countessalmirena — Sat, 11 Dec 2021 10:26:18 GMT

Mind you, when it comes to Cleopatra, age doesn't matter, apparently.

"Age cannot wither her, nor custom stale her infinite variety"...

Re: You know you must be old when............

imastawka — Sat, 11 Dec 2021 13:00:52 GMT

@repentatleisure1952 wrote:
@countessalmirena wrote:
something set in, say, 1951 (exactly 50 years ago)

I feel better now.... knowing that I am only 50 & not 70😉
I wonder where we can get a copy of the Countess' calculator and/or calendar?

Re: You know you must be old when............

countessalmirena — Sat, 11 Dec 2021 13:15:39 GMT

TYPO!

Holy calculus of straw, it was a typo... and it was my fault... and ... I'll send you a calender. (I've just been arrested for "Grand Year Theft"; they've put me in the slammer!)

Re: You know you must be old when............

springyzone — Sat, 11 Dec 2021 20:10:41 GMT

I must be really ancient.

To me, fiction pretty well needs to be set before the 20th century before I would call it historical.

1980 is modern times!

Maybe we need to take a leaf out of the government books. In England, for instance, they won't release the census records till 100 years have passed. The 1921 records won't be released till next year. They will only be deemed historical then.

Re: You know you must be old when............

rogevibe — Wed, 15 Dec 2021 05:06:16 GMT

When you suddenly realise the nominal age denoting an antique is less than you own age ....

Re: You know you must be old when............

rogevibe — Wed, 15 Dec 2021 05:09:50 GMT

When you suddenly realise the first owned common motor car of your everlasting affections handed down or bought budget used, is now sought after collector status with astonishing price tag

Re: You know you must be old when............

rogevibe — Wed, 15 Dec 2021 05:22:28 GMT

1980's : the " me " decade - fast money and gratuitous spending without mass public concerns ?

Re: You know you must be old when............

sandypebbles — Wed, 15 Dec 2021 05:31:16 GMT

Not that different to the anti-vaxxers of 20/21 really

Me, me, me, zero concern for the mass public

Yep, nailed it

Re: You know you must be old when............

veiled-lady — Wed, 15 Dec 2021 22:30:01 GMT

My other half was made to feel quite ancient about 10 years ago.

We were visiting a museum when he saw a display of items relating to his trade as an electrician.

Some of those were familiar to him, as he used them regularly during his apprenticeship, and for sometime after.

So .... you know you're old when a museum displays the things you remember using not that long ago (or at least it feels that way!).

Re: You know you must be old when............

janeababe — Wed, 15 Dec 2021 23:08:53 GMT

Re: You know you must be old when............

rogevibe — Wed, 15 Dec 2021 23:10:21 GMT

or Cleopatra ?

Re: You know you must be old when............

rogevibe — Wed, 15 Dec 2021 23:11:57 GMT

Maybe make your book appealing to archaeologists

Re: You know you must be old when............

rogevibe — Tue, 21 Dec 2021 11:22:08 GMT

Or as a guy realise you are old when you suddenly consider more appropriate to ask a hot check-out chick whether her Grand Mother is free...

Re: You know you must be old when............

the4masters2013 — Tue, 21 Dec 2021 18:42:06 GMT

I now I am getting old when I feel the police offers look way to young to legally have a gun......

and don't start me on the doctors (I feel they look as if they should still be in university, not treating people)...lol!

Re: You know you must be old when............

rogevibe — Wed, 22 Dec 2021 06:49:18 GMT

Actually the vax treatment is in response to delta variant for the general population is on behalf of the infirmed elderly - aged care , senior industrialists , HIV sufferers etc - and those with clinical respiratory related morbidities or the unexpected stressed like soccer stars and airline pilots ...

or in other words excluding the previously mentioned cohorts there would be no clinical justification for mass vaxing based upon rate of life threatening infections relative to historically acceptable seasonal pathogens such as influenza , sloshed drink driving , etc

Re: You know you must be old when............

domino-710 — Wed, 22 Dec 2021 07:01:49 GMT

I think the best you have ever come up with is:

The saucy check out chic - ask her for her Grandmother's number. 🤣