Read these books as they ponder on the “what if” question of some of the great events in history. Alternate history books are written with one mission in mind and that is to reimagine the present as if the past has happened differently. While some rewrite a part of the past event, others introduce a fantasy element to consider how history would turn out if those fantasies were real. If fantasy, fiction and history are your preferred genres, read the below five alternate history books. The Man in the High Castle by Philip K. Dick Have you ever wondered what would have happened if Germany would have won World War II? This book is one of the most well-known novels that tackle that question. It is set in America that is ruled by Germany and Japan with Hilter still alive and has late-stage syphilis. The Years of Rice and Salt by Kim Stanley Robinson Do you remember the Black Plague that devastated the population of Europe? This novel explores how the world would have looked like if that gruesome event had killed 99% of the European population instead of one third. It then goes on to say that only Chinese and Muslim cultures are left in control of the world. The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead This 2016 novel is set in an antebellum American South where an actual railroad with elaborate tracks and tunnels take enslaved people to freedom. Board the train with Cora and Caesar as they make stops at various points in the South and encounter other forms of oppression in American history. Making History by Stephen Fry What would have happened if Hitler was not born? In this novel, a physicist and historian team up and make a time machine to prevent the birth of Hitler. However, anti-Semitism and fascism do not disappear in this make-believe world without Hitler. Spiritwalker Series by Kate Elliot This alternate history book series is set in the version of the 19th century. At this time, the Ice Age never ended and that changed the balance of power across the globe. Also, in the book’s version of the world, mages, dragons and spirits exist. Stop pondering on the “what if” questions and start reading to find your answers.
