Book Review-The Zombie Survival Guide (2003) by Max Brooks

I have a bit of infatuation with Zombies. My first experience with the genre was on a visit to New York City when I visited The Strand Bookstore located at 12th and Broadway. As I was hunting through the stacks there, I discovered the book World War Z, by Max Brooks. I thought the book was very well written as a fictional account of the World as it would be after the Zombie Apocalypse. In fact, my brother Mike, Professor of English at Indiana University of Pennsylvania assigns the book to study in one of the courses he teaches.

The Zombie Survival Guide, written by Max Brooks, was published in 2003. Max is the son of filmmaker Mel Brooks. This book is written as a serious, tongue-in-cheek, guide to how individuals can survive a Zombie attack. The style of this book is very matter-of-fact, with sections describing the undead, weapons and combat, attack and defensive strategies, and a list of historical recorded attacks. (Mr. Brooks has since written a graphic novel with more details on the recorded attacks aptly named The Zombie Survival Guide: Recorded Attacks.)

As I was reading this book I became immersed in the thought that I had to prepare for the potential of attacks by the undead. That's where Max Brooks has succeeded as a writer. The notion that there is a virus that exists that can cause a dead person to reanimate is preposterous, but as I read the book, I felt as if it could really happen, especially when I read the accounts documented in the section "Recorded Attacks", including the cover-ups of the more recent attacks Mr. Brooks writes about. The book also comes across as very well researched, another consequence of the writing style Mr. Brooks uses.

If you are a fan of all things Zombie, read The Zombie Survival Guide. Even if you are not, it is a short and entertaining read.

http://maxbrooks.com/

The Zombie Survival Guide: Complete Protection From the Living Dead by Max Brooks
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

After reading this I feel very comfortable that I could survive a Zombie infestation. Reviewed on my blog January 15th, 2011. http://jiresell.blogspot.com/2011/01/boo...

View all my reviews