The Sidewise Award for Alternate history was established in 1995 to recognize the best alternate history stories and novels of the year.
The award takes its name from the 1934 short story "Sidewise in Time" by Murray Leinster, in which a strange storm causes portions of Earth to swap places with their analogs from other timelines.
The award was created by Robert Schmunk, Evelyn Leeper, and Steven H Silver, all of whom are still judges. Over the years, the number of judges has increased to eight, including judges in the UK and South Africa.
Each year, two awards are presented at Worldcon. The Short Form award is presented to a work under 60,000 words in length. The Long Form award may be presented to a work longer than 60,000 words, including both novels or complete series. At their discretion, the Sidewise Award judges (a panel of eight) may elect to recognize an individual or work with a Special Achievement Award. The Special Achievement Awards recognize works that were published prior to the award's inception.
Harry Turtledove has been nominated several times and has won twice. In addition two stories which appeared in anthologies edited by Turtledove have been nominated for the award, one of which has won.
Harry Turtledove's Sidewise Nominations=
Long Form
- 2006 The Disunited States of America
- 2002 Ruled Britannia (winner)
- 1997 How Few Remain (winner)
- 1996 The Worldwar series
- 1995 The Two Georges
Short Form
- 1995 "Must and Shall"
Award Winners
Long Form
- 2005 Ian R. MacLeod, The Summer Isles
- 2004 Philip Roth, The Plot Against America
- 2003 Murray Davies, Collaborator
- 2002 (tie) Martin J. Gidron, The Severed Wing & Harry Turtledove, Ruled Britannia
- 2001 J.N. Stroyar, The Children's War
- 2000 Mary Gentle, Ash: A Secret History
- 1999 Brendan DuBois, Resurrection Day
- 1998 Stephen Fry, Making History
- 1997 Harry Turtledove, How Few Remain
- 1996 Stephen Baxter, Voyage
- 1995 Paul McAuley, Pasquale's Angel
Short Form:
- 2004 Warren Ellis, The Ministry of Space
- 2003 Chris Roberson, "O One"
- 2002 William Sanders, "Empire"
- 2001 Ken MacLeod, "The Human Front"
- 2000 Ted Chiang, "Seventy-two Letters"
- 1999 Alain Bergeron, "The Eighth Register" (translated by Howard Scott)
- 1998 Ian R. MacLeod, "The Summer Isles"
- 1997 William Sanders, "The Undiscovered"
- 1996 Walter Jon Williams, "Foreign Devils"
- 1995 Stephen Baxter, "Brigantia's Angels"
Special Achievement:
- 1999 Randall Garrett: The Lord Darcy Series
- 1997 Robert N. Sobel: For Want of a Nail
- 1995 L. Sprague de Camp, lifetime achievement