World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War

[raccoon]

By Max Brooks.

I just finished reading this a few weeks ago. (Then I went on vacation, which is why I ‘m just now writing this.) This book kicks butt. It deals with a worldwide outbreak of zombieism. An unnamed narrator interviews people from all parts of the globe regarding the outbreak.

I don’t usually read things of this type, and I’d have never heard of this book ordinarily. A co-worker who is very into pop culture told me about it, and I got it at my local library and it was hard to put down.

One of the interviews that really grabbed me was that of a woman whose helicopter went down in the Louisiana bayous and she had to make her way through zombie-infested bayous to safety. This episode could have made a great short story in its own right.

I recommend this book as a good light, entertaining, and yet thought-provoking read.

[iconoclastic cat]

1. Spoil it for me:

What causes the outbreak? Is it cheesy? Also, are there nods to the many great zombie films?

[fudge stripe cookays]

3. According to his other book...

The Zombie Survival Guide, it's a bacteria called "Solanum" that he made up. :D

[baldguy]

4. Reagan

[raccoon]

9. How fitting! I love it. nt

[raccoon]

8. Looks like another poster answered the first question..

the second--not sure what cheesy means.

The third, I haven't seen many great zombie films, but I'd say so. There are references to zombies living underwater, which were featured in the film SHOCK WAVES ( a grade B movie but totally creeped me out). I've been told another zombie movie had underwater zombies in it too.

[iconoclastic cat]

10. cheesy=uninspired, lame, etc. But this book sounds pretty good!

I'll have to check it out. I dig zombies.

By the way, do the zombies talk?

[raccoon]

12. No. They emitted noises, but didn't talk. nt

[raccoon]

17. I didn't think it was cheesy. nt

[dave_p]

2. Are we sure

... it's fiction?

[fudge stripe cookays]

5. Me too.

I read the Zombie Survival Guide a few months ago, and they're both good for different reasons. He covers ALL the bases too!

Imagine any possible effects of the outbreak, and he tries to address them-- Patient X descriptions, infrastructure failure, guys fighting zombies in the Paris subways, the advanced dog brigades that got sent out to look for ghouls, the underwater mop-up squads, the jingoist operation creating statues of "The Heroes" after the fact, and the immortalizing of certain cities like Yonkers for the battles that took place there....

And do you know, a few days after I read this damned book, I was out in the garage painting some shelves with my I-Pod on, and I had to keep looking up-- I was sure that one of those stupid creatures would plod up to me. You're talking to someone who has a horrific fear of zombies already (recurring dream with my dead father as one of the ghouls).

Max is top notch. :thumbsup:

[YOY]

11. You and me both FSC

I still get nightmares myself.

Hell, my weird zombie fear started when I was a kid and I watched an episode of the Smurfs: episode 23. The Purple Smurfs. Try not to laugh too hard, but it was basically a zombie epidemic among the Smurfs... Gave me nightmares for years to come. Most of which are a hella lot creepier than the Smurfs,

[Rob H.]

6. They're making a movie of the book, too

Here's the page on IMDB. Not much there yet, though.

[fudge stripe cookays]

16. ROCKIN!!!!!!

I was just telling reprehensor the other day that it would make a kick ass movie. I hate going to see stuff the opening weekend, but I might have to make an exception for this one! :D

[YOY]

7. Gotta read it!

n/t

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

13. Yeah, it was a fun read. Semi-spoilers.

A bit inconsistent. For instance, there's the blind samurai guy who does just fine slaughtering the zombies by the dozens, but the Army with machine guns gets overrun.

But hey, it's a zombie story. So I can't complain.

[reprehensor]

14. An interview with Max Brooks

http://www.cultureshocks.com/archives.html

Max Brooks and Jake Wark

#799, First Broadcast November 3, 2006

It's Z-Friday and we start with Max Brooks who wrote World War Z An Oral History of the Zombie War and later Jake Wark who has been researching the Zodiac murderes in California. Why close an unsolved case?

http://63.139.221.170/qtmedia/mp3/799.mp3

The show is hosted by the Rev. Barry Lynn, an ordained minister, constitutional lawyer, noted activist, and longstanding civil libertarian. Because of his position as executive director for Americans United for Separation of Church and State, and his past involvement with the American Civil Liberties Union, he's a popular guest on shows like Fox News Channel's O'Reilly Factor, MSNBC's News With Brian Williams, and CNN's Crossfire, as well as at national conventions around the country.

He has battled every major conservative figure from Bob Barr and William F. Buckley, Jr. to Jerry Falwell, Phyllis Schlafly, and Pat Robertson. A former co-host of Mutual Broadcasting's Pat Buchanan and Company, Rev. Lynn also co-hosted a weekly news wrap-up with Colonel Oliver North.

“I like bright people, and Barry's a very bright person.”
Colonel Oliver North

“Barry Lynn is an intolerant jerk.”
Pat Robertson

[raccoon]

15. Thanks for the link. nt