Thursday, July 3, 2008

So You Don't Know Max Brooks?


I started reading Max Brooks earlier this year, with his second work, World War Z, his history of the world wide zombie outbreak which almost caused the extinction of the human race. I found the survivors' accounts gripping. The most gripping for me was the story of the girl that at the age of six was the sole survivor from a town that holed up in a church; she is stuck in her six year old mind and can copy the moan of the undead perfectly. It is enough to send shivers up the spine of even the most hardened individual. This led me to read his other book, The Zombie Survival Guide.



I wish I had read this book sooner, so I could have begun my preparations earlier. He provides you a comprehensive overview of how to survive different levels of a zombie outbreak, from a Class 1 to a Class 4. Much of his advice would be useful in any large disaster or societal breakdown. His writing style is conversational and easy to read, I finished the book in less than two days, while completing a myriad of other tasks. He recommends resources to gain the skills you may be lacking in order so you can prepare for any eventuality. The publisher listed this work as humor, but I can find nothing humorous about an outbreak of the undead, the destruction of society, and the extinction of all animal life on the planet earth. You can think I'm crazy if you wish, but reading the historical cases of zombie outbreaks should make any sane person more than a little nervous. Once you read this book, you can not pretend that you weren't aware of the possibility and have no one to blame but yourself if you are caught unprepared. Please read this book for your family’s sake, if not your own. I wish you and your family the best of luck in your survival.