If you get a group of sports fans together, eventually you start talking about all the “what ifs” of a game. What if that last minute shot had gone in? What if a key player wasn’t injured? What if the first baseman makes the catch?

Now imagine taking that same “what if” mindset and applying it to American politics in the late 20th Century. What if Kennedy was assassinated before taking office? What if Bobby Kennedy isn’t assassinated? What if Gerald Ford handled a debate question differently and beat Jimmy Carter? What if Ronald Reagan didn’t win?

Jeff Greenfield has written Then Everything Changed to look at questions like that. At first I was dismissive of the idea — it’s just conjecture and there is no way to prove any of the narratives that Greenfield pursues. But as I read the book I was hooked. Not for the historical value — although there is plenty of that in this book. But because it’s just plain fun!

This might not rise to the top of your reading list, but if you have the time and interest, it’s a fun read.