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If a zombie apocalypse hits, I'll be sure to grab this book on my way on the run. But until that happens, this was a fun work of fiction, and an interesting concept for a book. It actually reads like any survival guide that you've ever read, but instead of it being a guide for surviving hurricanes or something, it's zombies. Really fun read.
adventurous informative medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: N/A
Strong character development: N/A
Loveable characters: N/A
Diverse cast of characters: N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus: N/A

very informative, the recorded attacks section got very boring however

3.5: really good, but I’m just not serious enough about zombies to be entertained the whole time


Firstly, the book is written by Max Brooks, a one time SNL writer and the son of Mel Brooks- that alone should set the tone for this one! The Zombie Survival Guide begins with a chapter on how 'the undead' are created, myths, and how to detect them. Subsequent chapters describe in great detail, survival techniques, supplies one would need to survive a siege, living in an 'undead world' and finally a detailed 'record' of zombie attacks throughout history.

As I started reading this book, I found the gravity with which it was written very funny; but as I read on, I found myself wondering where one could purchase a machete. Even if you are not concerned about an attack of the undead, the valuable information provided here can be applied to multiple real- life scenarios, such as a massive power failure or long-term rioting. My only criticism would be that I found some of the information regarding weaponry a bit repetative. All in all the book was very well researched and full of practical knowledge. Now I'm off to preserve some veggies... just in case ;-)

What an awesome survival guide. I now know what I have to do to prepare for this kind of disaster. Thank you Max Brooks for taking the subject matter so seriously.

I stopped at page 182, because from 182 on is stories of "recorded attacks". Although I find it hilarious to act like its real and that there are facts, I could not bring myself to read 60 pages of "recorded attacks", haha.

Other than that, I liked the book. If your goal is to make your zombie plan a little better and be a voice in zombie conversations, this book is definitely helpful! :)

I particularly enjoyed the second half, which contains brief descriptions of zombie outbreaks, ranging from the earliest recorded outbreaks to the 21st century. The vignettes are entertaining, but I also appreciated them from a storytelling perspective; I enjoyed the way Brooks was able paint complex scenes using just a few brushstrokes. People have already recommended World War Z to me, and now I'm even more interested in checking it out.

Not bad...
adventurous challenging informative medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Plot
Strong character development: N/A
Loveable characters: N/A
Diverse cast of characters: N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus: N/A
dark informative slow-paced