Impossible Histories: The Soviet Republic of Alaska, the United States of Hudsonia, President Charlemagne, and Other Pivotal Moments of History That Never Happened

by Hal Johnson

What does women’s suffrage have to do with the telephone? How could elephants have brought a thousand years of peace to the Middle East? Which Roman emperor might have saved the life of Louis XVI? Could Sophocles’s least popular play have rescued the twentieth century? How might Freemasons control the Capitol, just like my dentist keeps telling me they do?

Across 1400 years and six continents (sorry, Australia), Impossible Histories examines pivotal moments in history from both sides—what happened and what would have happened had things gone differently. The results are by turns strange, hilarious, tragic…and always fascinating.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Alternate History, Adult

416 pages, Hardcover

First published February 1, 2023

About the author

I don't think Hal Johnson is a very unusual sort of a guy. He's just — well, the average American citizen and family man, the kind that are the backbone of the nation. I admire him and like him. I like his attitude. Until, that is, he gets behind the wheel of an automobile. At that point he changes. He changes from a careful, considerate citizen — to a menace.

–"Driven to Kill," 1948 driver's safety film.

Reviews

[Hal Johnson]

My rating of my books so far, from best to worst:

1. Impossible Histories
2. Immortal Lycanthropes
3. Apprentice Academy: Sorcerers
4. Fearsome Creatures of the Lumberwoods
5. The Big Book of Monsters

I hope you'll rate Impossible Histories #1 as well, my friends and readers. The clunky subtitle is not my fault!

[mwr · Rating 5 out of 5]

If there’s a more delightful book of lies not written by a madman, I’ve not read it.

[Ron · Rating 4 out of 5]

Alternate histories (AH) are interesting. The premise of all AH is that something or some moment happened differently than we know happened. From that premise has grown a whole genre of SFF tales postulating what would have happened if Caesar had not been assassinated or if Columbus had not gotten his ships or if the black plague had not wiped out Europe. Related to that genre is scholars and historians speculating what might have happened if such and such even was changed based on the choices available at that time. In Impossible Histories, Hal Johnson takes the reader on a series of What Ifs through a number of eras in history.

Hal Johnson opens with a philosophical prelude (What does it mean for something not to have happened?) and follows that with 20 What Ifs and ends with s philosophical postlude (How do you make things that did not happen happen?). In each of those 20 What Ifs, Johnson lays out what actually happened and they brings out the change and how that change would have reshaped the world. For example #2 Vikings in North America: What if Leif Erikson had Tarried in Vinland - Johnson discusses why Erikson ends up in Greenland and then Vinland and provides a brief history of what happened in our world. Then he postulates what the outcome would be if the Vikings had stayed longer, brought horses and their diseases with them? Would the Spanish faced armored horseman when they came later? The What Ifs Johnson looks into cover war (World War I, World War II, World War III, Vietnam War), ancient history (Socrates dies, Julian the Apostate, 1st and 3rd Crusade, Rome and the dangers of bathing!, and Ethiopia vs Yemen), individuals (William Morgan and Freemasonry; Sigmund Freud reading Sophocles; Vice President Henry Wallace; Samuel Taylor Coleridge in America; Harriet Beecher Stowe vs Aaron Burr; and Seward assassinated), and odds & ends (British Navy and fresh fruit).

Hal Johnson provides very readable Wat If scenarios that the reader can easily follow with sources that back up his historical renderings. Some of the What Ifs are more plausible than others, but all make for interesting reading.

Thanks Netgalley for the opportunity to read this volume!

[Rachael Fryman · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was so interesting! It took me forever to read through it because it is very dense with historical information and context, but that's also what made it so good! I LOVE the idea behind this book - revisiting a historical event, then imagining the long-term effects if one little change was made! I learned SO MUCH history both from looking at the original event and alternative event, and it gave me such an interesting perspective of how all the things we know are so dependent on specific happening throughout history. If you are up for some serious history, I highly recommend!

[Kennedy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was so great! I learned a lot and it was very funny.

[Olga · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very entertaining. I laughed out loud occasionally. I also learned all sorts of things, from what really happened on the crusades to the essence of romanticism and to whether a nuclear war would really kill all humankind. This book is good from start to finish; some chapters are about less important impossible histories, but all are thoroughly fun. Hard to find non fiction books that don’t have at least some boring parts.

One ‘suggestion for improvement’ - maybe more maps? I got confused sometimes trying to remember which side is east and which west. Also, I think that the chapters would have been better arranged chronologically. But these are minor quibbles. Highly recommended.

[Elizabeth · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's definitely a very fascinating book! I love alternative histories and thought the author did a phenomenal job of balancing the history/historical context with the alternative history. You might think some of these claims seem incredibly far-fetched, but the more you read, the more you understand his arguments.

Some of the chapters felt a bit more far-fetched and less rooted in reality. I also felt like some chapters had less information/felt a bit more rushed versus other chapters. I loved the ones like the Vietnam War or Alexander the Great chapters, but others like the Aaron Burr and Crusade chapters felt a bit more rushed. Overall, I enjoyed this book and will reread it again, but it is not my favorite piece of historical nonfiction, and it fell a bit flat near the end for me (hence the 3 stars). Nothing awful about this book and very informative, but not as memorable as I might have hoped.

[MookNana · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely fascinating reading! A true ode to the butterfly effect, the author considers several different "what if?" points in history and carries the thought experiment forward to imagine all the various ways the world could have changed if Erikson had just stuck it out a bit longer or if Roman emperors had been a little more careful about cooking their huevos in their beloved bathhouses and sired a few more heirs. These unlikely pivot points in world history are explored in satisfying depth, but the book remains incredibly readable. I had a great time devouring this and felt smarter at the end--what more can one ask???

Many thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review!

[Andrea W · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting look at events that could have gone a different way and the outcomes that may have followed. I enjoyed looking at history through a different lense.

[Evan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really interesting and varied theoretical history scenarios. Very well researched and lots of interesting historical facts. I’d recommend reading a chapter or two in between books rather than all at once. It can get difficult to keep track of the historical names and events divided by each chapter

[Sarah M. Shakour · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ah! This book was truly enjoyable. While reading it, I would sometimes laugh aloud and/or share random tidbits to the people around me.

[Scott Martin · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun counterfactual work that looks at how if one thing changes, so much is dramatically altered. It can range from the complete change in the course of World Civilization to the changing of the biggest Broadway hit of 2015 (Burr vs. Hamilton). The strength of the work is the detailed analysis setting up the counterfactual. It is readable and engaging for even the non-history buff to enjoy. Sometimes it is hard to exactly know what would happen if x is changed, or if y happened vs. z, but it can be fun and offer insight into understanding events and impacts. Worth the read regardless of format.

[Andrew · Rating 4 out of 5]

An eclectic discussion of various events - learned a little about a lot - with a surprisingly philosophical framing (author is somewhat of a hard determinist meaning in this case the histories that didn't happen are "impossible" rather than "alternate." They could not have happened because they didn't happen.)

[Ralphz · Rating 4 out of 5]

I like alt-history, or counterfactuals, which tell what would have happened in history if something had gone differently. Some are pretty standard - what if the Confederacy won the Civil War, or if Hitler won WWII.

This book takes a few different scenarios and takes them to the extreme - if Leif Erickson had held out at Vinland, Europeans would never have been able to "conquer" North America. If Henry Wallace had become vice president instead of Harry Truman, many more millions would have died at the end of WWII.

Some of the scenarios make sense to me, and some seem like a fever dream. All, though, are interesting to read, and show the frailty of history.

[Anna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dense, erudite, and funny, the Hal Johnson special.

[K · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some of these were more interesting than others but otherwise a fun casual read

[George Kasnic · Rating 5 out of 5]

I picked up this book through our state intralibrary loan system. I expected a book of short stories about alternate histories, a light harmless diversion. Although this book presents itself as that, it is not that, not at all.

Imagine sitting with someone who has the same passion for history as you, with a far-ranging generalist knowledge of world history sufficiently detailed to understand the interrelationships therein. Then imagine having an unfettered conversation with them over the course of a week. That is what this book is. Written in a conversational vernacular, it is not really alternate history, and it is not really history, what it is is a searing indictment of history, especially western civilization. It is a daunting look in the mirror at the sins and foilables of such.

Each chapter kicks off with a one sentence premise, and then background history. Written both seriously, and tongue-in-cheek with asides (reminds me of the old USA Network show "Psych."). The chapters may also refer fleetingly (word/phrase) to previous chapters. Then we depart from history and discuss the changes wrought from the change, then we have the long term outcome (which a couple of times is no change at all).

The meat of the book is in the middle of this algorithm. Using the change to discuss wide-ranging areas from economics, political science, evolution, botany, religion, colonialism, the author brilliantly dissects what leads to today's status quo and doesn't forget over whom we climbed to get here.

If you have a thin skin, or believe in "exceptionalism" of any kind, this is not the book for you. If you question and reflect honestly upon the world, this is a can't miss.

[Paul Tenorio · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun book that teaches some popular histories and several more obscure stories.

"Impossible Histories" by Hal Johnson is an alternative history book published in 2023 that explores twenty pivotal moments in history and imagines how events could have unfolded differently.

Book Structure and Content
The book examines various "what if" scenarios across 1,400 years and six continents, analyzing historical turning points from multiple perspectives.
Some intriguing scenarios explored include:
- The possibility of a Soviet-controlled Alaska
- An alternate United States of Hudsonia
- A timeline where Charlemagne became president
- How women's suffrage could have been connected to the telephone
- A scenario where elephants might have brought peace to the Middle East

Style and Approach
The book is written in an engaging and humorous style while maintaining thoughtful historical analysis. Johnson takes each pivotal moment and:
- Examines the actual historical event
- Presents alternative outcomes
- Explores the potential consequences and ripple effects of these changes

[Googoogjoob · Rating 3 out of 5]

The tone is consistently flippant and conversational. The topics covered are generally "butterfly effect" type moments- slightly different things that could have happened, which could have produced dramatically different results. Some of these are basically plausible (eg: if the Norse had kept up their attempts at settling North America, the Native Americans would've had horses and some disease immunity by the time Columbus came around, leading to much less extensive European colonization of the Americas), some are basically silly (eg: if Freud hadn't written on the Oedipus complex, the 20th century would not have seen the rise of a distinct youth culture and the "generation gap"). The focus is less on the specifics of the altered world, and more on tracing the line of cause and effect, however believable or torturous that line might be- this is a set of stimulating thought experiments, rather than an exercise in alt-history worldbuilding.

Decent light reading.

[Stacey · Rating 3 out of 5]

Impossible Histories is a 'what would happen if' certain events throughout history happened or never happened and the potential ramifications of these events on the future. Events such as the US purchase of Alaska, if Hitler was sane for a day, or if Christianity hadn't stuck in most of Europe. Hal Johnson has a casual way of writing that makes this an easy to read book, but there is still a wealth of information both about the actual events and the alternate events. I really enjoyed this title and Johnson's writing style.

[Roger · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting book, but I thought the author was sometimes showing off how much he knows about everything historic. The best part for me was the modern "What ifs" and my favorite was what would have happened if we had pulled out of Vietnam before it really got started. Would the counter culture have arisen? Would all those great protest songs gone unwritten. But I didn't really get why it was so important about who inherited Alexander the Great's empire. Otherwise an interesting book.

[Siobhan Ward · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a fun read but I think I might be done with pop history books for now. Some of Johnson's imagined scenarios were cool (the Aaron Burr one was particularly funny, and others were interesting takes on things), but it felt very surface-level. The ideas of "what if x actually happened instead of y" can be fun but in this day and age I feel like wild alternative history is happening all the time and nothing you can come up with is as crazy as what's actually happened in the past decade.

[Erin · Rating 3 out of 5]

This does take awhile to get into, especially if you're not familiar with the original event to fully appreciate the change, but I definitely learned a lot and it really does make you think about how weird history is and how weird it could be--and would it be weird at all?