ŏ Ŕ ō Ŝ Š ő ŞșșUchronia, or Alternative
History*
Ļe history that didn’t happen can be just as interesting as the history that
did.
Ļis article is a small example of its own topic. Except by chance, I
wouldn’t now be writing it. Not finding what I wanted while browsing in
our library’s magazine aisles, I came across mention of “uchronie” inLe
Nouvel Observateur. Ļe philosopher Charles Renouvier chose this word
as the title of his novel ofȀȇȄȆandȀȇȆȅ; he coined it from Greek roots
meaning “no-time.” He was following the pattern set by St. Ļomas More,
whoseUtopiaderives from roots meaning “no-place.” Utopia is a place that
does not exist; uchronia is a time that did not exist. Uchronian works—to
introduce the English adjective—are also called “what-if,” alternative, con-
jectural, or counterfactual history. Ļey consider what would have hap-
pened if something else had chanced to happen.
Such works fall into two categories. Ļe distinction is fuzzy but use-
ful. Writings of the first kind, unlike actual history or a standard historical
novel, are sheer fiction. Ļey are not speculations about real events; they
are stories that stand on their own. ĻeStar Warsmovies and Tolkien’s
tales are good examples. Another isIslandia, a novel by Austin Tappan
Wright, published posthumously inȀȈȃȁ. Wright describes events and
personalities in a country on a fictional continent in the southern hemi-
sphere before World WarI. Ļe people of Islandia, while highly civilized
and advanced in philosophy and psychology, prefer their old ways, reject-
ing railroads and most other modern technology and narrowly limiting
contact with the outside world. Ļe reader (this one, anyway) drifts with
the author into sympathy with the Islandian way of thinking.
*FromLibertyȁȂ(SeptemberȁǿǿȈ):ȂȀ–Ȃȃ. I thank the editor, Stephen Cox, for sug-
gestions and some of the wording.Ȃȇȇ