Imagine That - Film

by Michael Sells

Published 8 August 2013

The most intriguing stories from the history of cinema are the tales of what might have been, those seemingly insignificant incidents that would have had the largest unforeseen effects.

Imagine That.
The farmers of southern California revolt against plans for an aqueduct . and Chicago becomes the new home of American cinema

Casablanca's writing committee takes total control . and the film's greatest moments are whitewashed from history

Disney decides against collaborating with Hitler's former engineer . and the USA never wins the 'Space Race'

Engaging, contentious and compulsively readable, each book in this new series takes the reader on a historical flight of fancy, imagining the consequences if history had gone just that little bit differently.


Imagine That - Literature

by Michael Sells

Published 3 April 2014
How would society and communication have altered if the Gutenberg press had never been invented? Did George Eliot and the Bronte sisters do more harm than good for female writers? Are translators to blame for almost every war in modern history?

Literature has not simply been the favoured method of logging history; it has also been one of the greatest instigators and as such the world we live in could be wholly different without some of literature's best-known names.

Imagine That - Travel

by Michael Sells

Published 5 June 2014
Would a developing nation have emerged as an economic powerhouse if Teddy Roosevelt hadn't reignited the Panama Canal project? How close did the railroads come to eliminating the Bison and what would it have meant for trade? Could a successful maiden voyage for the Titanic have cost more lives than its failure?

The development of transport and travel has leapt forward more in the last two centuries than it had in the millennia before it. We went from horse and cart to Concorde and high-speed 'bullet' trains in the blink of an eye. The side-effects of a more efficient, globalised and at times dangerous transport network have been varied and numerous, creating a vastly different society.

Imagine That - Animals

by Michael Sells

Published 5 June 2014
Could greater publicity for Dolly the Sheep's unheralded predecessors, Molly and Morag, have kick-started an era of dangerous cloning? How might a differing itinerary for Darwin's travels have altered, halted or even further advanced our understanding of the animal kingdom? And were two monkeys really the difference between peace and the deaths of 250,000 Greeks?




In most cases we live harmoniously alongside the other members of the animals kingdom in relative harmony, or else we've adapted methods of protecting ourselves from their threat. However, on those occasions when man and beast have come into direct contact they have managed to impact upon and inform our world more than many of history's greatest individuals and inventions.

Imagine That - Fashion

by Michael Sells

Published 7 August 2014
Would centuries of judicial rulings have reached different conclusions if wigs and robes had never been introduced to the courtroom? Could a different office dress code have removed the 'glass-ceiling' in business? Did the fashion industry fuel the football violence epidemic of the 1980's?

Fashion is far more than mere decoration. It has sparked fierce feuds between fans of both music and sport. It has also cemented the power of some the world's most commanding organisations. Uniform and fashion trends have carried untold power throughout modern history, altering much more than just the way we look.

Imagine That - Football

by Michael Sells

Published 8 August 2013
International football's most intriguing stories are the tales of what might have been, those seemingly insignificant incidents that would have had the largest unforeseen effects.

Imagine That...

Messi is unable to afford growth hormone treatment ... and Spanish football loses its charitable nature

Technology helps prevent decades of human error in football ... and West Germany claims victory at Wembley in 1966

Substitutions are never introduced to football ... and the game is rid of greed and disloyalty

Engaging, contentious and compulsively readable, each book in this new series takes the reader on a historical flight of fancy, imagining the consequences if history had gone just that little bit differently.

Imagine That - Music

by Michael Sells

Published 8 August 2013
Popular music's most intriguing stories are the tales of what might have been, those seemingly insignificant incidents that would have had the largest unforeseen effects.

Imagine That...
Elvis is drafted into the army before his first studio session ... and quietly lives out his days as a support act

The curse of the `27 Club' is broken ... and rock music rehabilitates its fallen stars

MTV flops as music fans side with the radio star ... and hip-hop never reaches the mainstream

Engaging, contentious and compulsively readable, each book in this new series takes the reader on a historical flight of fancy, imagining the consequences if history had gone just that little bit differently.

Imagine That - Technology

by Michael Sells

Published 8 August 2013
Technology's most intriguing stories are the tales of what might have been, those seemingly insignificant incidents that would have had the largest unforeseen effects.

Imagine That...

Alexander Fleming cleans up his dishes ... and penicillin is washed down the drain

Steve Jobs skips the company visit to Xerox PAR C ... and computers never crack the commercial market

Nikola Tesla receives philanthropic support ... and the 20th century is illuminated by space age energy and technology


Engaging, contentious and compulsively readable, each book in this new series takes the reader on a historical flight of fancy, imagining the consequences if history had gone just that little bit differently.