The Zombie Survival Guide: Complete Protection From the Living Dead

by Max Brooks

book data

4,162 ratings, 3.95 average rating, 729 reviews (more data...)

rating	frequency	%
5		33%
4		36%
3		23%
2		5%
1		1%

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published

September 16th 2003 by Three Rivers Press

binding

Paperback, 254 pages

characters

Zombies

isbn

1400049628 (isbn13: 9781400049622)

description

Top 10 Lessons for Surviving a Zombie Attack
1. Organize before they rise!
2. They feel no fear, why should you?
3. Use your head: cut ...more

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01/17/08

Eric rated it:

Read in August, 2007

recommends it for: The post-apocalyptically curious, horror buffs, those just being introduced to zombies

"Yes Brooks, but what about?" is what I often found myself asking while perusing the Zombie Survival Guide. It's clear it is meant to be humorous. I first went looking for it in non-fiction, and was disappointed to find it in the Humor section. I spared the Barnes and Noble employee a lecture on the dangers of being woefully unprepared for the coming Zombiepocalypse. Brooks went to some trouble to make it appear as if he put plenty of thought and research into this, and that helps make...more "Yes Brooks, but what about?" is what I often found myself asking while perusing the Zombie Survival Guide. It's clear it is meant to be humorous. I first went looking for it in non-fiction, and was disappointed to find it in the Humor section. I spared the Barnes and Noble employee a lecture on the dangers of being woefully unprepared for the coming Zombiepocalypse. Brooks went to some trouble to make it appear as if he put plenty of thought and research into this, and that helps make the tongue-in-cheek tone really stick.
However, he could have done more both for humor's sake and those of us who take this so seriously our families try to medicate us. But what do they know? They'll be the first ones eaten, and I still won't take those pills... Anyway, I digress. He covers a remarkable amount of ground, but nothing really in any great detail. It reads more like an encyclopedia of random "stuff", rather than an actual useful resource. It gives me things to consider, but little usable field information beyond the initial seed idea. Some quips and pop culture references are funny, but we'll see who's laughing when facing a scenario he avoided by saying, "Science cannot explain..."
Areas which I found lacking included group composition and psychology, weaponry, viral epidemiology, and tactical organization. A Level III or higher outbreak requires tough choices I don't remember Brooks being ready to handle in regards to human group dynamics. He acknowledges the difficulties of human psychology, but really doesn't delve into any one of countless areas to address. How best do you deal with children who just slow you down and endanger the group? How do you contend with the fact that, in all likelihood given the stresses of the situation, members of the opposite sex will likely be snogging the daylights out of each other every semi-private moment? That leads to pregnant, and slower, more demanding, and more vulnerable party members. How does a party leader attempt to prevent or deal with the issue if it's too early to repopulate the world? Tough question, and one Brooks doesn't address that I remember.
Also the weaponry section is terribly lacking in specifics. Brooks does do something right in stressing hiding and stealth throughout, but when you have to fight, he only discusses a few ideas for arming yourself. What I REALLY think the book could have used was a region-specific common chambering guide. In former NATO-countries, even though the AR-15 or M-16 and variants may be lacking in reliability and zombie-clubbing prowess to the chunkier Kalashnikov and SKS variants, one hardly wants to find oneself carrying a 7.62 in a 5.56 world. Choose a regional weapon based on the ammunition you are likely to find available issued to your local police, military, and paramilitary forces. A large, convenient table would have been a nice addition. A discussion of crossbow draw-strength versus range to give people an idea what they'd have to contend with, but worth it given the excellence of the weapon as a silent, reusable option, would also have been nice.
I still feel I understand precious little about the virus itself. I wouldn't consider this an issue except for the implied knowledge Brooks has through his statements, discussion, and supposed historical outbreaks he mentions. Share more! How do we protect ourselves? Is there a practical way to intervene? What are the hazards and best ways to protect group members during what he refers to as "clean-up" following a battle? What are the possibilities and repercussions of mutation, considering this IS a virus, after all.
I won't get into the tactical sections other than to say most of his suggestions would require people so battle-hardened, cool, intelligent, and collected they would likely be able to develop better plans on the fly. This they would almost certainly have to do, given the changing nature of all battlefields, much less ones with very difficult undead enemies. Instead of trying to paint unrealistic scenarios, just cut these chapters short by saying, "Find fearless tactical geniuses, and go kill with them."
Don't get me wrong, I liked the book. He raises and discusses an issue few people are taking seriously enough. He glances over some good points. And he's somewhat funny in parts. He tries to deliver a compact but useful guide covering an entire world's worth of issues. However, the most damning thing I can say about the Guide is that, when the undead rise, the book is not something that will be in my pack when I start running. I would much rather save the valuable weight and space for a region-specific weapons guide, field first-aid manual, resource for local flora and fauna, or even just an extra few iodine tablets or strips of beef jerky.

P.S.- Yes, I get the joke. Do you get mine?(less)

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07/23/07

Antisocialite rated it:

Read in July, 2007

My love for this book is a result of my lack of social skills. Much as I might try to generate conversation with strangers (and, occasionally, among friends) I usually just end up rambling awkwardly until uneasy silence takes over. So, at some point, I started employing zombies. As conversation topics, not servants. Though that would be cool.

"What would we do if we were attacked by zombies right now?" is an excellent way to get to know someone. Their willingness to particip...more

Like this review? yes (15 people liked it)

1 comment

11/21/08

Erie rated it:

bookshelves: all-time-favorit, book-that-make-me-laugh, fantasy, fiksi

Read in November, 2008

recommended to Erie by: Jendral Pantouw
recommends it for: Zombie Nuts and Leli a.k.a Layli :-p

Buku ini ternyata secara tak terduga sukses menyalip ditikungan si Becky yang lagi belanja dan petualangan William of Baskerville di sebuah biara Benediktian. Oke, ada yang udah nonton film2nya Leslie Nielsen? itu tuh, aki2 ubanan yang maen di film parodi Dracula, trilogi Naked Gun, Airplane, Scary Movie dll. Gayanya khas banget, dia ngelawak dengan gaya yang serius, seakan-akan dia tidak sadar kalo lagi ngelawak dan gak sadar kalo penonton tertawa terbahak-bahak. Nah seperti itulah Max Brooks m...more

Like this review? yes (10 people liked it)

39 comments

12/09/07

Jon rated it:

Read in October, 2003

Max Brooks is a crazy man.

On the surface, this book functions as humor. What to do when zombies take over, that's fun, right?

What becomes obvious once you start reading it is that Brooks spent a lot of time thinking very seriously about this. And that's funny too. Part of what makes this book great is how humorless it is, even though you will find it in the humor section at the book store.

The more you read, the more you realize that Brooks has a very specific...more

Like this review? yes (10 people liked it)

3 comments

08/17/07

Evan rated it:

recommends it for: zombie nerds

I find this book to be woefully under-researched as a survival guide, and I fear that it will only lead to more deaths at the hands of the zombie menace. Particularly irksome to me was the weapons section in which he claims that single handed swords lack the power to break through skulls and that katanas should be the first sword of choice because they are light; both of these claims blatantly disregard the benefits of Western weaponry. He also claims that halberds are a waste of time and that...more

Like this review? yes (6 people liked it)

3 comments

09/12/07

Josh rated it:

Read in January, 2006

recommends it for: You, if you want to live

If you’ve ever fantasized about being the last person on Earth, barricaded in some remote makeshift fortress against an unnamable evil that even now encroaches your perimeter … well, maybe you’re the kind of person that should keep this book on their nightstand.

The Zombie Survival Guide by Max Brooks (yes, son of Mel Brooks and Ann Bancroft) is strangely informative and darkly satirical. Brooks writes with his tongue planted so firmly in his check that he risks a nasty bruise....more If you’ve ever fantasized about being the last person on Earth, barricaded in some remote makeshift fortress against an unnamable evil that even now encroaches your perimeter … well, maybe you’re the kind of person that should keep this book on their nightstand.

The Zombie Survival Guide by Max Brooks (yes, son of Mel Brooks and Ann Bancroft) is strangely informative and darkly satirical. Brooks writes with his tongue planted so firmly in his check that he risks a nasty bruise. I hesitate to even call the book a satire, since nowhere between the covers is a single joke. Not once while reading is there a hint of laughter. It takes itself deadly serious – and that’s what’s so funny.

But to explain why The Zombie Survival Guide is more to me than merely a plotless procedural on the dos and don’ts of undead apocalypse, I’ll have to tell you a bit about my own experience with these flesh-eating corpses.

The first time I saw a zombie was probably around the age of ten, when I accompanied my dad to a poker game. As the adults played, we kids were cordoned off into the TV room where we usually popped in a video and zoned out until our parents were broke enough to want to head home. On this particular night the movie was Return of the Living Dead. I honestly don’t recall being so scared in my entire life. The experience lingered with me for years. Now older and wiser, I’m a little embarrassed to admit that I may have been emotionally scarred by such a silly, campy flick, but I was already something of a twitchy kid, and thereafter, the dark corners of our house grew a little darker, feelings of being watched a little more intense, and the eyes printed on the covers of magazines would watch me from their racks as I passed by. If the zombies’ goal was to get my brain, they certainly succeeded.

As with most childhood fears, I grew out of it. But years later, around the time I graduated college, the Zombie took on a whole new meaning for me. For some reason I’ve yet to pin down, flesh-eating ghouls began invading my dreams. Before, my stress induced REM involved having my ability to run or lift or push impeded by an unseen force - typical Freudian stuff – but now I found myself hunted by throngs of the dead.

It’s a lot like that classic nightmare of delivering an important speech in front of a large audience of peers only to realize you’re naked … and that your audience is trying to eat you.

Terrifying though the dreams may be, upon waking up I think they’re fantastic. I’ve come up with story scenarios in my sleep I would never have imagined while awake. Just the same, some weeks the dreams make sleep difficult. (In fact, what prompted me to write this review so long after having read the book was a dream last night where I was trapped in a barn while the reanimated bodies of the farmer and his family banged on the doors outside).

Since drawn to Zombie fiction, I picked up a copy of The Zombie Survival Guide and was enthralled by the academic delivery on what weapons to use, what environments to seek or avoid, and the history of the walking dead. The dreams, surprisingly, started to subside or, when they did occur, were more controllable.

While the idea of fighting zombies is an enticing fantasy to most of us, we still know that they do not exist. At night, however, these creatures are as real to me as anything else. In these situations, The Zombie Survival Guide is more than a fun exercise in what-ifs, it becomes practical, useful information.

Thanks, Max.
(less)

Like this review? yes (3 people liked it)

2 comments

09/07/07

Spencer rated it:

Read in May, 2007

recommends it for: Zombie zombies. Fans of the Boy Scout Manual.

It's a funny coincidence that I'm probably going to get killed by an angry, mindless mob for saying this, but allow me to be the only one with the guts to say that The Zombie Survival Guide is hugely overrated. As others have suggested, the angle is supposed to be that this is a fact-based, real-world take on what to do when the dead finally rise, but Brooks breaks out the "science still can't explain" card way too often for his premise to really work. Which is problematic because whil...more

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07/15/08

Trin rated it:

bookshelves: american-lit, apocafic, horror

There seems to be some disagreement as to whether this is a humor or a horror book. It was marketed as the former, but I actually think it’s more effective as the latter. If it’s a humor book, it’s strictly one-note—survival guides expect you to be ridiculously over-prepared, haha! As a horror book—even keeping in mind its goofier moments—it really gets under your skin, makes you reassess your surroundings and your safety in ways, I think, few monster stories do.

It’s al...more

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06/30/08

Eliza rated it:

Read in July, 2008

recommends it for: those unprepared for the zombie menace.

I started this book because I read World War Z and enjoyed it, for some value of enjoyed which also includes being seriously freaked out. This book further cemented my freaked-outedness. I now recognise that my home is inadequate protection against the zombie menace, that not only do I not have any sort of weapon handy which could decapitate without putting me in harm's way but even if I did I would have no skills to use it, and that I am not fully prepared for even a level-1 situation were it t...more

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02/19/09

Belinda rated it:

bookshelves: braincandy, contempopop, howto, kindle, sci-fi, spooky

Read in February, 2009

I am woefully underprepared for the zombie apocalypse. If you have a suitable fortress and/or roving group that I can join, please let me know. I can dress out game and make soap. You know you'll be wanting food and soap, right? Let's talk.

Like this review? yes (2 people liked it)

6 comments

07/05/07

Rae Walker rated it:

Read in January, 2005

recommends it for: Survival Nerds (and they do exist).

The Zombie Survival Guide is entirely based on the premise of 'Zombie attacks, both massive and individual, are highly plausable. Here is how you survive.'

This is a wonderful premise. It is a wonderful book. Because of this book, I feel that I have a better chance of surviving a zombie attack if/when it does occur.

If you want to be in my roving troupe of refugees then there will be some required reading and this book will be on the list. Also, don't think you can read thi...more

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11/11/07

GUS BUS! rated it:

Read in January, 2007

recommends it for: Those that need protection from the undead

This is a great book to have when you are suddenly overrun by zombies. It details every supplie and every weapon you will need to survive. It has where you should go and other survival tips if you ever come across and undead army.

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10/23/08

fbuser1423720935 rated it:

Read in January, 2008

recommends it for: anybody who's interested from surviving a zombie attack

This was a funny book, the author really spent too much time thinking about how to survive a zombie outbreak. It's fun to read if you're interested in that kind of thing.

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04/17/08

Robert rated it:

Possibly the most important book I've ever read. Now, when the zombie apocalypse comes, I know what steps to take to survive. Do you?

Like this review? yes (2 people liked it)

2 comments

07/28/08

Cooperglocker rated it:

Read in September, 2007

recommended to Cooperglocker by: My fiancee
recommends it for: Anybody who doesn't shamble, moan, groan, or seek brains.

Hilarious, yet strangely believable.

I'm not exactly going to run out and get plate armor and swords, but it sounds fun!

Like this review? yes (2 people liked it)

2 comments

09/03/07

James rated it:

bookshelves: zombielit

Read in March, 2007

huhuhu, kapan lagi baca buku parodi sambil tertawa terkekeh-kekeh, sementara pada saat yang bersamaan bulu kuduk pun mulai berdiri :) sambil menoleh sesekali ke belakang: siapa itu yang tadi lewat?
buku ini punya tujuan sederhana: bagaimana menyelamatkan diri ketika peristiwa apokaliptik yang niscaya akan terjadi itu benar-benar terjadi: ketika yang sudah mati kembali berjalan-jalan walau tetap mati plus hobi baru: makan daging manusia segar. Zombiee!!!! Brainnssss!!!

Ugh, mengha...more

Like this review? yes (1 person liked it)

3 comments

08/21/07

icebox added it

bookshelves: lost-interest

recommends it for: nobody

Okay, so I'll be honest. I started reading this book. I got about 10 pages in. Most people would say, "Hey, thats not far enough to know if this book is good or not" but I disagree. In the first 10 pages, not only was I able to discover how completely contradicting this book was, but I was also able to realize how familiar this story was. In my opinion, it seems as though Max Brooks compaired the Zombie virus to the AIDS virus. The only difference being the name of the virus. I am in n...more

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02/13/09

Bettie (Goodreads Reader!) rated it:

(review of isbn 073934272X)

bookshelves: boo-scary, fantasy, fraudio, funneh

Read in February, 2009

We've been having fun with this insomuch as zombies, apparently, don't jump. So future stuga visitors will be asked the question "do you, erm, play netball at all". If there is a failure to answer in the affirmative we will, as a family body, exit rather promptly.

It's rather fun to have 'Thriller' as low background noise during the Voodoo Zombie chapter. One good piece of advice is this ... heads that have been severed from their bodies can still bite one to death so get yo...more

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8 comments

07/15/07

Megan rated it:

bookshelves: horrorthriller

Read in November, 2006

I know this book is listed as humor, but I am not completely convinced that zombies couldn't happen...it seems logical for some reason, that some disease could reanimate the dead. It is one of the few things in the horror genre that actually really scares me. I have had not a few nightmares about this and have a great fondness for Shaun of the Dead.
This book basically lays it out like it is a possibility. He is very very thorough--so much so that I wondered if maybe he was some nut wh...more

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02/09/08

Foodweneedfood rated it:

Has a copy to sell/swap — Read in February, 2008

If you know me, you know I love zombies, so of course I like this one. The survival chapters are kind of...eh, but not unreadable. On the plus side, Brooks rejects the "running zombie" concept of 28 Days/Weeks Later. However, he's an advocate of the viral paradigm of zombism. (Wait, did I really just write that sentence?) What really makes this book is the historical record of zombie outbreaks. This is the first time I've seen the concept that zombie incidents have occurred throughout ...more

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