What is Alternate history, you ask?  Think of it as a kind of "what if" question.  The stories will often be centered on a single event that differs from the history we know.  What if the South had won the American Civil War, or the British had won the American Revolution (well, it probably wouldn't be called the "American Revolution", that's for sure.)  It's a genre full of novels, short stories, movies, and even a fan-fiction community.  Alternate history is an interesting and imaginative look at what might have been, sometimes for the better or worse, but certainly always different.  Check out the list below for a wide range of books, e-books and movies that cover everything from Steampunk worlds to Nazi victory in Europe.

(If you’ve never tried our e-books, take a look at NYPL’s eBook Central to see how it works.)

Books and eBooks

I'll begin with the novels of one of the genre’s most prolific writers, Harry Turtledove.  Well known for his “Southern Victory” (as dubbed by fans), The War that Came Early, and The Hot War series, Turtledove has been credited with bringing the alternate history genre mainstream.  In the eleven book  “Southern Victory” series (actually a combination of three series and a stand-alone novel), the South wins the American Civil War after the United Kingdom and France recognize the legitimacy of the Confederate States of America.  Starting with How Few Remain and ending with In at the Death, Turtledove weaves an intricate tale in which the United States and the Confederate States battle each other in alternate versions of WWI and WWII. 

In The War that Came Early series, World War II starts in 1938 over the annexation of Czechoslovakia rather than in 1939 over Poland.  Entries in the six-novel series include Two Fronts and Last Orders.  More recently, Turtledove's has begun The Hot War series, which diverges from our timeline when President Truman follows General MacArthur's advice and attacks China with nuclear weapons during the Korean War, setting off a chain of events that eventually lead to the outbreak of World War III.  The first two entries in this new series are Bombs Away: The Hot War and the soon-be-released Fallout (2016).

I would be remiss if I did not mention a novel by the legendary science fiction writer, Phillip K. Dick.  In Man in the High Castle, Dick takes us to 1962 America, a world in which the Allies lost World War II.  The United States has been partitioned by the victorious Nazis and Japanese while its citizens live in fear.  What makes this novel so intriguing is the fact that Dick relates the emotions of his various characters to the reader so well, essentially personalizing what is an explosive idea: Axis control of the United States.  In addition to this, it may very well be the only alternate history novel in which there is a character that has actually written an alternate history novel (If you know of another, let me know in the comments, I’d love to read it).  There is a lot going on in this novel but it's definitely a worthy read for fans of the “what if” or those who are hooked on Amazon’s new streaming series based on the book.  Also available as an e-book.

If you're looking for something a little more out of the ordinary, Ian Tregillis's The Mechanical: The Alchemy Wars, Book 1 may be of interest.  The novel is set in a world where a Dutch clock maker has invented a mechanical man called a   "Clakker", in the 17^th century.  The Dutch then proceed to build an army of Clakkers, leading to their rise as the dominate global power. The book is set three centuries later as a Clakker by the name of Jax questions his existence, in turn changing the course of history.  Book two in the series, The Rising, is set to be released December of 2015. Also available as an e-book.

Noted author Philip Roth deserves a place on our list with his alternate history novel The Plot Against America.  The point of divergence in Roth's novel is 1940, when Charles Lindbergh defeats Franklin D. Roosevelt in the Presidential election.  Lindbergh acquiesces to Hitler's anti-Semitic policies in Germany and accepts his conquest of Europe.  Suffice it to say American history is significantly different.

If Steampunk is more your thing, give Paul Di Filippo's Steampunk Trilogy a try, available from NYPL as an e-book.  This book is a compilation of short stories that range from the occult to the hilarious.  Fans of Steampunk should enjoy these short novellas set in Victorian-era England.

Fatherland: a Novel, by Robert Harris is another alternate history entry into the “what if the Nazi’s won World War II" category (There are a lot of these).  Set in Berlin in 1964, the book is essentially a crime drama with a unique setting, though it still comes in as one of the better alternate history novels to date.  The novel was made into an HBO movie in 1994.

In a departure from the more prevalent alternate history themes, such as victorious Confederates or Nazis, Robert Silverberg’s Roma Eterna imagines a world in which the Roman Empire never fell. Set in the present day, the novel explores Roman expansion into the New World and Hebrew efforts to escape their Roman oppressors by fleeing into space.  Available as an e-book.

In The Suicide Exhibition, author Justin Richards takes the alternate history Nazi narrative and flips it on its head.  How exactly does he do that, you ask… by introducing aliens into the mix.  Yes, that's right, I said aliens.  Hitler's penchant for the occult leads to the discovery of an ancient alien power which the Nazis attempt to harness.  It's up to an intrepid trio of allies based in England to stop the Nazis and their new alien friends.  This is book one of what we can assume will be a series of novels.  Also available as an e-book.

In The Yiddish Policemen's Union, Israel collapses in 1948, leading to the formation of a safe-haven for Jews called the Federal District of Sitka.  In the sixty years since its founding, the Federal District of Sitka has flourished on the Alaskan panhandle. But now that is all set to end as Sitka will be returned to Alaskan control.  If that isn't enough, there's been a murder and homicide detective Meyer Landsman has to get to the bottom of it, even if that means going all the way to the top.  This is a good one. Available as an e-book.

Movies

Falling into the category of mockumentary, C.S.A.: the Confederate States of America, is a satirical look at a world in which the South wins the American Civil War.  Set in the present day, the film is portrayed as a British documentary about how and why the Confederacy exists.  An interesting, yet chilling look at how things might have been.

The political documentary, America: Imagine the World Without Her is an interesting take on the contemporary political landscape.  Producer Dinesh D'Souza does this by imagining a world in which the United States was never formed.  The film includes interviews as well as dramatized scenes.  Fans of documentaries with political commentary should give this one a try. Based on the book by the same title.

For those seeking a comical take on Nazi-themed alternate history, look no further than Iron Sky.  In this partially crowd-sourced comic-action film, a group of Nazis flee to the moon after their defeat in World War II, vowing to return.  In 2018, they do.  If you’re looking for a serious action/thriller movie, look somewhere else.

There are also a number of "Hollywood-produced" movies that certainly fall into the category of alternate history (and quite a few that don’t, but people think they do—see Back to the Future or anything else with a time machine).  Luckily NYPL has you covered with a great selection of films that will satisfy any alternate history fan.  Take a look at the list below and pick out a few of your favorites.

• Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow (2006)
• Watchmen (2009) (If you'd like to give the graphic novel a try first, we have that too.)
• Inglorious Basterds (2009)
• Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter (2012)
• Just about any superhero movie, because no matter how much we might want the X-Men or Captain America to be real, they're not… sorry.

I know I know, there many more books and movies that fit into the genre but I just can't fit them all onto this list.  Of course, I'm sure I've missed a few good ones as well.  If you know of one that I may have missed or want to debate what alternate history actually means (NO time machines), feel free to drop me a line in the comments section below.