What If? The world's foremost military historians imagine what might have been

Kliatt, Sept, 2003 by John E. Boyd

Essays by Stephen E. Ambrose, John Keegan, David McCullough, James M. McPherson, et al. Robert Cowley, ed. 2001. Read by Murphy Guyer, John Cunningham, Laura Esterly, Janet Zarish. 13 cds. Time not listed. Simon & Schuster Audio. 0-7435-1860-8. $49.99. Cardboard, plastic; content notes. SA More than 20 noted historians examine events that could be termed "turning points" in history. The first essay is subtitled "Reshaping the 20th Century": e.g., "What if the United States hadn't entered World War I?" to "What if the Cold War had turned hot?" The second essay, "Watersheds, Revolutions, and Rebellions," looks at critical events from the destruction of the Spanish Armada to the American Civil War. Historians theorize on such questions as "How could the Americans have lost the Revolution?" and "What if the South had won the Civil War?" The third, "Ancient Wars That Shaped Our World," poses many interesting queries including "How would western civilization be different if the Greeks had lost at Salamis in 480 BC?" and "How might the history of Mexico been changed if Cortez had been killed early on?"

The unvoiced presentations are capably handled by a skilled group of readers who approach the task in a serious, professional manner. They read with an "academic enthusiasm" that should stimulate the listener's interest. This audiobook could be a building block to develop higher level thinking skills and future reading, writing, and speaking assignments. Prof. John E. Boyd, Jenkintown, PA