Explore Alternative Histories

According to A Handbook to Literature, alternative history is “a species of fiction—also called allohistory—in which much depends on some major reversal of known geography or history.” I am currently reading Philip Roth’s The Plot Against America, which explores what might have happened if Charles Lindbergh had won the 1940 presidential election against Franklin Roosevelt. Since this is the first alternative history book I’ve read, I wondered what other authors had written about in this genre. The majority of the titles I located delved into different outcomes of World War II or the Civil War. There are, however, quite a few that explore a variety of other topics including the Black Death, the Red Baron, and a 1986 Mars landing. While some alternative history fiction takes a realistic approach to the subject matter, most of these "what if..." stories are classified as a subgenre within science fiction. However, many also cross over into fantasy, horror, and mystery, so there’s something for everyone. Check out our Good Reads section for a list of alternative history fiction or other lists that might pique your interest. For more information about the alternative history genre and a much more extensive list of titles and references, visit Uchronia: The Alternate History List.