What Ifs? of American History: Eminent Historians Imagine what Might Have BeenAn all-American collection of essays on the pivotal moments in our nation's history by award-winning historians, the third in the bestselling series. The "what if" concept is one of the most original and engaging on the current history bookshelf. The essays are chock-full of provocative ideas; they are as accessible to the general reader as they are to the scholar; and they are the perfect gift for the dedicated history buff on anyone's list. In this new collection of never-before-published essays, our brightest historians speculate about some of America's more intriguing crossroads. Some irresistible highlights include: Caleb Carr ("The Alienist") on America had there been no Revolution; Tom Wicker on the first time a vice president, John Tyler, succeeded a deceased president and its surprising ramifications; Jay Winik (April 1865) on the havoc that might have resulted if Booth had succeeded in his plan to assassinate Johnson and Seward as well as Lincoln; Antony Beevor ("The Fall of Berlin 1945") on the possibility of Eisenhower's capture of Berlin before the Soviets' arrival there in 1945; and Robert Dallek (the upcoming "An Unfinished Life about John F. Kennedy") on one of the most agonizing American "what if"s of all: what might have happened if JFK hadn't been assassinated. |
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American Antony Beevor April attack battle began Ben-Hur Berlin Britain British Brooklyn cabinet CALEB CARR called campaign Cecelia Holland century Civil Cold War colonies colonists command Confederacy Congress counterfactual counterfactual history Cuba death defense Democrats Eisenhower Eisenhower's elected empire federal fighting force French George Grant guerrilla Harrison historian imperial Indiana Japanese John Tyler Kennedy Kentucky Khrushchev land later leaders Lee's less Lew Wallace Lincoln Lord major Mayflower McCarthy McClellan ment Mexico miles military million minister missiles months Moscow nation never Nixon NKVD North Northern nuclear peace Pitt Pitt's political presidential Puritans railroad rebel Republican retreat Revolution River Robert secretary seemed Senate Shiloh Shunpike slaves soldiers Sons of Liberty South Southern Soviet Union Stalin Texas thousand tion troops Union Army United vice president victory Vietnam Virginia Wallace's Washington Watergate Whig White House William wrote York