Advertisement
A Comprehensive Guide to Crafting Compelling Alternate Histories of the US
Author: Dr. Eleanor Vance, Professor of History and American Studies at the University of California, Berkeley. Dr. Vance has published extensively on counterfactual history and American political development, including the acclaimed monograph, What If?: Exploring Pivotal Moments in American History.
Publisher: Chronos Publishing, a leading publisher of academic and popular history books with a strong focus on historical analysis and narrative non-fiction. Chronos has a dedicated editorial board with expertise in diverse historical periods and methodologies.
Editor: Mr. Johnathan Reed, a senior editor at Chronos Publishing with over fifteen years' experience editing historical works, including numerous books on American history and counterfactual scenarios.
Keywords: Alternate history of the US, counterfactual history, American history, what if history, historical fiction, speculative history, US history alternative timelines, hypothetical scenarios, parallel universes, divergent history.
Summary: This guide delves into the art and craft of writing compelling alternate histories of the US, examining best practices for research, narrative construction, and avoiding common pitfalls. It provides a framework for creating believable and engaging narratives while staying grounded in historical context, exploring the ethical considerations of such work, and offering insights into how to effectively market and share these captivating stories.
I. Understanding the Foundation: Research and Historical Accuracy in Alternate Histories of the US
The allure of "what if" scenarios is undeniable. Alternate histories of the US allow us to explore the butterfly effect of crucial historical events, revealing potential paths not taken. However, crafting a compelling alternate history demands a rigorous foundation in actual history. Before diverging from established facts, thorough research is paramount. Understanding the political, social, economic, and technological context of the chosen period is crucial. An alternate history of the US built on shaky historical ground will quickly lose credibility.
II. Identifying Pivotal Points for Divergence in an Alternate History of the US
Choosing the right point of divergence is crucial. This is the "what if" moment that sets your alternate history in motion. It should be a significant event with far-reaching consequences, offering ample opportunity for exploring cascading changes. For instance, consider:
The Civil War: What if the South had won? How would this have impacted the development of the US, its relationship with the rest of the world, and the very fabric of American identity?
The assassination of JFK: Exploring a world where Kennedy survived or a different individual became president could yield fascinating results, impacting the Vietnam War, the Cold War, and domestic policies.
The 1968 election: A Nixon defeat, a Wallace victory, or a Humphrey landslide would have dramatically reshaped the American political landscape.
Choosing a pivotal point and carefully considering its ramifications is essential for creating a believable alternate history of the US.
III. Crafting a Coherent Narrative: Maintaining Internal Consistency
Once the point of divergence is established, consistency is key. The changes introduced must have logical consequences, rippling through the subsequent historical timeline. Unforeseen consequences should be explored, creating a believable chain reaction. Inconsistencies break immersion and undermine the reader's suspension of disbelief. Careful world-building is essential, ensuring that every aspect of your alternate US, from its political structure to its social norms, is internally consistent.
IV. Avoiding Common Pitfalls in Alternate Histories of the US
Several common pitfalls can derail even the most promising alternate history:
Ignoring unintended consequences: A simple change can have unforeseen, wide-ranging impacts that are often overlooked.
Mary Sue/Gary Stu characters: Avoid overly perfect or unrealistic protagonists who easily overcome every obstacle.
Deus ex machina: Reliance on improbable events to resolve conflicts weakens the narrative.
Anachronisms: Incorporating elements from the wrong time period undermines credibility.
Ignoring the nuances of human behavior: People don't always act rationally, and your alternate history should reflect that.
V. The Ethical Considerations of Alternate Histories of the US
Alternate history should be approached with sensitivity. While exploring "what if" scenarios can be insightful, it's crucial to avoid trivializing real-world suffering or promoting harmful ideologies. It is vital to handle sensitive topics with respect and historical accuracy, never using the format to justify prejudiced or revisionist viewpoints.
VI. Marketing and Sharing Your Alternate History of the US
Whether you're writing fiction or non-fiction, effective marketing is crucial. Engage your target audience through social media, writing blogs, and participating in relevant online communities. Building an online presence helps expand the reach of your work and fosters engagement with potential readers.
Conclusion
Crafting a compelling alternate history of the US requires careful planning, rigorous research, and a deep understanding of historical context. By following best practices and avoiding common pitfalls, you can create engaging and thought-provoking narratives that explore the "what ifs" of American history while maintaining historical credibility and ethical responsibility.
FAQs
1. What is the difference between alternate history and historical fiction? Alternate history focuses on a divergence from established historical events, whereas historical fiction uses a real historical setting as a backdrop for a fictional narrative.
2. How can I research effectively for an alternate history of the US? Utilize primary and secondary sources, focusing on the period you are exploring. Consult academic journals, books, archives, and other relevant resources.
3. What makes a good point of divergence for an alternate history of the US? A good point of divergence is a significant event with far-reaching consequences that offers a compelling "what if" scenario.
4. How do I maintain internal consistency in my alternate history? Carefully consider the ripple effects of your point of divergence, ensuring that your narrative remains logically consistent.
5. How can I avoid creating unrealistic characters in my alternate history? Ground your characters in historical context, giving them believable motivations and flaws.
6. How can I ensure my alternate history is ethically sound? Avoid trivializing suffering, promoting harmful ideologies, and handle sensitive topics with care and respect.
7. What are some popular examples of alternate histories of the US? Examples include "The Man in the High Castle" by Philip K. Dick and various works exploring the consequences of a Confederate victory in the Civil War.
8. Where can I find feedback on my alternate history of the US? Join online writing communities, attend writing workshops, or seek feedback from beta readers.
9. How can I market my alternate history of the US effectively? Utilize social media, blogging, and online writing platforms to reach potential readers and build an online presence.
Related Articles:
1. The South Wins the Civil War: A Reimagining of American History: Explores the potential societal, political, and economic landscape of a Confederate victory.
2. Kennedy Lives: A Counterfactual History of the 1960s: Examines the impact of a surviving President Kennedy on the Cold War and domestic policies.
3. A World Without the New Deal: Exploring Alternative Economic Paths: Investigates a US without the New Deal programs and their societal impact.
4. The Rise of a Third Party: Alternative Presidential Elections: Analyzes alternate outcomes of pivotal US presidential elections.
5. Technological Divergence: An Alternate History of American Innovation: Explores how different technological advancements might have altered the course of American history.
6. The Impact of Isolationism: A Counterfactual US in the 20th Century: Examines a US pursuing a policy of isolationism and its consequences.
7. Alternate Histories of the Cold War: Avoiding Nuclear Annihilation? Focuses on alternative scenarios in the Cold War that could have avoided nuclear conflict.
8. The American Revolution: What if Britain Had Won? Explores a US remaining under British rule and its impact on North America.
9. The Post-Civil War Reconstruction: Alternate Paths to Equality: Examines different approaches to Reconstruction and their potential impact on race relations in the US.
| alternate history of the us: An Alternative History of Pittsburgh Ed Simon, 2021-05-04 “[An] epic, atomic history of the Steel City . . . a work of literature, a series of linked creative nonfiction essays, an historical story cycle.” ―Phillip Maciak, Los Angeles Review of Books The land surrounding the confluence of the Allegheny, Monongahela, and Ohio rivers has supported communities of humans for millennia. Over the past four centuries, however, it has been transformed countless times by the many people who call it home. In this brief, lyrical, and idiosyncratic collection, Ed Simon, a staff writer at The Millions, follows the story of Pittsburgh through a series of interconnected segments, covering all manner of beloved people, places, and things, including: • Paleolithic Pittsburgh • The Whiskey Rebellion • The attempted assassination of Henry Frick • The Harmonists • The Mystery, Pittsburgh’s radical, Black nationalist newspaper • The myth of Joe Magarac • Billy Strayhorn, Duke Ellington, Andy Warhol, and much, much more. Accessible and funny, An Alternative History of Pittsburgh is a must-read for anyone curious about this storied city, and for Pittsburghers who think they know it all too well already. “[A] rich and idiosyncratic history . . . Even Pittsburgh history buffs will learn something new.” —Publishers Weekly “Simon tells the story of the city and all the changes that made it what it is today in a way that's entirely new, by the hand of someone who is deeply familiar.” ―Juliana Rose Pignataro, Newsweek “A sparkling new take on everyone’s favorite Rust Belt metropolis.” ―Justin Velluci, Jewish Chronicle “A brilliant look at how geology and art, politics and religion, disaster and luck combine to build America’s great cities―one that will leave you wondering what secrets your own hometown might be hiding.” ―Anjali Sachdeva, author of All the Names They Used for God |
| alternate history of the us: The Alternate History Karen Hellekson, 2001 What would the world be like is history had taken a different course? Science fiction literature has long contemplated this question, and this text analyzes alternate history science fiction through a variety of historical models. It raises questions of narrative, writers, temporality and time. |
| alternate history of the us: The Disunited States of America Harry Turtledove, 2013-10-02 Justin's having the worst trip ever. He and his mother are Time Traders, traveling undercover to different alternate realities of Earth so they can take valuable resources back to their own timeline. In some of these worlds, Germany won World War I or the world has been destroyed by nuclear warfare. Justin and his mother are in an America that never became the United States: each state is like a country, and many of them are at war with one another. Their mission takes them to Virginia, which is on the verge of bloody violence with Ohio. Beckie is from California and, like the rest of her world, is unaware that Time Traders exist. The only reason she's in small-town Virginia is because her grandmother dragged her there to visit old relatives. Beckie is just as horrified by the violence and racism of the alternate Virginia as Justin is, and the two are drawn to each other. But when full-fledged war breaks out between Ohio and Virginia, including a biologically designed plague, will either of them manage to get back home? Forget about home: will they make it out alive? |
| alternate history of the us: The Holocaust Averted Jeffrey S. Gurock, 2015-04-03 In The Holocaust Averted, Jeffrey Gurock imagines what might have happened to the Jewish community in the United States if the Holocaust had never occurred and forces readers to contemplate how the road to acceptance and empowerment for today’s American Jews could have been harder than it actually was. |
| alternate history of the us: Underground Airlines Ben H. Winters, 2016-07-05 The bestselling book that asks the question: what would present-day America look like if the Civil War never happened? A New York Times bestseller; a Goodreads Choice finalist; named one of the Best Books of the Year by NPR, Slate, Publishers Weekly, Hudson Bookseller, St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Kirkus Reviews, AudioFile Magazine, and Amazon A young black man calling himself Victor has struck a bargain with federal law enforcement, working as a bounty hunter for the US Marshall Service in exchange for his freedom. He's got plenty of work. In this version of America, slavery continues in four states called the Hard Four. On the trail of a runaway known as Jackdaw, Victor arrives in Indianapolis knowing that something isn't right -- with the case file, with his work, and with the country itself. As he works to infiltrate the local cell of a abolitionist movement called the Underground Airlines, tracking Jackdaw through the back rooms of churches, empty parking garages, hotels, and medical offices, Victor believes he's hot on the trail. But his strange, increasingly uncanny pursuit is complicated by a boss who won't reveal the extraordinary stakes of Jackdaw's case, as well as by a heartbreaking young woman and her child -- who may be Victor's salvation. Victor believes himself to be a good man doing bad work, unwilling to give up the freedom he has worked so hard to earn. But in pursuing Jackdaw, Victor discovers secrets at the core of the country's arrangement with the Hard Four, secrets the government will preserve at any cost. Underground Airlines is a ground-breaking novel, a wickedly imaginative thriller, and a story of an America that is more like our own than we'd like to believe. |
| alternate history of the us: What Might Have Been? Andrew Roberts, 2010-08-26 A dozen star historians on what might have happened at history's turning points if the dice had fallen differently. 'Stimulating, provocative and playful' Literary Review Throughout history, great and terrible events have often hinged upon luck. Andrew Roberts has asked a team of twelve leading historians and biographers what might have happened if major world events had gone differently? Each concentrating in the area in which they are a leading authority, historians as distinguished as Antonia Fraser (Gunpowder Plot), Norman Stone (Sarajevo 1914) and Anne Somerset (the Spanish Armada) consider: What if? Robert Cowley demonstrates how nearly Britain won the American war of independence. Following her acclaimed GEORGIANA, Amanda Foreman muses on Lincoln's Northern States of America and Lord Palmerston's Great Britain going to war, as they so nearly did in 1861. Whether it's Stalin fleeing Moscow in 1941 (Simon Sebag Montefiore), or Napoleon not being forced to retreat from it in 1812 (Adam Zamoyski), the events covered here are important, world-changing ones. |
| alternate history of the us: 1864 James Cupelli, 2006-07 November, 1864: What if Robert E. Lee was in command of General John Bell Hood's army at Spring Hill, Tennessee? |
| alternate history of the us: If the South Had Won the Civil War MacKinlay Kantor, 2001-11-03 Just a touch here and a tweak there . . . . MacKinlay Kantor, Pulitzer Prize-winning author, master storyteller, shows us how the South could have won the Civil War, how two small shifts in history (as we know it) in the summer of 1863 could have turned the tide for the Confederacy. What would have happened: to the Union, to Abraham Lincoln, to the people of the North and South, to the world? If the South Had Won the Civil War originally appeared in Look Magazine nearly half a century ago. It immediately inspired a deluge of letters and telegrams from astonished readers and became an American classic overnight. Published in book form soon after, Kantor's masterpiece has been unavailable for a decade. Now, this much requested classic is once again available for a new generation of readers and features a stunning cover by acclaimed Civil War artist Don Troiani, a new introduction by award-winning alternate history author Harry Turtledove, and fifteen superb illustrations by the incomparable Dan Nance. It all begins on that fateful afternoon of Tuesday, May 12, 1863, when a deplorable equestrian accident claims the life of General Ulysses S. Grant . . . . At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied. |
| alternate history of the us: Alternate Presidents Mike Resnick, 1992 An anthology of pieces, by such writers as Jack L. Chalker, David Gerrold, Michael P. Kube-McDowell, and others, speculates on what might have happened had the presidential elections over the years ended with different results. Original. |
| alternate history of the us: Rebels Against War Lawrence S. Wittner, 1984 |
| alternate history of the us: We the States Adam Sivitz, 2018-01-30 Imagine if the United States Constitution had never been ratified and George Washington had never become President. In We the States, author Adam Sivitz creates an alternative narrative acted out by the founding fathers of the United States. As the story unfolds, readers find George Washington at home in Virginia impatiently awaiting news of each state's response to the constitution. Patrick Henry will persuade Virginia to reject the constitution, which will lead to the formation of three independent countries, and Alexander Hamilton will become the leader of one of the newly formed countries. Within the tumultuous and divisive chain of events, Sivitz weaves the tale of two slaves owned by Washington. Their story displays the darker side of U.S. history and underscores the struggle for freedom for so many, while also reminding readers of the ongoing fight for equality and justice. |
| alternate history of the us: How Few Remain Harry Turtledove, 2008-12-24 From the master of alternate history comes an epic of the second Civil War. It was an epoch of glory and success, of disaster and despair. . . . 1881: A generation after the South won the Civil War, America writhed once more in the bloody throes of battle. Furious over the annexation of key Mexican territory, the United States declared total war against the Confederate States of America in 1881. But this was a new kind of war, fought on a lawless frontier where the blue and gray battled not only each other but the Apache, the outlaw, the French, and the English. As Confederate General Stonewall Jackson again demonstrated his military expertise, the North struggled to find a leader who could prove his equal. In the Second War Between the States, the times, the stakes, and the battle lines had changed--and so would history. . . |
| alternate history of the us: A People's History of the United States Howard Zinn, 2003-02-04 Since its original landmark publication in 1980, A People's History of the United States has been chronicling American history from the bottom up, throwing out the official version of history taught in schools -- with its emphasis on great men in high places -- to focus on the street, the home, and the, workplace. Known for its lively, clear prose as well as its scholarly research, A People's History is the only volume to tell America's story from the point of view of -- and in the words of -- America's women, factory workers, African-Americans, Native Americans, the working poor, and immigrant laborers. As historian Howard Zinn shows, many of our country's greatest battles -- the fights for a fair wage, an eight-hour workday, child-labor laws, health and safety standards, universal suffrage, women's rights, racial equality -- were carried out at the grassroots level, against bloody resistance. Covering Christopher Columbus's arrival through President Clinton's first term, A People's History of the United States, which was nominated for the American Book Award in 1981, features insightful analysis of the most important events in our history. Revised, updated, and featuring a new after, word by the author, this special twentieth anniversary edition continues Zinn's important contribution to a complete and balanced understanding of American history. |
| alternate history of the us: Ruled Britannia Harry Turtledove, 2002-11-05 The year is 1597. For nearly a decade, the island of Britain has been under the rule of King Philip in the name of Spain. The citizenry live under an enforced curfew—and in fear of the Inquisition’s agents, who put heretics to the torch in public displays. And with Queen Elizabeth imprisoned in the Tower of London, the British have no symbol to unite them against the enemy who occupies their land. William Shakespeare has no interest in politics. His passion is writing for the theatre, where his words bring laughter and tears to a populace afraid to speak out against the tyranny of the Spanish crown. But now Shakespeare is given an opportunity to pen his greatest work—a drama that will incite the people of Britain to rise against their persecutors—and change the course of history. |
| alternate history of the us: Nation Terry Pratchett, 2009-10-06 New York Times Bestseller * Winner of the Los Angeles Times Book Prize * Winner of the Boston Globe/Horn Book Award * Michael L. Printz Medal honor winner From the pen of Sir Terry Pratchett, author of the beloved and bestselling Discworld fantasy series, comes an epic adventure of survival that mixes hope, humor, and humanity. When a giant wave destroys his village, Mau is the only one left. Daphne—a traveler from the other side of the globe—is the sole survivor of a shipwreck. Separated by language and customs, the two are united by catastrophe. Slowly, they are joined by other refugees. And as they struggle to protect the small band, Mau and Daphne defy ancestral spirits, challenge death himself, and uncover a long-hidden secret that literally turns the world upside down. Sir Terry also received a prestigious Printz Honor from the American Library Association for his novel Dodger. |
| alternate history of the us: Alternate Tyrants Mike Resnick, 1997 Twenty offbeat stories celebrate despots that never were, including a holy war-declaring Pope John XXIII, an assassinated president Reagan's successor Alexander Haig, and a Parliament-dissolving new king of England. Original. |
| alternate history of the us: To Climates Unknown Arturo Serrano, 2021-11-02 On September 11, the United States were destroyed. That is, September 11 of the Year of Our Lord 1620. In this alternate history, the Mayflower was lost at sea, and the English Separatists were disheartened from further colonization of North America. The United States were never born. The centuries that follow will see the emergence of rival empires that will split up the world between them. One will become the terror of the seas. One will rampage with carriages of steam. One will take to the skies. And the people caught in the middle will fight against the colonial system to bring an end to all empires. |
| alternate history of the us: Alternate Kennedys Mike Resnick, 1992-01-01 A collection of twenty-five speculations asks `what if' the fortunes of the Kennedy family had been different, including an all-Kennedy rock group, JFK in the real Camelot, and much more. Original. |
| alternate history of the us: An Alternate History of the United States Nicholas Kane, 2022-07-06 What if George Washington had run for a third term? What if political factionalism had taken over the young American republic in its first decade of existence? In this first volume of an alternate version of American history that spans the years from the nation's founding to the advent of a second civil war in the 1850s, President George Washington makes the fateful decision to accept a third term as the nation's president, changing the course of history forever. |
| alternate history of the us: An Alternate History of the United States Nicholas Kane, 2024-08-29 Beginning where the events of Volume I left off, An Alternate History of the United States: Volume II, continues the alternate history saga of the American nation as it plunges into another civil war, which will determine the fate of the strife-stricken nation as it advances into the 20th century. In the aftermath of war, more unrest will plague the war-torn nation as it struggles to deal with its new identity and prepares for an ultimate showdown between two superpowers on both sides of the Atlantic, eager to deliver the final death-knell to the fledgling American Republic. |
| alternate history of the us: Alternate History Kathleen Singles, 2013-10-14 While, strictly speaking, Alternate Histories are not Future Narratives, their analysis can shed a clear light on why Future Narratives are so different from past narratives. Trying to have it both ways, most Alternate Histories subscribe to a conflicting set of beliefs concerning determinism and freedom of choice, contingency and necessity. For the very first time, Alternate Histories are here discussed against the backdrop of their Other, Future Narratives. The volume contains in-depth analyses of the classics of the genre,such as Philip K. Dick's The Man in the High Castle and Philip Roth's The Plot against America, as well as less widely-discussed manifestations of the genre, such as Dieter Kühn's N, Christian Kracht's Ich werde hier sein im Sonnenschein und im Schatten, and Quentin Tarantino's film Inglourious Basterds. |
| alternate history of the us: 1920: America's Great War Robert Conroy, 2015-03-24 NATIONAL BEST SELLER IN HARDCOVER By the author of breakout WW II era alternate history Himmler’s War and Rising Sun, a compelling alternate history thriller. After winning WW I, Germany invades America in 1920, marching through California and Texas as a desperate nation resists. Consider another 1920: Imperial Germany has become the most powerful nation in the world. In 1914, she had crushed England, France, and Russia in a war that was short but entirely devastating. By 1920, Kaiser Wilhelm II is looking for new lands to devour. The United States is fast becoming an economic super-power and the only nation that can conceivably threaten Germany. The U.S. is militarily inept, however, and is led by a sick and delusional president who wanted to avoid war at any price. Thus, Germany is able to ship a huge army to Mexico to support a puppet government. Her real goal: the invasion and permanent conquest of California and Texas. America desperately resists as the mightiest and most brutal army in the world in a battle fought on land, at sea, and in the air as enemy armies savagely marched up on California, and move north towards a second Battle of the Alamo. Only the indomitable spirit of freedom can answer the Kaiser's challenge. About 1920: America’s Great War: Conroy offers up a believable scenario and heroics galore on the part of the good guys, ranging from trench fighting to the first tank charge. . . .good fun for alternate history buffs.—Library Journal About Robert Conroy's Rising Sun: “Conroy extrapolates a new and militarily plausible direction for WWII . . . A thrilling adventure.”—Booklist About Robert Conroy’s Himmler’s War: “[Conroy] adds a personal touch to alternate history by describing events through the eyes of fictional characters serving on the front lines. VERDICT: Historical accuracy in the midst of creative speculation makes this piece of alternate history believable.”–Library Journal About Red Inferno: 1945 “An ensemble cast of fictional characters. . . and historical figures powers the meticulously researched story line with diverse accounts of the horrors of war, making this an appealing read for fans of history and alternate history alike.”—Publishers Weekly “[E]ngrossing and grimly plausible. . .the suspense holds up literally to the last page.”—Booklist About 1945: “ moving and thought-provoking. . .”—Publishers Weekly “Realistic. . .”—Booklist About 1942: “. . .fans of Tom Clancy and Agent Jack Bauer should find a lot to like here.”—Publishers Weekly “A significant writer of alternate history turns here to the popular topic of Pearl Harbor, producing. . . this rousing historical action tale.”—Booklist “A high-explosive what-if, with full-blooded characters.”—John Birmingham, bestselling author of Without Warning About 1901: “. . .cleverly conceived. . .Conroy tells a solid what-if historical.”—Publishers Weekly “. . . likely to please both military history and alternative history buffs.”—Booklist |
| alternate history of the us: The Fiction Writer's Guide to Alternate History Jack Dann, 2023-07-13 A comprehensive guide to the speculative sub-genre of alternate history fiction, this book maps the unique terrain of this vibrant mode of storytelling and then explains how to write it. First giving a concise conceptual overview and the critical tools to differentiate the different forms of counterfactual fiction, Jack Dann lays out the 'tricks of the trade' such 'Heinleining', how to create recognizable 'divergent points' and how to employ paratextual elements and 'layering' to overcome readers' unfamiliarity with invented counterfactual events and cultures. Alongside this, Dann takes you step-by-step through a complete short story to demonstrate, line-by-line, how alternative history fiction works. As well as Dann's exacting methodology for writing professional quality alternate history stories, this book also features a live-on-the-page Q&A with some of the most esteemed alternate history writers working today, including Kim Stanley Robinson, John Birmingham and Lisa Goldstein among many others, who will detail their own particular hacks, theories, processes, methods and strategies. Combining extensive and deep knowledge of the field with accessible writing advice, this is the ultimate guidebook to the broad and complex sub-genre of counterfactual and alterative history fiction. |
| alternate history of the us: The Ancient World in Alternative History and Counterfactual Fictions Alberto J. Quiroga Puertas, Leire Olabarria, 2024-08-22 Focusing in turn on history, powerful individuals, under-represented voices and the arts, the essays in this collection cover a wide variety of modern and contemporary narrative fiction from Jo Walton and L. Sprague De Camp to T. S. Chaudhry and Catherynne M. Valente. Chapters look into the question of chance versus determinism in the unfolding of historical events, the role individuals play in shaping a society or occasion, and the way art and literature symbolise important messages in counterfactual histories. They also show how uchronic narratives can take advantage of modern literary techniques to reveal new and relevant aspects of the past, giving voices to marginalised minorities and suppressed individuals of the ancient world. Counterfactual fiction and uchronic narratives have been largely up until now the domain of literary critics. However, these modes of literature are here analysed by scholars of Ancient History, Egyptology and Classics, shedding important new light on how cultures of the ancient world have been (and still are) perceived, and to what extent our conceptions of the past are used to explore alternate presents and futures. Alternate history entices the imagination of the public by suggesting hypothetical scenarios that never occurred, underlining a latent tension between reality and imagination, and between determinism and contingency. This interest has resulted in a growing number of publications that gauge the impact of what-if narratives, and this one is the first to give scholars of the ancient world centre-stage. |
| alternate history of the us: Turning Points—Actual and Alternate Histories Rodney P. Carlisle, J. Geoffrey Golson, 2007-02-12 In this unique reference, leading historians describe not only how the expansion of the American nation in the early 19th century was a turning point in U.S. history that led to the Civil War, but also alternative scenarios—what happened and what almost happened. This volume poses what if questions about ten crucial tipping points in the history of U.S. expansionism between 1800 and the Civil War. It not only describes what happened—in the case of Lewis and Clark, the War of 1812, the Monroe Doctrine, railroads and telegraphs, the Mexican War, the gold rush, the Compromise of 1850—it also offers alternative scenarios, essays on what could have happened. In this exciting and imaginative approach to history, students not only develop analytical skills by tracing the causes and effects of crucial events; they are empowered by the knowledge that at moments when history hangs in the balance, many paths are possible, and that they, as citizens, can tip the scale. |
| alternate history of the us: Turning Points—Actual and Alternate Histories Rodney P. Carlisle, J. Geoffrey Golson, 2006-09-21 This work is a thought-provoking look at the original 13 colonies, presenting the facts and engaging the reader by using alternate history—what if key events had turned out differently?—to help develop critical thinking skills. This entry in ABC-CLIO's exciting series Turning Points—Actual and Alternate Histories covers the development of the original 13 states, from first European contact up to the Revolutionary War. Using the fascinating tool of alternate history—postulating the course of events, had one key fact been different—the book engages students' imaginations and critical thinking skills. This critical period in American history is particularly suited to the alternative history approach: The population of the colonies was small, so the import of individual actions, or of singular events, was proportionately large. If the English had lost one battle to the Swedes, the United States might have been a Swedish colony. If James, Duke of York, had died of the plague in 1654, the U.S. and French revolutions might not have happened. |
| alternate history of the us: Relativism, Alternate History, and the Forgetful Reader Derek Thiess, 2014-11-25 The writer of alternate history asks “what if?” What if one historical event were different, what would the world look like today? In a similar way, the postmodern philosopher of history suggests that history is literature, or that if we read certain historical details differently we would get a distinctly different interpretation of past events. While the science fiction alternate history means to illuminate the past, to increase our understanding of past events, however, the postmodern approach to history typically suggests that such understanding is impossible. To the postmodern philosopher, history is like literature in that it does not offer the reader access to the past, but only an interesting story. Building on criticism that suggests personal psychological reasons for this obscuring the past, and using a literary theory of readership, this book challenges the postmodern approach to history. It channels the speculative power of science fiction to read the works of postmodern philosophy of history as alternate histories themselves, and to map the limits and pathology of their forgetful reading of the past. |
| alternate history of the us: Kingdom of the Silver Sea (Mars Sword and Planet Alternate History) Sawyer Grey, 2012-07-19 Book 2 of The Age of Aether After years in exile on Earth, Jack Branham finally returned to Mars. Now agents of the Tharsis Company have abandoned him to die in the ruins of the ancient Martian city Odusar, while anarchists have kidnapped the beautiful Charlotte, the woman he loves. Jack must survive duels between mighty airships, attacks by Martian assassins, and the terrible dust storms that sweep across the face of the entire planet to follow their trail into the uncharted wilds of southern Mars. There, hidden inside a ring of lofty mountains, he discovers a lost civilization on the shores of the mysterious Silver Sea. In the magnificent city of Kor Vosheth, he must defeat a cabal of priests and princes to save the throne of the young queen who holds his only hope of resuming his quest--or of dooming it forever. The Age of Aether takes place in a universe where the social revolutions of the 18th Century never happened. Mighty airships fill the skies while Cavorite-hulled aetherships ply the airless voids between the planets. From the torrid jungles of Venus to the frigid deserts of Mars, the British Empire has truly become the Empire on which the sun never sets. The crowned heads of Europe share power with the immensely wealthy chartered companies created to exploit the wealth of the Solar System, while anarchist and republican terrorists try to stir up revolution in the colonial territories. Political activists and dissidents are shipped offworld to work alongside criminal transportees in the company towns of Mars and Venus. The Empires of Mexico and Brazil dominate the Americas, while Japan is a rising force in the East, and from the deep fastness of Nix Olympica the Martian High Emperor reigns over the remnants of his slowly dying planet. |
| alternate history of the us: Post-9/11 Historical Fiction and Alternate History Fiction Pei-chen Liao, 2020-09-19 Drawing on theories of historiography, memory, and diaspora, as well as from existing genre studies, this book explores why contemporary writers are so fascinated with history. Pei-chen Liao considers how fiction contributes to the making and remaking of the transnational history of the U.S. by thinking beyond and before 9/11, investigating how the dynamics of memory, as well as the emergent present, influences readers’ reception of historical fiction and alternate history fiction and their interpretation of the past. Set against the historical backdrop of WWII, the Vietnam War, and the War on Terror, the novels under discussion tell Jewish, Japanese, white American, African, Muslim, and Native Americans’ stories of trauma and survival. As a means to transmit memories of past events, these novels demonstrate how multidirectional memory can be not only collective but connective, as exemplified by the echoes that post-9/11 readers hear between different histories of violence that the novels chronicle, as well as between the past and the present. |
| alternate history of the us: What If . . . Book of Alternative History Jeff Greenfield, 2023-08-15 The course of history has taken many turns. What would the world be like if events had happened differently? What if JFK had never visited Dallas on November 22, 1963? What if Germany had won the First World War? How would life be different in America if the Southern states had beaten the North? What would a world without The Beatles sound like? Find out the potential answers to all these questions and many more in What If...:Book of Alternative History.With great full-color photos and compelling narratives, historical experts take a look at these and many more intriguing questions in this fascinating look at what might have been. Perfect for browsing, this title will have readers speculating on the events and people that shaped history and make our lives what they are today. |
| alternate history of the us: Ethnic American Literatures and Critical Race Narratology Alexa Weik von Mossner, Marijana Mikić, Mario Grill, 2022-06-16 Ethnic American Literatures and Critical Race Narratology explores the relationship between narrative, race, and ethnicity in the United States. Situated at the intersection of post-classical narratology and context-oriented approaches in race, ethnic, and cultural studies, the contributions to this edited volume interrogate the complex and varied ways in which ethnic American authors use narrative form to engage readers in issues related to race and ethnicity, along with other important identity markers such as class, religion, gender, and sexuality. Importantly, the book also explores how paying attention to the formal features of ethnic American literatures changes our under-standing of narrative theory and how narrative theories can help us to think about author functions and race. The international and diverse group of contributors includes top scholars in narrative theory and in race and ethnic studies, and the texts they analyze concern a wide variety of topics, from the representation of time and space to the narration of trauma and other deeply emotional memories to the importance of literary paratexts, genre structures, and author functions. |
| alternate history of the us: The Palgrave Encyclopedia of the Possible Vlad Petre Glăveanu, 2023-01-25 The Palgrave Encyclopedia of the Possible represents a comprehensive resource for researchers and practitioners interested in an emerging multidisciplinary area within psychology and the social sciences: the study of how we engage with and cultivate the possible within self, society and culture. Far from being opposed either to the actual or the real, the possible engages with concrete facts and experiences, with the result of transforming them. This encyclopedia examines the notion of the possible and the concepts associated with it from standpoints within psychology, philosophy, sociology, neuroscience and logic, as well as multidisciplinary fields of research including anticipation studies, future studies, complexity theory and creativity research. Presenting multiple perspectives on the possible, the authors consider the distinct social, cultural and psychological processes - e.g., imagination, counterfactual thinking, wonder, play, inspiration, and many others - that define our engagement with new possibilities in domains as diverse as the arts, design and business. |
| alternate history of the us: We Are What We Remember Laura Mattoon D’Amore, Jeffrey Meriwether, 2013-01-16 Commemorative practices are revised and rebuilt based on the spirit of the time in which they are re/created. Historians sometimes imagine that commemoration captures history, but actually commemoration creates new narratives about history that allow people to interact with the past in a way that they find meaningful. As our social values change (race, gender, religion, sexuality, class), our commemorations do, too. We Are What We Remember: The American Past Through Commemoration, analyzes current trends in the study of historical memory that are particularly relevant to our own present – our biases, our politics, our contextual moment – and strive to name forgotten, overlooked, and denied pasts in traditional histories. Race, gender, and sexuality, for example, raise questions about our most treasured myths: where were the slaves at Jamestowne? How do women or lesbians protect and preserve their own histories, when no one else wants to write them? Our current social climate allows us to question authority, and especially the authoritative definitions of nation, patriotism, and heroism, and belonging. How do we “un-commemorate” things that were “mis-commemorated” in the past? How do we repair the damage done by past commemorations? The chapters in this book, contributed by eighteen emerging and established scholars, examine these modern questions that entirely reimagine the landscape of commemoration as it has been practiced, and studied, before. |
| alternate history of the us: Rejection and Disaffiliation in Twenty-First Century American Immigration Narratives Katie Daily, 2018-06-11 Rejection and Disaffiliation in Twenty-First Century American Immigration Narratives examines changing attitudes about national sovereignty and affiliation. Katie Daily delinks twenty-first century American immigration narratives from 9/11, examining genre alterations within a scope of literary analysis that is wider than what “post-9/11” allows. What emerges is an understanding of the speed at which the rhetoric and aims of many twenty-first century immigration narratives significantly depart from the traditions established post-1900. Daily investigates a recent trend in which novelists and filmmakers question what it means to be an immigrant in contemporary America and explores how these “disaffiliation” narratives challenge some of the most fundamental traditions in American literature and society. |
| alternate history of the us: The New Routledge Companion to Science Fiction Mark Bould, Andrew M. Butler, Sherryl Vint, 2024-06-13 The New Routledge Companion to Science Fiction provides an overview of the study of science fiction across multiple academic fields. It offers a new conceptualisation of the field today, marking the significant changes that have taken place in sf studies over the past 15 years. Building on the pioneering research in the first edition, the collection reorganises historical coverage of the genre to emphasise new geographical areas of cultural production and the growing importance of media beyond print. It also updates and expands the range of frameworks that are relevant to the study of science fiction. The periodisation has been reframed to include new chapters focusing on science fiction produced outside the Anglophone context, including South Asian, Latin American, Chinese and African diasporic science fiction. The contributors use both well- established critical and theoretical approaches and embrace a range of new ones, including biopolitics, climate crisis, critical ethnic studies, disability studies, energy humanities, game studies, medical humanities, new materialisms and sonic studies. This book is an invaluable resource for students and established scholars seeking to understand the vast range of engagements with science fiction in scholarship today. |
| alternate history of the us: Peace and Friendship Stephen Aron, 2022-07-08 For over 35 years, the dominant histories of the American West have been narratives of horrific conflicts. As dark and as bloody as western grounds have often been however, there were also important episodes of concord, instances of barriers breached, accords reached, and of people overcoming their differences as opposed to being overcome by them. Peace and Friendship highlights the instances of cohabitation, deepening our understanding of how the West came to be: through colonization, violence, misunderstanding, and, surprisingly, at times, peace. |
| alternate history of the us: Turning Points—Actual and Alternate Histories Rodney P. Carlisle, J. Geoffrey Golson, 2006-11-09 This work is a fascinating history of precontact North America, presenting the facts and engaging the reader by using alternative history—what if key facts were different?—to help develop critical thinking skills. The first title in ABC-CLIO's groundbreaking series Turning Points—Actual and Alternate Histories delves into the history of North America before European contact. There is much classroom literature on Native Americans after first contact; there is little on the history before. This work fills that gap, detailing the thousands of years before Europeans arrived. Climate changes, major battles, technology, and settlement patterns—all played a part in shaping the pre-Columbian history of North America. This book takes eight key points in history, presents the facts as they happened, and examines what might have happened if there were different outcomes. Small changes can produce vastly different results; this book shows how, and engages students' critical thinking skills while teaching them basic history. |
| alternate history of the us: Appropriating History Matthias Schwartz, Nina Weller, 2024-09-30 Popular media play an important role in reconstructing collective imaginations of history. Dramatic events and ruptures of the 20th century provide the material for playful as well as neo-imperialist and nationalist appropriations of the past. The contributors to the volume investigate this phenomenon using case studies from Belarusian, Russian and Ukrainian popular cultures. They show how in mainstream films, TV series, novels, comics and computer games, the reference to Soviet history offers role models, action patterns and even helps to justify current political and military developments. The volume thus presents new insights into the multi-layered and explosive dynamics of popular culture in Eastern Europe. |
| alternate history of the us: A Rainbow of Blood Peter G. Tsouras, 2010 Do you know what military glory is? It is 'that attractive rainbow, that rises in showers of blood--that serpent’s eye, that charms to destroy.’” --Abraham Lincoln The Union in dire peril! The war that began in Peter G. Tsouras’s previous alternate history, Britannia’s Fist, accelerates during a few desperate weeks in October 1863. From the bayous of Louisiana to the green hills of the Hudson Valley, from Chicago in flames to the gates of Washington itself, the Great War uncoils in ropes of fire. French and British armies are on the march, and heavy reinforcements have put to sea. Copperheads have risen in revolt to drag the Midwest into the Confederacy as a vital Union army stands starving and under siege in Tennessee. Meanwhile, Robert E. Lee and the Royal Navy set in motion a stroke that is boldness itself. The Union staggers under these blows. While the Grenadier Guards march into glory in upstate New York’s apple orchards, from the second story of a shot-up Washington hotel Abraham Lincoln watches a forest of the red flags of rebellion waving over a Confederate column rushing across the Long Bridge. To stop them is a war-worn regiment of New York soldiers. To their backs Washington burns. But new technologies and the art of intelligence are thrown onto the scales, while Russia plans to enter the war to avenge its humiliation in the Crimean War. A Rainbow of Blood brings forward the Great War from its outbreak to the first great crisis of the embattled republic. Peopled with remarkable personalities of the age, the book rattles with the tramp of armies marching down one of the most intriguing roads not taken--or even imagined--until now. |
| alternate history of the us: Pages from the Textbook of Alternate History Phong Nguyen, 2019-03-15 A collection of alternate-history stories that explore the original intentions of major historical fi gures. |
Feedback and Suggestions (Path of Exile 1) - Can we have Alternate ...
5 days ago · Path of Exile is a free online-only action RPG under development by Grinding Gear Games in New Zealand.
Support - Path of Exile
If you think you've lost your weapons, you've probably swapped to the alternate weapon tabs by pressing X. Please try toggling back with the X key before posting a bug report …
Feedback and Suggestions (Path of Exile 1) - Can we have Alternate …
4 days ago · Path of Exile is a free online-only action RPG under development by Grinding Gear Games in New Zealand.
Support - Path of Exile
If you think you've lost your weapons, you've probably swapped to the alternate weapon tabs by pressing X. Please try toggling back with the X key before posting a bug report about it. For …
