Historical Era (WG)

This week's Weekly Geeks post asks:

Is there a particular era that you love reading about? Tell us about it [...] Do you have a favorite book that really pulled you back in time, or perhaps gave you a special interest in that period? [...]

This is really a tough WG question for me.  I rarely read historical fiction.  It's not that I have a rule against it, but it never seems to find its way home to me.  This hasn't always been the case.

When I was much younger - middle school age - I used to devour those trashy Harlequin Historical Romances.  I mean, I'd go through dozens of them in a month.  During those reading years, I remembered being fond of the Civil War.  I found an author who wrote from both perspectives (I know that you'll be shocked, but in one of the books, a Confederate fell in love with the enemy). Those were some interesting times in my reading life. I passed a History test because it just so happened that the book prior to the test was about the Spanish/American War, and although I forgot to study for the exam, I had a good memory of the historical backdrop of the love story.  Hmmmm...novel researched and written that well, or the teacher's test that easy?  

I quickly outgrew the historical romance scene and haven't really revisited it.  

Here recently I've read a couple of World War II books for a book challenge, but I think that's about it.  So, what time period would I be most interested in reading?  (*And I'm going to assume that the question includes present or near-present authors writing in historical times rather than historic writers writing in contemporary times) 

- oh gosh, this is a lot harder.  I'm struggling here.  Perhaps the 50's & 60's because the escape from the restraints of what is the norm to finding your own voice is appealing...I might have to reexamine at some point why I'm naturally disinclined to works not set it contemporary times.