Writing the literature review

Among the many advice I've seen on writing the literature review, seldom do people remind you about currency. It is actually important that the resources you referred to in the writing of your article/thesis/book are current. I think this is why a book for every generation on the same topic is reasonable and logical. It is why we don't often read out-of-print books and why publishers don't reprint them, because they are meant for an audience from the past and the knowledge which supported those books are no longer as relevant for today's audience.

So I am going to quote from one of my favourite writing books called Writing Literature Reviews by Jose L. Galvan:

When you have finished reading the articles you have collected, you should re-evaluate your entire reference list to ensure that it is complete and up-to-date. A literature review should demonstrate that it represents the latest work done in the subject area. As a rule of thumb, use a 5-year span from the present as a tentative limit of coverage, keeping in mind that you will extend your research further back when it is warranted... However, remember that the reader of a literature review expects that you have reported on the most current research available. Thus, you should make it explicit your reasons for including articles that are not current (e.g., Is it a landmark study? Does it present the only evidence available on a given topic? Does it help you to understand the evolution of a research technique?). (p. 42)

Reference:
Galvan, J. L. (2013). Writing literature reviews: A guide for students of the social and behavioral sciences (5 ed.). California: Pyrczak Publishing.