The Ifs of History

by Joseph Edgar Chamberlin

Whether or not we believe that events are consciously ordered before their occurrence, we are compelled to admit the importance of Contingency in human affairs. If we believe in such an orderly and predetermined arrangement, the small circumstance upon which a great event may hinge becomes, in our view, but the instrumentality by means of which the great plan is operated. It by no means sets aside the vital influence of chance to assume that "all chance is but direction which we cannot see."

Genres: Alternate History

74 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1907

Reviews

[Peter]

One of my reading quirks is that I really enjoy alternate histories, alternative histories, or "counterfactuals". Although the scenarios published herein are fictional this is by no means a book of short stories. It is a compilation of several different "what if" scenarios.

I'm sure that if I looked a little more assiduously I'd find a few such works written before 1907. Clearly Chamberlin, an "American journalist, columnist, essayist, and editor whose work appeared in newspapers in Chicago, Boston, and New York, as well as in national magazines and journals, beginning in 1871 and continuing until his death in 1935" was well-educated - at least as far as European and American history was concerned. And, for the reader, that is an excellent thing.

A quick couple of thoughts:
Thank g-d for the total - and obvious - absence of Hitler wins scenarios. I cannot say the same for alternate US civil war scenarios but here at least, the Jonbar points, or points of divergence are e modest yet potentially far-reaching in consequence. Better yet, as far as I know, no one _else_ has used these inflection points.

Truly a fun little book!

[Muhammad Imran Khan]

It's a good way of presenting certain contingencies which shaped the world as it is now. And in the process educating about the historical events of prime importance.

[Anton Hansen]

Et sjovt tanke eksperiment, men nogle få gange, er man ikke i tvivl om forfatterens egne holdninger.

[Jirapat Kerddamrongsil]

this novel is one of few public domain alternate history novel that leading to my reimagined & sequel have been written name Ifs of History:Expanded Universe

[David R.]

This 1907 classic discusses a number of moments in history where, typically, a change in one person's behavior might have substantially altered events. The essays are brief and highly hypothetical. Some counterfactuals are quite a stretch.