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As a horror fan, and a fan of zombies in particular, I cannot express to you enough how simply great this book is! It blows my mind completely with its subtle genius, and begs the question, "Why hasn't someone else thought of this before now?!" But lucky for both you and I, this isn't a question that will ever go unanswered again.
Author Max Brooks has assembled what is quite possibly the single most prized possession of any zombie film freak, The Zombie Survival Guide. This is not another tome full of brief yet praising reviews of Italian zombie flicks, many of which survive the scrutiny of horror fans simply because of the country they originated from, peppered with an occasional few glossy Hollywood undead flicks that bring the wrath of Hades down upon themselves...also simply because of the country they originated from. No, friends, this is something different entirely.
We have manuals for surviving natural disasters. We have manuals for surviving terrorist attacks. We have manuals for surviving snake bites, bee stings, herpes, MTV music and a thousand other perceived threats. Each of these manuals provides a modicum amount of real information, coupled with copious amounts of hysterical, over-the-top, fanatic, end-of-the-world situational specifics. "You must carry a full hypodermic needle full of adrenaline around with you at all times! If you are caught unprepared, you could DIE!" Ridiculous survival guides for a human population that is so unadventurous that the mere imagining of disaster is a thrill in itself! But what a waste...all this time spent studying and preparing for a false eventuality, when the real danger...the real threat...lies just around the corner.
And not a one of us is prepared.
I speak of course of the global killer known as zombie outbreak.
Never before has such a wealth of information been assembled into such a concise and pertinent manual on surviving the scourge of the living dead. From the very first page, you will be assaulted with every eventuality and every possible means of survival. These are the things that you need to know if you want to live. Virus and voodoo are all too real, and we all live just around the corner from a potential worldwide massacre.
In the first section of this guide you will learn how zombies are formed, what you can expect them to be like (fact vs. Hollywood fiction), and exactly how real the threat is to you and I. Next up is what you can do now to prepare yourself for the inevitable. How will you defend yourself? What are the advantages of a machete over a rifle; of a crowbar over a hammer? And would you think to shave off your mullet? A crew cut is much less of a handhold to a pack of drooling corpses!
You will need to decide whether you choose fight or flight. Do you hole yourself up and wait for rescue, or do you pick a distant destination that may offer haven and head for it? Depending on your choice, the next section of this book will talk you through fortifications of various structures, or secrets of heading cross-country while attracting the least amount of attention. Which vehicles are better for your needs and did you remember to plan for fuel and terrain where you are going? Advantages of water and aerial travel are discussed in detail for those who are caught in a Class Three outbreak and may need to move large distances very quickly.
But if all of these previous plans do not work, you will need a plan of attack. Sometimes you simply are forced face to face with the shuffling undead and you will need to be aware of how to both defend yourself and take them out. And remember when I mentioned that "survival guides" always have info for a highly unlikely occurrence that simply serves to panic? Well this one is no different. Prepare yourself for a Class Four "Doomsday Outbreak". These pages may mean the difference between the continuation of the human species, or the utter annihilation of our species.
Rounding out the completeness of this work are the included historical zombie outbreaks. From 60,000 BC Central Africa, to1968 Eastern Laos, to the most recent evidence in 2002, Virgin Islands; it is all here...laid out in black and white. To survive the future, you must first look to the past, and Mr. Brooks has assembled the finest collection of historical reference right here in his book. Ever wonder what REALLY went down in Roanoke, North Carolina?
This book is a f*cking riot! You simply must own this book, if for no other reason than to have your friends think you are the supreme, High-King of Cool when they see it sitting on your coffee table! An amazing idea indeed, The Zombie Survival Guide would not have worked had Brooks ever let the mood slip into satire. This is a REAL survival guide...all the way down to the blank, expressionless faces on the safety illustrations. My particular favorite is a three part illustration on the steps to harpooning a zombie while at sea, bringing him alongside your craft, and then shot gunning his head off!
Listen to me one more time here...this book is a must have
As the back cover states: "Don't be carefree and foolish with your most precious asset - life." And I agree. If not for your own sake; for the sake of the human race. Go buy this book.
By the way, author Max Brooks is the son of filmmaker, Mel; which I leave as a last tidbit of info, lest you think his work could not stand on its own. On the contrary, I now own one more piece of his work than of his father's!
-aaron-
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