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20 Best Alternate History Books (2023 Update)
Are you looking for the Best Alternate History Books? If so, you’ve come to the right place.
Choosing the Best Alternate History Books can be difficult as there are so many considerations, such as Funko, Hasbro, Nike, Penguin Random House, Victrola, Amazon.com. We have done a lot of research to find the Top 20 Best Alternate History Books available.
The average cost is $16.70. Sold comparable range in price from a low of $3.98 to a high of $40.87.
Based on the research we did, we think A Nation Interrupted: An Alternate History Novel [Book] is the best overall. Read on for the rest of the great options and our buying guide, where you can find all the information you need to know before making an informed purchase.
20 Best Alternate History Books (20 Sellers)
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Features:
- Binding type: paperback
- Year published: 2020-03-18
- Number of pages: 398
Features:
- Binding type: paperback
- Publisher: c&r press
- Year published: 2019-03-15
Features:
- Binding type: paperback
- Publisher: fulton books
- Year published: 2022-05-20
$8.99
5.0
Features:
- “islands in the sea” by harry turtledove
- “suppose they gave a peace” by susan shwartz
- “manassas, again” by gregory benford
Features:
- Binding type: paperback
- Year published: 2017-12-23
- Number of pages: 424
Features:
- The new york times so good, you find yourself asking how you could not know this already.
- Usa today as absorbing a piece of popular history as one will ever hope to find.
- San francisco chronicle paints a dazzling picture of the gilded age and prefigure the american century to come.
Features:
- Suggested age: 22 years and up
- Number of pages: 416
- Format: paperback
Features:
- Paleolithic pittsburgh.
- The whiskey rebellion.
- The attempted assassination of henry frick.
Features:
- Binding type: hardback
- Year published: 2021-11-09
- Number of pages: 704
Features:
- Binding type: paperback
- Year published: 2014-01-30
- Number of pages: 1280
Features:
- Binding type: paperback
- Year published: 2012-01-15
- Number of pages: 304
Features:
- Binding : hardcover
- Pages : 368
- Publisher : viking
Features:
- A look at human achievement through artifacts, painting, sculpture, and architecture.
- An examination of humankind in context as part of the natural world.
- Eyewitness accounts and biographies of key figures.
Features:
- Named one of the ten best books of the year by the chicago tribune
- A publishers weekly best book of 2019 a 2019 npr staff pick
- A pathbreaking history of the united states' overseas possessions and the true meaning of its empire
Features:
- Number of pages: 292
- Genre: biography + autobiography
- Sub-genre: political
Features:
- Binding type: hardback
- Publisher: mariner books
- Year published: 20200310
$6.68
Features:
- "islands in the sea" by harry turtledove
- "suppose they gave a peace" by susan shwartz
- "manassas, again" by gregory benford
$10.88
4.7
Features:
- The main products of the twenty-first-century economy will not be textiles, vehicles, and weapons but bodies, brains, and minds.
- While the industrial revolution created the working class, the next big revolution will create the useless class.
- The way humans have treated animals is a good indicator for how upgraded humans will treat us.
$17.91
Features:
- Binding type: hardback
- Year published: 2015-02-01
- Number of pages: 240
$3.98
4.5
Features:
- Number of pages: 516
- Genre: fiction + literature genres
- Sub-genre: alternative history
1. A Nation Interrupted: An Alternate History Novel [Book]
Product Details:
"an exhilarating ride through an alternate history." -george galdorisi, new york times bestselling author the year is 1862, in a world that very nearly was… in one of the most unsettling "what-if" reversals to american history, the union army is overrun at the battle of antietam. left with no alternative, president lincoln surrenders, and the confederate states of america becomes an independent nation. it's a tragic twist that will produce dire, far-reaching ramifications. as the divided american nations move into the twentieth century, slavery has long since been abolished; but in the summer of 1941, america faces another challenge-an existential challenge. almost a century after the civil war, the disastrous consequences of the union defeat are threatening freedom on both sides of the atlantic. the second world war represents the defining event of the twentieth century. history dictates the united states must play the decisive role in defeating adolf hitler and the nazis-but that history is no longer intact. america has been divided into two nations, and the resulting shift in global power has altered the course of the conflict, bringing all of north america and western europe to the brink of annihilation. in the spring of 1945, as the nazis are preparing to deliver the final blow, a young academic and a small, elite group of american airmen are about to determine the fate of the world. freedom's very survival is coming down to one, last-ditch mission.
Specifications:
| Language | English |
| Release Date | March 2020 |
| Length | 398 Pages |
| Dimensions | 0.9" x 6.0" x 9.0" |
| Age Range | 17 years and up |
Reviews:
2. Pages From The Textbook Of Alternate History [Book]
Product Details:
Fiction. at critical moments in world history, every political, spiritual, and cultural leader foresaw a different destiny. columbus planned a western sea route to asia; hitler applied to art school twice; joan of arc prophesied that she would become a mother. it is out of their failures that history itself is made. but what if the history-makers succeeded in the fulfillment of their best-laid plans? in pages from the textbook of alternate history, phong nguyen explores a myriad of pasts in which these icons of history made a different choice, and got what they wished for.
Specifications:
| Language | English |
| Release Date | May 2019 |
| Length | 158 Pages |
| Dimensions | 0.4" x 5.5" x 8.5" |
3. An Alternate History Of The United States: From The Birth Of The First Republic To The Second Civil War Volume I [Book]
Product Details:
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.
4. The Best Alternate History Stories Of The 20th Century: Stories [Ebook]
Product Details:
Explore fascinating, often chilling “what if” accounts of the world that could have existed—and still might yet . . . science fiction’s most illustrious and visionary authors hold forth the ultimate alternate history collection. here you’ll experience mind-bending tales that challenge your views of the past, present, and future, including: – “the lucky strike”: when the lucky strike is chosen over the enola gay to drop the first atomic bomb, fate takes an unexpected turn in kim stanley robinson’s gripping tale. – “bring the jubilee”: ward moore’s novella masterpiece offers a rebel victory at gettysburg which changes the course of the civil war . . . and all of american history. – “through road no wither”: after hitler’s victory in world war ii, two nazi officers confront their destiny in greg bear’s apocalyptic vision of the future. – “all the myriad ways”: murder or suicide, ambrose harmon’s death leads the police down an infinite number of pathways in larry niven’s brilliant and defining tale of alternatives and consequences. – “mozart in mirrorshades”: bruce sterling and lewis shiner explore a terrifying era as the future crashes into the past—with disastrous results. . . . as well as “the winterberry” by nicholas a. dichario – “islands in the sea” by harry turtledove – “suppose they gave a peace” by susan shwartz – “manassas, again” by gregory benford – “dance band on the titanic” by jack l. chalker – “eutopia” by poul anderson – “the undiscovered” by william sanders – “the death of captain future” by allen steele – and “moon of ice” by brad linaweaver the definitive collection: fourteen seminal alternate history tales drawing readers into a universe of dramatic possibility and endless wonder.
Specifications:
| File size | 710 KB |
Reviews:
I am not much of a fan of Alternate History, particularly the terribly over common world war two or American civil war variety, given the whole world of possibilities you could use. However, this is a fine anthology, coming in a bit below the magic 4.00 mark at 3.88. Turtledove gives a brief introduction to the subgenre. Best Alternate History Stories 20th Century : The Lucky Strike – Kim Stanley Robinson Best Alternate History Stories 20th Century : The Winterberry – Nick DiChario Best Alternate History Stories 20th Century : Islands in the Sea – Harry Turtledove Best Alternate History Stories 20th Century : Suppose They Gave a Peace – Susan M. Shwartz Best Alternate History Stories 20th Century : All the Myriad Ways – Larry Niven Best Alternate History Stories 20th Century : Through Road No Whither – Greg Bear Best Alternate History Stories 20th Century : Manassas Again – Gregory Benford Best Alternate History Stories 20th Century : Dance Band on the Titanic – Jack L. Chalker Best Alternate History Stories 20th Century : Bring the Jubilee – Ward Moore Best Alternate History Stories 20th Century : Eutopia – Poul Anderson Best Alternate History Stories 20th Century : The Undiscovered Best Alternate History Stories 20th Century : Mozart in Mirrorshades – Bruce Sterling and Lewis Shiner Best Alternate History Stories 20th Century : The Death of Captain Future – Allen Steele Best Alternate History Stories 20th Century : Moon of Ice – Brad Linaweaver Japan nuke near miss punishment. 4.5 out of 5 Not quite dead president. 4 out of 5 Muslim, that is, Constantinople. 3.5 out of 5 Vietnam family politics. 4 out of 5 Murder maybe multiverse. 4.5 out of 5 I see bad things for the SS. 3.5 out of 5 Mech battle. 3 out of 5 Many worlds crew. 4 out of 5 Southron Indepence time physics ancestor shooting accident. 4 out of 5 Not my kinda place, boyfriend. 4 out of 5 Let them wear leather bikinis and crave recording deals. 4 out of 5 Goebbels daughter alliance. 3.5 out of 5 4.5 out of 5
I am not much of a fan of Alternate History, particularly the terribly over common world war two or American civil war variety, given the whole world of possibilities you could use. However, this is a fine anthology, coming in a bit below the magic 4.00 mark at 3.89. Turtledove gives a brief introduction to the subgenre. Best Alternate History Stories 20th Century : The Lucky Strike – Kim Stanley Robinson Best Alternate History Stories 20th Century : The Winterberry – Nick DiChario Best Alternate History Stories 20th Century : Islands in the Sea – Harry Turtledove Best Alternate History Stories 20th Century : Suppose They Gave a Peace – Susan M. Shwartz Best Alternate History Stories 20th Century : All the Myriad Ways – Larry Niven Best Alternate History Stories 20th Century : Through Road No Whither – Greg Bear Best Alternate History Stories 20th Century : Manassas Again – Gregory Benford Best Alternate History Stories 20th Century : Dance Band on the Titanic – Jack L. Chalker Best Alternate History Stories 20th Century : Bring the Jubilee – Ward Moore Best Alternate History Stories 20th Century : Eutopia – Poul Anderson Best Alternate History Stories 20th Century : The Undiscovered Best Alternate History Stories 20th Century : Mozart in Mirrorshades – Bruce Sterling and Lewis Shiner Best Alternate History Stories 20th Century : The Death of Captain Future – Allen Steele Best Alternate History Stories 20th Century : Moon of Ice – Brad Linaweaver Japan nuke near miss punishment. 4.5 out of 5 Not quite dead president. 4 out of 5 Muslim, that is, Constantinople. 3.5 out of 5 Vietnam family politics. 4 out of 5 Murder maybe multiverse. 4.5 out of 5 I see bad things for the SS. 3.5 out of 5 Mech battle. 3 out of 5 Many worlds crew. 4 out of 5 Southron Indepence time physics ancestor shooting accident. 4 out of 5 Not my kinda place, boyfriend. 4 out of 5 Shakespeare good at shaking spears. 3 out of 5 Let them wear leather bikinis and crave recording deals. 4 out of 5 A poignant satire, if you will. A story of the hard graft of a spacer's life, and a deluded rich man that wants to be a hero, and just about believe he is Captain Future. Everyone thinks he is pretty much crazy, and won't work for him, so a man stuck for a job agrees to what he thinks is a one way trip. It becomes more than that when they are the closest to an accident with a mass driver, and unless they do something about the distressed ship, something really big will hit Mars, wiping out most of the colony there. Enter Captain Future. No dropoff for his new crewman/Futureman. Finding the ship, the second mate realises : “…There’s no such thing.” I bent over the keypad and went to work accessing the main computer, my fingers thick and clumsy within the suit gloves. “No Planet Police, no asteroid pirates. Just a ship whose air ducts are crawling with the Plague. You’re . . .” “I’m Captain Future!” declaims his captain. They manage to stop it, but Captain Future gets infected with the plague due to his lack of caution, but they eulogise him when they get back. And as the end, in a story that really turns out to be quite moving, and well worth reading: "Last night, some nervous kid-a cargo grunt off some LEO freighter, his union card probably still uncreased-sidled up to me at the bar and asked for my autograph. While I was signing the inside cover of his logbook, he told me a strange rumor he had recently heard: Captain Future managed to escape from the Fool’s Gold just before it blew. According to him, prospectors in the inner belt report spotting a gig on their screens, one whose pilot answers their calls as Curt Newton before transmissions are lost. I bought the youngster a drink and told him the truth. Naturally, he refused to believe me, nor can I blame him. Heroes are hard to find. We need to welcome them whenever they appear in our midst. You’ve just got to be careful to pick the right guy, because it’s easy for someone to pretend to be what they’re not. Captain Future is dead. Long live Captain Future." 5 out of 5 Goebbels daughter alliance. 3.5 out of 5 4.5 out of 5
5. A Prophet Without Honor: A Novel Of Alternative History [Book]
Product Details:
N the first months of 1936, adolf hitler risked everything by ordering his untrained military to reoccupy the rhineland. it was a bluff. the germans would have been forced to retreat if the french or british had offered the slightest opposition. but the bluff succeeded. history changed decisively. hitler quieted the opposition at home, and marched the world relentlessly on, to the edge of destruction and beyond. 'a prophet without honor' examines that lost chance in detail. the result is a compelling story full of intrigue, danger, romance, and action, culminating in the reckoning that hitler might have faced, had events taken a different course. it's a hugely entertaining story, written in epistolary style (though journal entries, letters, excerpts from biographies, etc.) with a richly textured sense of time and place. but, although i have labeled the novel an alternative history, for want of a better word, it is considerably more serious than mere 'what if' speculation. there is no fantasy in the book, no extended account of an alternative universe. rather, i meant the book to celebrate what wordsworth famously referred to as 'the little nameless unremembered acts of kindness and of love' – or, in this case, the nameless unremembered acts of honor and of heroism. in a profound sense, virtue is indeed its own reward, and in fact the only reward. the significance of those unknown and unknowable acts is the real subject of 'a prophet without honor'.
Specifications:
| Language | English |
| Release Date | December 2017 |
| Length | 480 Pages |
| Dimensions | 1.2" x 6.0" x 9.0" |
Reviews:
very interesting premis.BOB
Interesting book, like the historical approach to the material. Not overly far-fetched.vicvalis
6. The Devil In The White City: Murder, Magic, And Madness At The Fair That Changed America [Book]
Product Details:
New york times bestseller – the true tale of the 1893 world's fair in chicago and the cunning serial killer who used the magic and majesty of the fair to lure his victims to their death.“ relentlessly fuses history and entertainment to give this nonfiction book the dramatic effect of a novel …. it doesn’t hurt that this truth is stranger than fiction.” —the new york times – combining meticulous research with nail-biting storytelling, erik larson has crafted a narrative with all the wonder of newly discovered history and the thrills of the best fiction. – two men, each handsome and unusually adept at his chosen work, embodied an element of the great dynamic that characterized america’s rush toward the twentieth century. the architect was daniel hudson burnham, the fair’s brilliant director of works and the builder of many of the country’s most important structures, including the flatiron building in new york and union station in washington, d.c. the murderer was henry h. holmes, a young doctor who, in a malign parody of the white city, built his “world’s fair hotel” just west of the fairgrounds—a torture palace complete with dissection table, gas chamber, and 3,000-degree crematorium. burnham overcame tremendous obstacles and tragedies as he organized the talents of frederick law olmsted, charles mc – kim, louis sullivan, and others to transform swampy jackson park into the white city, while holmes used the attraction of the great fair and his own satanic charms to lure scores of young women to their deaths. what makes the story all the more chilling is that holmes really lived, walking the grounds of that dream city by the lake. – the devil in the white city draws the reader into the enchantment of the guilded age, made all the more appealing by a supporting cast of real-life characters, including buffalo bill, theodore dreiser, susan b. anthony, thomas edison, archduke francis ferdinand, and others. erik larson’s gifts as a storyteller are magnificently displayed in this rich narrative of the master builder, the killer, and the great fair that obsessed them both.
Reviews:
Year of Our Lord 1893, a World's Fair in Chicago, a city almost fully recovered from the devastating fire of 1871. A dazzling spectacle in Jackson Park, the first Ferris Wheel, buildings and peoples of the world, tourists from everywhere…and an unspeakably evil Herman Webster Mudgett, AKA Dr. H.H Holmes, who meets young women, invites them to visit his home near the Fair, and murders them. I grew up in Chicago and I'd heard a few things about this man and his "murder castle" on 63rd Street west of Jackson Park, but this book fills in any and all details I never knew. Holmes was evil, a cold blooded serial killer, America's first, and his story is fascinating in the same way as looking a fatal car accident: I was revulsed by what he'd done, but it was horribly fascinating and I could not look away until I'd finished the book. This horror is not fictional, it's real and that's the most disturbing thing.diogenes9561
I enjoyed this book so much that I hand out copies to people I think might like it. This book was truly an enjoyable read that I had to keep reminding myself was nonfiction. Four reasons why I enjoyed the book are, one, Larson's research connects many people from the past to well known names of today. Historically it's chock-full of interesting facts. Second, it gives great insight to the history of Chicago including the slaughter houses or the general living conditions during that time. Third, the story of the murderer is fascinating. I looked the killer up on the internet to get more information. And last, it was amazing to read how the expo came together with all its glitches. This book is a wonderful read that I would recommend to anyone.myh2olou
This book caught my attention because it was about the Chicago's Worlds Fair of 1893. I have always wondered what it would be like to attend one of those fairs so thought this was a good way to learn more about it. Then I saw it was also about America's first recorded serial killer H.H. Holmes and I thought this may interesting as well. Even though this was a non-fiction book I thought parts of it read just like a novel. I guess I mean to say that it was not just all restated facts or dry reading like a report would be. While I enjoyed the book there were a few parts that were a little slow to me. Some of the descriptions of the politics behind the World's Fair were a little long for me, but it was not fault of the author. I just was not as interested in those parts. I did like all how the author told us of a number of things that we still have to day that were debuted at the fair: shredded wheat cereal, the Ferris wheel, juicy fruit gum as well as the famous people that were a part of creating the fair: Frank Lloyd Wright, Walt's Disney's father, and the man who built the Biltmore estate. It was also interesting to read about all the statistics from the fair, from the people that attended to the money earned. All the information about H.H. Holmes was very interesting to me. For example how he swindled so many people out of money, how he pulled off a number of scams as well as the horrible killings he did. The descriptions of these was not gruesome, just facts. I also liked how the author would go back and forth between the two stories he was writing about. The ending of the book was very fitting as the author tied up all the loose ends. I have other books by this author and am looking forward to reading them.Bookaunt
7. What If?: The World's Foremost Historians Imagine What Might Have Been [Book]
Product Details:
Essays by respected military historians, including stephen ambrose, david mccullough, james mcpherson, and john keegan, consider the consequences if history had turned out differently, such as if the weather on d-day had been worse or if washington had not escaped from long island. reprint.
Reviews:
Un livre trs original, pour un point de vue dcal sur l'histoire du monde.tomrock64
8. An Alternative History Of Pittsburgh [Book]
Product Details:
Ed simon tells the story of pittsburgh through this exploration of its hidden histories–the la review of books calls it an "epic, atomic history of the steel city." 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 america's furnace through a series of interconnected segments, covering all manner of pittsburgh-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.
9. The Dawn Of Everything: A New History Of Humanity [Book]
Product Details:
Instant new york times bestseller a dramatically new understanding of human history, challenging our most fundamental assumptions about social evolution—from the development of agriculture and cities to the origins of the state, democracy, and inequality—and revealing new possibilities for human emancipation. – for generations, our remote ancestors have been cast as primitive and childlike—either free and equal innocents, or thuggish and warlike. david graeber and david wengrow show how such theories first emerged in the eighteenth century as a conservative reaction to powerful critiques of european society posed by indigenous observers and intellectuals. if humans did not spend 95 percent of their evolutionary past in tiny bands of hunter-gatherers, what were they doing all that time? if agriculture, and cities, did not mean a plunge into hierarchy and domination, then what kinds of social and economic organization did they lead to? – the dawn of everything fundamentally transforms our understanding of the human past and offers a path toward imagining new forms of freedom, new ways of organizing society. this is a monumental book of formidable intellectual range, animated by curiosity, moral vision, and a faith in the power of direct action. – includes black-and-white illustrations
Reviews:
It's size is simply overwhelming. It could serve as a semester-long course. Never picked it up.WalmartGuy
10. The Penguin History Of The World: Sixth Edition [Book]
Product Details:
Roberts and odd arne westad's widely acclaimed, landmark bestseller the penguin history of the world for generations of readers the penguin history of the world has been one of the great cultural experiences – the entire story of human endeavour laid out in all its grandeur and folly, drama and pain in a single authoritative book. now, for the first time, it has been completely overhauled for its 6th edition – not just bringing it up to date, but revising it throughout in the light of new research and discoveries, such as the revolution in our understanding of many civilizations in the ancient world. the closing sections of the book reflect what now seems to be the inexorable rise of asia and the increasingly troubled situation in the west. about the authors: j.m. roberts, cbe, published the penguin history of the world in 1976 to immediate acclaim. his other major books include the paris commune from the right, the triumph of the west (which was also a successful television series), the penguin history of europe and the penguin history of the twentieth century. he died in 2003. odd arne westad, fba, is professor of international history at the london school of economics. he has published fifteen books on modern and contemporary international history, among them the global cold war, which won the bancroft prize, and decisive encounters, a standard history of the chinese civil war. he also served as general co-editor of the cambridge history of the cold war.
Reviews:
Répond aux attentes et livraison rapide.
11. If The Allies Had Fallen: Sixty Alternate Scenarios Of World War Ii [Book]
Product Details:
For fans of man in the high castle and other tales of alternative history, explosive, thought-provoking “what-if” stories about pearl harbor, d-day, hitler, the battle of britain, and more! what if stalin had signed with the west in 1939? what if the allies had been defeated on d-day? what if hitler and the nazis had won the war? from the munich crisis and the dropping of the first atom bomb to hitler’s declaration of war on the united states and the d-day landings, historians suggest “what might have been” if key events in world war ii had gone differently.written by an exceptional team of historians as if these world-changing events had really happened. if the allies had fallen is a spirited and terrifying alternate history, and a telling insight into the dramatic possibilities of world war ii. contributors include: thomas m. deutsch, walter s. dunn, robert m. clayton james, bernard c. nalty, richard j. overy, paul schratz, dennis e. showalter, gerhard l. weinberg, anne wells, and herman s. wolk.
Reviews:
Very good book about very important things from ww2 have then talking about with ifBRENT
Got this for my husband who is a history buff. He said the book was well written and engaging.860phayrelle
12. A Woman Of No Importance: The Untold Story Of The American Spy Who Helped Win World War Ii [Book]
Product Details:
A new york times bestsellerchosen as a best book of the year by npr, the new york public library, amazon, the seattle times, the washington independent review of books, pop – sugar, the minneapolis star tribune, book – browse, the spectator, and the times of london – winner of the plutarch award for best biography“excellent…this book is as riveting as any thriller, and as hard to put down.” — the new york times book review"a compelling biography of a masterful spy, and a reminder of what can be done with a few brave people — and a little resistance." – npr"a meticiulous history that reads like a thriller." – ben macintyre – in 1942, the gestapo sent out an urgent transmission: "she is the most dangerous of all allied spies. the target in their sights was virginia hall, a baltimore socialite who talked her way into special operations executive, the spy organization dubbed winston churchill's "ministry of ungentlemanly warfare." virginia established vast spy networks throughout france, called weapons and explosives down from the skies, and became a linchpin for the resistance. even as her face covered wanted posters and a bounty was placed on her head, virginia refused order after order to evacuate. she finally escaped through a death-defying hike over the pyrenees into spain, her cover blown. but she plunged back in, adamant that she had more lives to save, and led a victorious guerilla campaign, liberating swathes of france from the nazis after d-day. – based on new and extensive research, sonia purnell has for the first time uncovered the full secret life of virginia hall–an astounding and inspiring story of heroism, spycraft, resistance, and personal triumph over shocking adversity. a woman of no importance is the breathtaking story of how one woman's fierce persistence helped win the war.
Reviews:
Wonderful story with great potential as a book club study. While not spell binding, and somewhat understated, reading between the lines one senses the underlying tension between two highly motivated, intelligent people finding their way through a world of uncertainty and in jobs of immense importance, as they navigate their unusual marriage contract. Lou OsburnLOU O.
This is an astonishing story. I did not know about Virginia Hill as an operator behind the scenes. It is too bad that she did not receive the recognition she deserved. I do not think it would have been much different had she been a man. For who could have ever imagined a man or woman accomplishing so much under amazing circumstances. It shows us that a woman can accomplish amazing things ; even better than a man could. We must admit she was an unusual person; male or female. The men running the show could have given her the recognition that she deserved. They just were not 'big' enough. It is the rare man who would have had the character to do it.SUSAN H.
If you like WWII history, this book is fascinating. The author does a commendable job at balancing the historical details with the human interest part of the book. This is a true story about Virginia Hall–a woman long before her time. She was daring, committed, dedicated, and passionate about the undercover work she did during the war; and the situational details were just enough to outline the "lay of the land" and how she worked within those confines. I don't know why we haven't heard more about her before now, especially since she was born in Baltimore and I'm from that area. I suspect the government just declassified documents surrounding Ms. Hall. I am particularly intrigued by this era in history, and this book was riveting…it was well written, the background on each of the characters was just the right amount of time and detail, and the author continued to tie all the events together to position Ms. Hall's story and accomplishments. This should be required reading for WWII history in school.Dee
13. History: From The Dawn Of Civilization To The Present Day [Book]
Product Details:
Explore the fascinating story of the human race and more than 6 million years of global history in this dynamic visual encyclopedia of world events. using a compelling narrative format, dk's history untangles the common threads and forces that have shaped the past and informed the present to show that ours is a history including genes and viruses – not just battles and treaties. this updated and expanded third edition includes coverage of contemporary issues, such as climate change, economic developments, the rise of social media, and more. richly illustrated and concisely explained, each historical episode is linked to others in "before" and "after" panels that reveal the causes and consequences of the events on the page. boxes highlight the impact of innovative inventions – the printing press and the steam engine – as well as the defining ideological concepts of the day, including communism, state censorship, and roosevelt's new deal. decisive moments – from the battle of hastings and the storming of the bastille to d-day, the building of the berlin wall, and 9/11 – are investigated in depth, alongside profiles of major figures, such as rameses ii, julius caesar, william wilberforce, martin luther king, and nelson mandela. an extensive "national histories" section separately chronicles the key events of each and every sovereign state in the world, as well as many of their self-governing territories. thought-provoking and inspiring, and with a fresh, contemporary perspective, history combines fascinating content with stunning images of painting, sculpture, and architecture to create a visual celebration of human achievement and endeavor that deserves a place on every family's bookshelf.
Reviews:
Full of so valuable and interesting picture and writing.shtomlee_7
Love love love the book. Exceptional quality and value!reneed3598
14. How To Hide An Empire: A History Of The Greater United States [Book]
Product Details:
Named one of the ten best books of the year by the chicago tribune – a publishers weekly best book of 2019 | a 2019 npr staff pick – a pathbreaking history of the united states’ overseas possessions and the true meaning of its empire but what about the actual territories—the islands, atolls, and archipelagos—this country has governed and inhabited? in crackling, fast-paced prose, he reveals forgotten episodes that cast american history in a new light. in puerto rico, immerwahr shows how u.s. doctors conducted grisly experiments they would never have conducted on the mainland and charts the emergence of independence fighters who would shoot up the u.s. congress. – in the years after world war ii, immerwahr notes, the united states moved away from colonialism. instead, it put innovations in electronics, transportation, and culture to use, devising a new sort of influence that did not require the control of colonies. rich with absorbing vignettes, full of surprises, and driven by an original conception of what empire and globalization mean today, how to hide an empire is a major and compulsively readable work of history.
Reviews:
This book is essential reading for Americans and others who want to have a clear idea of how the U.S. started down the path of colonialism and how the country continues to hold on to worldwide power and influence without necessarily holding on to territory. Clearly and compellingly written—history buffs will be enthralled—even amused. I never knew guano (bird droppings) was so essential to agriculture (before artificial fertilizers were invented). The search for it led our country to seize many otherwise barren islands in far flung regions of the world.japanophile
Very well written account of US history. Enlightening to say the least! Well researched and a good readmadeinamerica369
15. Standing Next To History: An Agent's Life Inside The Secret Service [Book]
Product Details:
Standing next to history presents the extraordinary account of ronald reagan's secret service bodyguard with stories that will make even a diehard "west wing" fan go speechless. – joseph petro served for 23 years as a special agent in the united states secret service; eleven of them with presidents and vice presidents. for four of those years he stood by the side of ronald reagan. – following his career as a navy lieutenant, during which he patrolled the rivers and canals along the vietnamese-cambodian border, he worked his way up through the secret service to become one of the key men in charge of protecting the president. that journey through the secret service provides an individual look inside the most discreet law enforcement agency in the world, and a uniquely intimate account of the reagan presidency. – engagingly, joseph petro tells "first hand" stories of: riding horses with the reagans; eluding the press and sneaking the president and mrs. reagan out of the white house; rehearsing assassination attempts and working, then re-working every detail of the president's trips around the world; negotiating the president's protection with the kgb; diverting a 26 car presidential motorcade in downtown tokyo; protecting vice-president dan quayle at rajiv gandhi's funeral where he was surrounded by yassir arafat's heavily armed bodyguards; taking charge of the single largest protective effort in the history of the secret service-pope john paul ii's 1987 visit to the united states; and being only one of three witnesses at the private meeting between president reagan and mikhail gorbachev that ushered in the end of the cold war. – joseph petro provides an original and fascinating perspective of the secret service, the inner workings of the white house and a little seen view of world leaders, as a man who stood next to history.
Reviews:
One of the best books I ever read on Presidential Security, sent a copy to my brother for Fathers Day.alicehcenters16
If you are interested in the Secret Service then this book is for you!jasonsatterfield
16. The Plot Against America [Book]
Product Details:
Philip roth's bestselling alternate history–the chilling story of what happens to one family when america elects a charismatic, isolationist president–is soon to be an hbo limited series. in an extraordinary feat of narrative invention, philip roth imagines an alternate history where franklin d. roosevelt loses the 1940 presidential election to heroic aviator and rabid isolationist charles a. lindbergh. shortly thereafter, lindbergh negotiates a cordial "understanding" with adolf hitler, while the new government embarks on a program of folksy anti-semitism. for one boy growing up in newark, lindbergh's election is the first in a series of ruptures that threaten to destroy his small, safe corner of america-and with it, his mother, his father, and his older brother. "a terrific political novel . . . sinister, vivid, dreamlike . . . creepily plausible. . . you turn the pages, astonished and frightened." — the new york times book review
Reviews:
Très content de la rapidité de taitement de la commande
Œuvre très intéressante, passionnante et transposable aujourd'hui.Annie
Je suis ravie de cet achat, bien que la police d´ecriture soit un peu petite
17. The Best Alternative History Of The 20th Century
Product Details:
This used book is in very good condition. this book came from a library. explore fascinating, often chilling " what if " accounts of the world that could have existed–and still might yet . . . science fiction's most illustrious and visionary authors hold forth the ultimate alternate history collection. here you'll experience mind-bending tales that challenge your views of the past, present, and future, including: – "the lucky strike" when the lucky strike is chosen over the enola gay to drop the first atomic bomb, fate takes an unexpected turn in kim stanley robinson's gripping tale. – "bring the jubilee" ward moore's novella masterpiece offers a rebel victory at gettysburg which changes the course of the civil war . . . and all of american history. – "through road no wither" after hitler's victory in world war ii, two nazi officers confront their destiny in greg bear's apocalyptic vision of the future. – "all the myriad ways" murder or suicide, ambrose harmon's death leads the police down an infinite number of pathways in larry niven's brilliant and defining tale of alternatives and consequences. – "mozart in mirrorshades" bruce sterling and lewis shiner explore a terrifying era as the future crashes into the past–with disastrous results. . . . as well as "the winterberry" by nicholas a. dichario – "islands in the sea" by harry turtledove – "suppose they gave a peace" by susan shwartz – "manassas, again" by gregory benford – "dance band on the titanic " by jack l. chalker – "eutopia" by poul anderson – "the undiscovered" by william sanders – "the death of captain future" by allen steele – and "moon of ice" by brad linaweaver the definitive collection: fourteen seminal alternate history tales drawing readers into a universe of dramatic possibility and endless wonder. by ballantine books [ 9780307291677 ]
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18. Homo Deus: A Brief History Of Tomorrow [Book]
Product Details:
Official u.s. edition with full color illustrations throughout. – new york times bestseller yuval noah harari, author of the critically-acclaimed new york times bestseller and international phenomenon sapiens, returns with an equally original, compelling, and provocative book, turning his focus toward humanity’s future, and our quest to upgrade humans into gods. – over the past century humankind has managed to do the impossible and rein in famine, plague, and war. this may seem hard to accept, but, as harari explains in his trademark style—thorough, yet riveting—famine, plague and war have been transformed from incomprehensible and uncontrollable forces of nature into manageable challenges. for the first time ever, more people die from eating too much than from eating too little; more people die from old age than from infectious diseases; and more people commit suicide than are killed by soldiers, terrorists and criminals put together. the average american is a thousand times more likely to die from binging at mc – donalds than from being blown up by al qaeda. – what then will replace famine, plague, and war at the top of the human agenda? homo deus explores the projects, dreams and nightmares that will shape the twenty-first century—from overcoming death to creating artificial life. this is the next stage of evolution. this is homo deus. – with the same insight and clarity that made sapiens an international hit and a new york times bestseller, harari maps out our future.
Specifications:
| Weight | 2.56 lb |
Reviews:
I couldn't stop reading his previous book Sapiens, and was super keen on both Deus and the 21 Lessons books. Deus is still mostly about the past, and only the last quarter of the book touches on the future. There's still some great insights, but more could have been done with the discussion on AI, nanotechnology, and whether humans are upgraded or replaced. Less on the past and more on the future would have scored 5 stars.David L
Interesting view of the future, oversimplified in places. It provides one view of the future that is quite compelling and worth reading about. IMHO, it overstates the probability of transition from task specific AI to generalised AI. It also completely overlooks the role of complexity and emergence in the way it describes living organisms and organic brains as merely algorithms.
The subject matter is very important for an understanding of our past and future. His revision of the more traditional parameters for describing the past of homo sapiens is thought provoking, but he does not seek the false status of an "authority". He writes clearly and with sufficient detail but without swamping the reader with indigestible facts. The reader is able to move on their thinking, but will definitely keep the volumes for regular future reference,sbgarton2012
19. Over The Top: Alternate Histories Of The First World War [Book]
Product Details:
Although separated from the modern reader by a full century, the first world war continues to generate controversy and interest as the great event upon which modern history pivoted. not only did the war cull the european peoples of some of their best and brightest, it also led to the destruction of the austro-hungarian, german, ottoman and russian empires, and paved the way for the second world war. this thought-provoking book explores ten alternate scenarios in which the course of the war is changed forever. how would the war have changed had the germans not attacked france but turned their main thrust against russia; had the greeks joined the allies at gallipoli; or had the british severed the communications of the ottoman empire at alexandretta? what if there was a more decisive outcome at jutland; if the alternative plans for the battle of the somme in 1916 had been put into effect; or if the americans intervened in 1915, rather 1917? expertly written by leading military historians, this is a compelling and credible look at what might have been.
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20. Hitler's War (The War That Came Early, Book One) [Book]
Product Details:
A stroke of the pen and history is changed. in 1938, british prime minister neville chamberlain, determined to avoid war, signed the munich accord, ceding part of czechoslovakia to hitler. but the following spring, hitler snatched the rest of that country, and england, after a fatal act of appeasement, was fighting a war for which it was not prepared. now, in this thrilling alternate history, another scenario is played out: what if chamberlain had not signed the accord? in this action-packed chronicle of the war that might have been, harry turtledove uses dozens of points of view to tell the story: from american marines serving in japanese-occupied china and ragtag volunteers fighting in the abraham lincoln battalion in spain to an american woman desperately trying to escape nazi-occupied territory—and witnessing the war from within the belly of the beast. a tale of powerful leaders and ordinary people, at once brilliantly imaginative and hugely entertaining, hitler’s war captures the beginning of a very different world war ii—with a very different fate for our world today.
Specifications:
| Imprint | Del Rey |
| Pub date | 22 Jun 2010 |
| DEWEY edition | 22 |
| Language | English |
| Spine width | 29mm |
Reviews:
Read in two days Typically brilliant book from a brilliant author. Harry Turtledove really sucks you into the story and with his slant on history can really make you think what if? I own a large number of Mr Turtledove's books and I have to say I have never been disappointed by any of them. I can completely recommend this author to anyone and everyone even if you have never read a book before.nuttysquirrel69
Turtledove's latest foray into an alternative World War II really doesn't catch the attention in the manner that his wonderful 'Worldwar Saga' did. The characters are, as always, fairly fleshed out – and not always sympathetically so. The story moves along well and, as one may expect from someone with a History PhD, is well researched. But it just doesn't seem to have the 'flair' and originality of the earlier work, and the repetition of motifs and character background is a little annoying. This effort is a good, fun read, but fails to rise above the herd.Mark
Love the series and bought it to complete the missing novelfritzcdy-5
