--- product_id: 12515258 title: "What Ifs? of American History: Eminent Historians Imagine What Might Have Been (What If Essays)" price: "VT8236" currency: VUV in_stock: true reviews_count: 7 url: https://www.desertcart.vu/products/12515258-what-ifs-of-american-history-eminent-historians-imagine-what-might store_origin: VU region: Vanuatu --- # What Ifs? of American History: Eminent Historians Imagine What Might Have Been (What If Essays) **Price:** VT8236 **Availability:** ✅ In Stock ## Quick Answers - **What is this?** What Ifs? of American History: Eminent Historians Imagine What Might Have Been (What If Essays) - **How much does it cost?** VT8236 with free shipping - **Is it available?** Yes, in stock and ready to ship - **Where can I buy it?** [www.desertcart.vu](https://www.desertcart.vu/products/12515258-what-ifs-of-american-history-eminent-historians-imagine-what-might) ## Best For - Customers looking for quality international products ## Why This Product - Free international shipping included - Worldwide delivery with tracking - 15-day hassle-free returns ## Description What Ifs? of American History: Eminent Historians Imagine What Might Have Been (What If Essays) [Cowley, Robert] on desertcart.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. What Ifs? of American History: Eminent Historians Imagine What Might Have Been (What If Essays) Review: Great book! - If your spouse likes history this is the perfect gift! My husband really enjoyed the book! Review: Imaginative Speculation On Roads Not Taken - The introduction to one of the selections in this book suggests that it can be thought of as an "American Baedeker of roads that could have been, or almost were, taken." That's as good a description of any of this third volume in the "What If?" series of historical speculations. Once more, editor Robert Cowley has assembled a panel of noted historians and novelists, who offer all sorts of intriguing possibilities--an America without a revolution; what might have happened if the plot to assassinate Lincoln had also succeeded in killing Vice President Johnson; what might have been the consequences if the US and Britain had actually gone to war over a South American boundary dispute in 1896; and what might have happened had John F. Kennedy not been murdered. The tone of the pieces varies from the tongue in cheek (speculation on what the true motives behind Senator Joseph McCarthy's anti-Communist crusade might have been) to the truly frightening (a picture of the world in 1972, ten years after the Cuban Missile Crisis leads to a widespread launch of nuclear weaponry). Playing "What If?" can be an interesting parlor game, but it can also help to illuminate the importance of real-life decisions. In the scenario of a world where both Lincoln and Johnson are killed, the resulting chaos triggers a decision by Robert E. Lee to endorse the wish of Jefferson Davis and many others in the Confederate military--not to lay down arms at that point, but to continue the fight as a guerrilla war, one that might have ended up costing countless more lives and prevented the nation's sectional breach from ever healing. With contributions from writers of the caliber of Caleb Carr, Robert Dallek, Tom Wicker and Jay Winick, the reader can be assured of an entertaining as well as a thought-provoking read. My one complaint is about the decision to include two pieces from the first book in the series, published in 1999. The jacket copy says these are pieces any American history collection would not be complete without. That strikes me as a rather thin excuse for the recycling. A big part of this book's audience will obviously be readers who have purchased the first two volumes, which are still easily available. If the publishers wanted to include some reprinted material, they could have easily mined the rich archives of the alternate history genre.--William C. Hall ## Technical Specifications | Specification | Value | |---------------|-------| | Best Sellers Rank | #321,429 in Books ( See Top 100 in Books ) #42 in Historical Essays (Books) #1,070 in History & Theory of Politics #2,545 in Writing, Research & Publishing | | Customer Reviews | 4.4 4.4 out of 5 stars (115) | | Dimensions | 5.98 x 0.83 x 9.02 inches | | ISBN-10 | 0425198189 | | ISBN-13 | 978-0425198186 | | Item Weight | 12.2 ounces | | Language | English | | Part of series | What If Essays | | Print length | 320 pages | | Publication date | September 7, 2004 | | Publisher | Penguin Publishing Group | ## Images ![What Ifs? of American History: Eminent Historians Imagine What Might Have Been (What If Essays) - Image 1](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/81atXE1xZvL.jpg) ## Customer Reviews ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Great book! *by M***E on July 24, 2025* If your spouse likes history this is the perfect gift! My husband really enjoyed the book! ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Imaginative Speculation On Roads Not Taken *by C***L on November 10, 2003* The introduction to one of the selections in this book suggests that it can be thought of as an "American Baedeker of roads that could have been, or almost were, taken." That's as good a description of any of this third volume in the "What If?" series of historical speculations. Once more, editor Robert Cowley has assembled a panel of noted historians and novelists, who offer all sorts of intriguing possibilities--an America without a revolution; what might have happened if the plot to assassinate Lincoln had also succeeded in killing Vice President Johnson; what might have been the consequences if the US and Britain had actually gone to war over a South American boundary dispute in 1896; and what might have happened had John F. Kennedy not been murdered. The tone of the pieces varies from the tongue in cheek (speculation on what the true motives behind Senator Joseph McCarthy's anti-Communist crusade might have been) to the truly frightening (a picture of the world in 1972, ten years after the Cuban Missile Crisis leads to a widespread launch of nuclear weaponry). Playing "What If?" can be an interesting parlor game, but it can also help to illuminate the importance of real-life decisions. In the scenario of a world where both Lincoln and Johnson are killed, the resulting chaos triggers a decision by Robert E. Lee to endorse the wish of Jefferson Davis and many others in the Confederate military--not to lay down arms at that point, but to continue the fight as a guerrilla war, one that might have ended up costing countless more lives and prevented the nation's sectional breach from ever healing. With contributions from writers of the caliber of Caleb Carr, Robert Dallek, Tom Wicker and Jay Winick, the reader can be assured of an entertaining as well as a thought-provoking read. My one complaint is about the decision to include two pieces from the first book in the series, published in 1999. The jacket copy says these are pieces any American history collection would not be complete without. That strikes me as a rather thin excuse for the recycling. A big part of this book's audience will obviously be readers who have purchased the first two volumes, which are still easily available. If the publishers wanted to include some reprinted material, they could have easily mined the rich archives of the alternate history genre.--William C. Hall ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Competence counts *by B***J on March 23, 2022* Unlike many alternate history publications, this book series contains essays written by trained historians creating fascinating narratives based on logic and facts. Every book in the series has been a great read. The experience was made even better by a seller who delivered the book promptly and at a good price. --- ## Why Shop on Desertcart? - 🛒 **Trusted by 1.3+ Million Shoppers** — Serving international shoppers since 2016 - 🌍 **Shop Globally** — Access 737+ million products across 21 categories - 💰 **No Hidden Fees** — All customs, duties, and taxes included in the price - 🔄 **15-Day Free Returns** — Hassle-free returns (30 days for PRO members) - 🔒 **Secure Payments** — Trusted payment options with buyer protection - ⭐ **TrustPilot Rated 4.5/5** — Based on 8,000+ happy customer reviews **Shop now:** [https://www.desertcart.vu/products/12515258-what-ifs-of-american-history-eminent-historians-imagine-what-might](https://www.desertcart.vu/products/12515258-what-ifs-of-american-history-eminent-historians-imagine-what-might) --- *Product available on Desertcart Vanuatu* *Store origin: VU* *Last updated: 2026-05-07*