Alternate Presidents

Rating:
Summary: Engrossing and unusual
Review: "Alternate Presidents" is part of Mike Resnick's series of alternate history anthologies, which also includes "Alternate Warriors" and "Alternate Kennedies." On the whole, this anthology has less of a tendency to lapse from "true" alternate history into sheer fantasy than some of the other volumes. It does do this on occasion -- e.g., Robert Sheckley's hilarious vignette about President Dukakis being taken by a mysterious secret service agent to meet our true, behind-the-scenes alien overlords in a bunker in New Mexico, or Laura Resnick's story in which a woman was elected president in 1872 (a comparably unlikely scenario, in my humble opinion). However, by and large, these stories are genuine alternate history, which make you think about the forces at work in peoples' minds and hearts at various eras in our past, and how these forces could have played out if certain changes had occurred.

A couple of my favorite tales include Lawrence Watt-Evans' "Truth, Justice, and the American Way," about a horrifyingly right-wing world in which FDR never took the helm of America; "Fellow Americans" by Eileen Gunn, in which Goldwater won in 1964, and ended up using "small-scale" tactical nuclear weapons in Vietnam, and in which, for comic relief, Nixon mellowed out in the 60s to the point where he morphed into a hot-tubbing, LSD-experimenting, wildly successful comedic game show host in the 90s.

I think this volume is a really great idea. Most of the stories in it do have the effect of compelling the reader to hit the books, and learn more about the background of each tale. You just want to feel like you really "get" the context of each story. If you are a history teacher, or know one, I'd like to suggest this volume as a fantastic teaching tool! It makes history entertaining, by forcing the reader to really think about the cause and effect of events, and to try to extrapolate (that magic word behind all good science fiction -- extrapolate) plausible outcomes of certain scenarios. For example, I remember hearing about a survey that indicated that something like 15% or 20% of graduating American high school seniors were not sure who won the Civil War, or even who the combatants were. If those kids were exposed to fantastic tales like these, I guarantee that this would not be the case... Even if you just made a handout out of one or two of these stories, the students would really benefit from the discussions you could have.

So much of science fiction, or "speculative fiction," as this should perhaps be called, takes place in the future. This volume, and the whole sub-genre of alternate history, shows that it can be perhaps even more educational, and at least as interesting, (albeit without the additional value of getting readers to think about things that really might happen someday) to set this kind of tale in the past. My only reason for not giving this book 5 stars is that some of the stories, as I mentioned, are a little too much like fantasy, and not realistic enough. Most of these stories are great, however. Worth finding a copy.

Rating:
Summary: Engrossing and unusual
Review: "Alternate Presidents" is part of Mike Resnick's series of alternate history anthologies, which also includes "Alternate Warriors" and "Alternate Kennedies." On the whole, this anthology has less of a tendency to lapse from "true" alternate history into sheer fantasy than some of the other volumes. It does do this on occasion -- e.g., Robert Sheckley's hilarious vignette about President Dukakis being taken by a mysterious secret service agent to meet our true, behind-the-scenes alien overlords in a bunker in New Mexico, or Laura Resnick's story in which a woman was elected president in 1872 (a comparably unlikely scenario, in my humble opinion). However, by and large, these stories are genuine alternate history, which make you think about the forces at work in peoples' minds and hearts at various eras in our past, and how these forces could have played out if certain changes had occurred.

A couple of my favorite tales include Lawrence Watt-Evans' "Truth, Justice, and the American Way," about a horrifyingly right-wing world in which FDR never took the helm of America; "Fellow Americans" by Eileen Gunn, in which Goldwater won in 1964, and ended up using "small-scale" tactical nuclear weapons in Vietnam, and in which, for comic relief, Nixon mellowed out in the 60s to the point where he morphed into a hot-tubbing, LSD-experimenting, wildly successful comedic game show host in the 90s.

I think this volume is a really great idea. Most of the stories in it do have the effect of compelling the reader to hit the books, and learn more about the background of each tale. You just want to feel like you really "get" the context of each story. If you are a history teacher, or know one, I'd like to suggest this volume as a fantastic teaching tool! It makes history entertaining, by forcing the reader to really think about the cause and effect of events, and to try to extrapolate (that magic word behind all good science fiction -- extrapolate) plausible outcomes of certain scenarios. For example, I remember hearing about a survey that indicated that something like 15% or 20% of graduating American high school seniors were not sure who won the Civil War, or even who the combatants were. If those kids were exposed to fantastic tales like these, I guarantee that this would not be the case... Even if you just made a handout out of one or two of these stories, the students would really benefit from the discussions you could have.

So much of science fiction, or "speculative fiction," as this should perhaps be called, takes place in the future. This volume, and the whole sub-genre of alternate history, shows that it can be perhaps even more educational, and at least as interesting, (albeit without the additional value of getting readers to think about things that really might happen someday) to set this kind of tale in the past. My only reason for not giving this book 5 stars is that some of the stories, as I mentioned, are a little too much like fantasy, and not realistic enough. Most of these stories are great, however. Worth finding a copy.

Rating:
Summary: Engrossing and unusual
Review: "Alternate Presidents" is part of Mike Resnick's series of alternate history anthologies, which also includes "Alternate Warriors" and "Alternate Kennedies." On the whole, this anthology has less of a tendency to lapse from "true" alternate history into sheer fantasy than some of the other volumes. It does do this on occasion -- e.g., Robert Sheckley's hilarious vignette about President Dukakis being taken by a mysterious secret service agent to meet our true, behind-the-scenes alien overlords in a bunker in New Mexico, or Laura Resnick's story in which a woman was elected president in 1872 (a comparably unlikely scenario, in my humble opinion). However, by and large, these stories are genuine alternate history, which make you think about the forces at work in peoples' minds and hearts at various eras in our past, and how these forces could have played out if certain changes had occurred.

A couple of my favorite tales include Lawrence Watt-Evans' "Truth, Justice, and the American Way," about a horrifyingly right-wing world in which FDR never took the helm of America; "Fellow Americans" by Eileen Gunn, in which Goldwater won in 1964, and ended up using "small-scale" tactical nuclear weapons in Vietnam, and in which, for comic relief, Nixon mellowed out in the 60s to the point where he morphed into a hot-tubbing, LSD-experimenting, wildly successful comedic game show host in the 90s.

I think this volume is a really great idea. Most of the stories in it do have the effect of compelling the reader to hit the books, and learn more about the background of each tale. You just want to feel like you really "get" the context of each story. If you are a history teacher, or know one, I'd like to suggest this volume as a fantastic teaching tool! It makes history entertaining, by forcing the reader to really think about the cause and effect of events, and to try to extrapolate (that magic word behind all good science fiction -- extrapolate) plausible outcomes of certain scenarios. For example, I remember hearing about a survey that indicated that something like 15% or 20% of graduating American high school seniors were not sure who won the Civil War, or even who the combatants were. If those kids were exposed to fantastic tales like these, I guarantee that this would not be the case... Even if you just made a handout out of one or two of these stories, the students would really benefit from the discussions you could have.

So much of science fiction, or "speculative fiction," as this should perhaps be called, takes place in the future. This volume, and the whole sub-genre of alternate history, shows that it can be perhaps even more educational, and at least as interesting, (albeit without the additional value of getting readers to think about things that really might happen someday) to set this kind of tale in the past. My only reason for not giving this book 5 stars is that some of the stories, as I mentioned, are a little too much like fantasy, and not realistic enough. Most of these stories are great, however. Worth finding a copy.

Rating:
Summary: The One AH You Must Read
Review: I discovered this book by accident just after the 1992 election, and I have been hooked on the alternate history genre ever since. It is obviously a book for those who know American history and politics, but any political junkie will love it. The breadth of the book is astounding, even replacing such forgettable figures as Millard Fillmore and James Garfield to great effect. Some of the stories are fantastical -- protest candidates like Belva Ann Lockwood and Victoria Woodhull winning the White House pre-suffrage, and the bizarre world post-President Goldwater -- but most stay true to possibilities, like an unslain Huey Long winning the presidency in Depression-scarred 1936, or Mayor Daley casting his lot with Nixon over JFK in 1960. If you can find it, buy it.

Rating:
Summary: Humorous and serious looks at some improbable Presidents
Review: I enjoy alternative histories but only those that make sense. For example, Harry Turtledove's novels leave me cold since they have such enormous world-shattering events yet the same leaders seem to emerge despite radically different circumstances.

The essays here vary in quality and seem to pretty much split along funny / serious lines. The best two for laughs were the ones on President Franklin and the final one on Dukakis. On a serious note, the Presidency of Dewey and the decision he was forced to make and the one on President "Burr" are affecting. From a sheer political perspective, "Kingfish" is hard to beat.

Most disappointing - and most improbable from a historical viewpoint - were the ones where the winning candidate had no chance in reality - women presidents, Goldwater, McGovern, Mondale, FDR's opponents, Stevenson,third parties, etc... The last few essays are pointedly left of center, concentrating on the awfulnees of Republican administrations and the glory of presumed Democratic ones. Still, these were written 14 years ago - before the fall of Marxism, 9-11 and other modern events.

I would like to see a similar book with fewer but lengthier stories. All in all - a good read.

Rating:
Summary: Humorous and serious looks at some improbable Presidents
Review: I enjoy alternative histories but only those that make sense. For example, Harry Turtledove's novels leave me cold since they have such enormous world-shattering events yet the same leaders seem to emerge despite radically different circumstances.

The essays here vary in quality and seem to pretty much split along funny / serious lines. The best two for laughs were the ones on President Franklin and the final one on Dukakis. On a serious note, the Presidency of Dewey and the decision he was forced to make and the one on President "Burr" are affecting. From a sheer political perspective, "Kingfish" is hard to beat.

Most disappointing - and most improbable from a historical viewpoint - were the ones where the winning candidate had no chance in reality - women presidents, Goldwater, McGovern, Mondale, FDR's opponents, Stevenson,third parties, etc... The last few essays are pointedly left of center, concentrating on the awfulnees of Republican administrations and the glory of presumed Democratic ones. Still, these were written 14 years ago - before the fall of Marxism, 9-11 and other modern events.

I would like to see a similar book with fewer but lengthier stories. All in all - a good read.

Rating:
Summary: Does not fulfill promising concept.
Review: This is definitely a 'what if' book. Unfortunately, it is 'what if there were any interesting stories in here'? Some merely have a basic PREMISE, establish it in a few unmemorable pages, and then end the story. Nothing very good here.

Rating:
Summary: Does not fulfill promising concept.
Review: This is definitely a 'what if' book. Unfortunately, it is 'what if there were any interesting stories in here'? Some merely have a basic PREMISE, establish it in a few unmemorable pages, and then end the story. Nothing very good here.