The other half of the novel details the story in jacks alternate history book, also called if the north had won the civil war, which shows how this version of reality. The genre has become increasingly popular since the late 20th. Probably the first book length alternate history, napoleon and the conquest of the world. From james mcphersons definitive history to tony horwitzs adventures among obsessives, here are the 11 best books on the civil war. Science fictions most illustrious and visionary authors hold forth the ultimate alternate history collection. Free shipping due to covid19, orders may be delayed. Author gingrich is particularly famous for writing the series of civil war novels, which includes the books gettysburgh trilogy. Still valley, a the twilight zone episode focusing on the civil war. The modern story follows stonewall jackson jack sawyer, a history professor in the modernday confederate states of america, and his alternate history if the north had won the civil war. A series of books focusing on a victorious cs that has won the civil war after the battle of gettysburg and its subsequent conflict with the us. Johnston with john bell hood as commander of the army of tennessee in the battle of atlanta. The american civil war is a popular point of divergence in englishlanguage alternate history fiction. The latest alternate history book from greenhill, the battle of the bulge.
Tsouras, author of several alternative histories including gettysburg. From the master of alternate history comes an epic of the second civil war. And the man in the high castle is among the most wellknown books that tackle that question. The best alternate history stories of the 20th century. The guns of the south is one of the greatest alternate history novels that turtledove has written, if not the best. Civil war alternate history novels nonfiction history. Best alternate history books about the american civil war. Hitlers alternate scenarios, is not about adolf hitlers alternate scenarios for his 1944 ardennes offensive. Civil war alternate history isnt just a genre that romanticizes the old. Those who appreciate a solid overview will find much to. The most common variants detail the victory and survival of the confederate states. Score a book s total score is based on multiple factors, including the number of people who have voted for it and how highly those voters ranked the book.
I minored in history in college and found his details incredible. Works of alternate history fiction trickled in during the nineteenth century and early twentieth century, but a true bloom of the genre sparked during the cold war era. Less common variants include a union victory under different circumstances. The most common variant of these detail the victory and survival of the confederate states. His days of infamy books have japan occupying hawaii. Russian civil war white victory alternative history fandom. The undisputed king of alternative histories is the prolific harry turtledove, who has helped guide the genre into mainstream reading. This is an alternate history of the civil war written with the painstaking historical authenticity and attention to detail that mr.
A highly implausible but interesting scenario, what would have happened if the radical republicans sucessfully pushed for expanding the second amendment on the civil war post civil war crises,something like along this lines. Civil war alternate history novels nonfiction history of. In his first alternate version of world war ii, depicted in 1945, the u. Why hbos planned confederate series alarms some historians. Although the time travel aspects of this book do tend to stretch the storys believability, turtledove nevertheless produces an amazingly thought provoking novel of a triumphant confederacy. This is a story that inspired philip k dick to write an alternate history who we will talk about later and still has one of the best twists in alternate history, even if it has been done to death by the present. Best alternate history books about the american civil war 11 books. The guns of the south has the confederates equipped with ak47s by. An alternate history of the netherlands tells how the dutch managed to liberate all of belgium in the dutch war of independence and was able to become a superpower by the end of the 20th century. American front the great war series book 1 english edition.
July 16, 1995 age 24, better known online as alternate history hub, is an american educational youtuber who goes over different alternate histories, such as. In an alternate history, one or more past events are changed and. A rebel in time, another civil war alternate history involving time travel and a racist sending advanced weapons to the confederacy. The war of 1812 was a defining moment in canadian history, and so you can expect any conflict starting in 1862 will be just as defining to the infant canadian identity as that piece of history was. It changed the entire fate of the nation, and created the america we know today. This novel and its sequel a rainbow of blood are, in my opinion, the finest works of alternate history ever written.
Aug 31, 2018 these stories can be found in the 11 southern victory novels, the alternate historybooklike if the south had won the civil war, the captain confederacy comic books, and last years novel. An alternate history of the civil war, but its not a novel. Alternate history the value of debating what might have been. On a more meta note, the 1860s was a decade of change for the whole world. From civil war to world waran alternate history by peter g. The most unusual alternate history novels ever published. The resulting setting is termed an alternate universe. Spread out over the span of some 50 years, the population has become the anecdotal boiling frog, unaware of the danger it is in. Since churchills time, the alternative history genre has thrived, with many books about the civil war and at least one about gettysburg. The book had a considerable influence on the development of the subgenre of american civil war alternate histories, one of the two most frequent subjects of american alternate history. The valley and beyond civil war tl in the beginning of may 1864, union brigadier general george crook and his army of the kanawha entered the southwestern region of virginia via the appalachian mountains as part of ulysses s. Tsouras also has the title of author on a book titled dixie victorious.
In his series he details how this changes the world. The american civil war is a popular area of alternate history speculation, and the battle of gettysburg is one of the biggest points of divergence from our own timeline. Harry turtledove imagined a world where the confederate states of america was a independent country. Tl191 uniform, weapons and equipment of the secondary combatants. Commonwealthguniea war night of the living alternate history map game confederate civil war these fractured states category. These are the kinds of tantalizing questions that alternate history books explore. Newt gingrich is one of the prominent authors from the u. The best alternate history or counterfactual history books about the american civil war. Six books on the civil war these six histories of the civil war that are mustreads if you want to better understand the conflict a group of officers in culpeper, virginia reading. If the north had won the civil war is two alternate history novels in one. S, who is well known for writing books based on the nonfiction, fiction, and politics genres. An alternate history of the american civil war, by jeffrey evans brooks, a single telegram changes the course of the civil war. Plus, it is the only american civil war alternate history to make the list, and for good reason. Sep 25, 20 the depth of knowledge of the author about civil war history actual is without limit.
The alternate history list is a bibliography of over 3400 novels, stories, essays, collections, and other printed material involving the what ifs of history. This includes a communist balkan union and a sweden that swallows russia after the great northern war. An alternative history of the civil war is a collection of ten essays imagining how the south could have won the civil war edited by peter g. There is also a computer game, taking off from the moment in 1931 when churchill looked the wrong way in new york and stepped off. Alternate history or alternative history is a genre of fiction consisting of stories in which one or more historical events occur differently. Examples of alternate history can be found in literature as far back as the 1st century bc.
The second half of the 20th century saw the united states endure a series of paradigm changes on the cultural, political, and social level. Dicks brainwarping story is set in a world where the axis powers won world war ii, and america has been divided between japan and nazi germany the brain twisting bit. Like any good war history book, the civil war books on this list take a deep dive not only into the untold horrors of warfare, but also the perspectives, personalities, and motivations behind it, as well as the ramifications. Lee had been victorious, he could have easily threatened or. I would have expected chapters on the various german schemes put forth during the planning stages of the bulge, or perhaps an expanded treatment of the. An alternate history novel of the american civil war. Alternate history fiction continues to thrive in the twentyfirst century, particularly as film and television adaptations are created from alternate history books. American civil war alternate histories are alternate history fiction that focuses on the civil war ending differently or not occurring. However, this is a profascism narrative written by an alternate history adolf hitler, who in this timeline emigrated from germany to the united states in 1919 after the great war, and used his modest artistic skills to become first a pulpscience fiction illustrator and later a successful science fiction writer, telling lurid, purpleprosed. This, alone, makes this book different from many other alternate history works. Apr 12, 2015 the american civil war was the most devastating event in united states history. In alternate history fiction, authors isolate one element of history that, if changed, would alter all events that follow.
Download and keep this book for free with a 30 day trial. Tsouras that explores what might have happened if a few twists of fate had significantly altered the course of the battle at gettysburg, and therefore the american civil war. Set in a version of america that is ruled by japan and germany, with a neutral zone in between, this book is gets a little loopy, but its a classic of the. The characters in this book withinanaudiobook are actual figures in the civil war, and the military tactics and strategies are based on those of the historical war. Agent of byzantium has the byzantine empire surviving. Based on real battles, actions, and characters, ten scenarios have been carefully constructed to reveal how at points of decision a different choice or minor. Cossacks continued to play a large role in the white movement throughout the war, and cossack general anton denikin commanded the forces on the southern front during the war. Johnston in the vicksburg campaign, or the absence of prince albert during the trent affair. So many of them just skim the surface or make obvious mistakes. The best alternate history stories of the 20th century 2001 has fourteen stories and an introduction by harry turtledove. Discuss, rate, and post links to ah sites on the web. From publishers weekly a wellknown series of alternate history anthologies now adds this solid and provocative exploration of the american civil war.
The right of citizens of the united states to keep,bear and carry arms. Order of harry turtledove books harry turtledove is an american author of alternate history, historical fiction, science fiction and fantasy novels. Explore fascinating, often chilling what if accounts of the world that could have existedand still might yet. What if the south had won the american civil war, or the british had. We wanted to include a variety of volumes to appeal to many different tastes. Tired of alternate history books where the axis won world war ii, or the south won the civil war.
These stories usually contain what if scenarios at crucial points in history and present outcomes other than those in the historical record. He later became the prime minister of the new government established at the end of the war, taking the post in 1946 but dying shortly afterwards in 1947. Save over 20% credits will not expire, so you can use them at any time. Based on a series of fascinating what ifs posed by leading military historians, this intriguing new alternate history reconstructs moments during the american civil war which could conceivably have altered the entire course of the war and led to a confederate victory. Dick you cant discuss alternate history without bringing up the man in the high castle. Southern victory, another turtledove novel focused on a confederate victory and its circumstances. Some common questions and themes in alternate history novels include. His southern victory or timeline191 series has the confederates beating the union. American civil war alternate histories are alternate history fiction that focuses on the civil war. Gettysburg, an alternate history american civil war forums. If the south won gettysburg by mark nesbitt, the guns of the south by harry turtledove, gettysburg. Many, many alternate history ask how the world would be different if germany had won world war ii. The depth of knowledge of the author about civil war history actual is without limit. The standard civil war alternate history is a juggling act in which motifs from our collective historical memory are repurposed in order to see how they function in different contexts, and the.
About the best alternate history stories of the 20th century. What if the confederate south won the american civil war. Luckily for you, there are a ton of allohistories that pick more obscure and interesting points of. The genre has a variety of names, but it is best known as alternate history. He is the author of several different series, including the southern victory, worldwar, crosstime traffic and other series. He also likes to write novels of alternate history.
The standard civil war alternate history is a juggling act in which motifs from our collective historical memory are repurposed in order to see how they function in. What if the south won the civil war, what if germany won ww2, and other alternate history topics. The alternate world of a southern victory lore youtube. Hitler is debilitated for weeks after a plane crash on december 6, 1941, leaving germany in the hands of a troika of goring, goebbels, and halder, vicious nazis all but more pragmatic than the darkly romantic fuehrer. Grants spring offensive to wear down the confederacy in a war of. Later writers of such books, such as harry turtledove, explicitly stated kantors influence on their own work.
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