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Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Zombies
THE MOST COMPREHENSIVE ZOMBIE HANDBOOK EVER PUBLISHED In one indispensable volume, Matt Mogk, founder and head of the Zombie Research Society, busts popular myths and answers all your raging questions about the living dead.
304 pages, Paperback
First published September 13, 2011
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 57 reviews
May 16, 2012
I had to laugh at myself as I struggled between whether I labeled this book fiction or non-fiction. Sadly, I spend more time planning for the zombie apocalypse than I do my own retirement.
This was a great read with tons of information that was fairly new to me. For example, I did not know that George Romero's zombies were inspired by vampires in Richard Matheson's "I Am Legend". Definitely news to me! Most of the information contained on surviving the Z-apocalypse could be useful in most survival scenarios after a major catastrophe but what I found especially interesting was the almost "real feel" to the book when the author had different "experts" weigh in on the zombie's physical and mental makeup and how it could affect your chances of survival, as well as the not often mentioned but still deadly effects of such things as the common cold and infection, PTSD, and other psychological torments one could find themselves facing should the undead ever decide to join the ranks of the living.
The chances of the zombie apocalypse might be slim to none, but in the event that "you're wrong and I'm right" - this is definitely one book you'd want to have packed in your emergency kit (which, btw, will do you absolutely no good should you have it at home and the dead start rising while you're stuck in a cubicle on the other side of town).
This was a great read with tons of information that was fairly new to me. For example, I did not know that George Romero's zombies were inspired by vampires in Richard Matheson's "I Am Legend". Definitely news to me! Most of the information contained on surviving the Z-apocalypse could be useful in most survival scenarios after a major catastrophe but what I found especially interesting was the almost "real feel" to the book when the author had different "experts" weigh in on the zombie's physical and mental makeup and how it could affect your chances of survival, as well as the not often mentioned but still deadly effects of such things as the common cold and infection, PTSD, and other psychological torments one could find themselves facing should the undead ever decide to join the ranks of the living.
The chances of the zombie apocalypse might be slim to none, but in the event that "you're wrong and I'm right" - this is definitely one book you'd want to have packed in your emergency kit (which, btw, will do you absolutely no good should you have it at home and the dead start rising while you're stuck in a cubicle on the other side of town).
November 9, 2020
I'm going to start off by saying: My bad, I bought this book thinking it was satire. It is not. So that's on me. Yes there's small bits of humour in it but yeah I thought it would be making fun of zombie survival guides.
I love zombie movies/shows/books/games/comics, however I don't believe a zombie threat is ever going to happen so I do think this is all BS, but the reason I didn't give it 1 star is because I found the real life scientific stuff interesting & exploring zombies in media was fun.
Saying that, I don't believe a zombie apocalypse will happen but that doesn't mean I'm going to hate on this book for that reason. I didn't like this book because it just wasn't interesting. It wasn't engaging, it felt like a chore to get through. Now, I like the game The Last Of Us (1&2) & I ended up watching this YouTube channel that talked about the ins & outs of the TLOU virus, he made it SO fascinating (if like me, you want to delve into that yourself, Roanoke Gaming has a playlist of TLOU virus breakdown), it was riveting & made it sound like an actual possibility. If this book was like that YT channel's videos then I'd probably give it 5 stars, so you don't have to believe in an zombie apocalypse to like or dislike this book, it's about how you handle it, how you engage in your audience.
Maybe my young teenage self would enjoy this but now that I've hit the grand old age of 30, this just all seems like churned out crap that we've heard over & over again. Make it interesting my dude. Seriously, watch that guy's videos to get an idea of how to make a zombie virus real & interesting. Also if you're gonna get all anal about the term zombie then don't address Frankenstein's monster as Frankenstein. It happened a few times in the book, you're referring to the monster not the doctor. Also did we really need a lecture on the differences between zombies, vampires & werewolves? Also adding Romero's quotes in just didn't add anything of interest. I like the Dawn Of The Dead remake BECAUSE the zombies could run, but him bitching 'Christ, what did they do, get up from the dead & immediately take up a membership to the gym?' Nope, but we've become desensitised to slow moving zombies that they've become a laughing stock. What's scarier than a slow moving zombie? A fast running one. Just like everything else, monsters have to evolve to scare the audience. I for one am all for fast running zombies, it makes them way more threatening. I also had to laugh at this: '2 notable books were published about Hollywood film monsters that decade, & neither even mentioned zombies [...]. Zombies were omitted not because they weren't getting the respect they deserve but, rather, because Night Of The Living Dead hadn't been made yet.' so why bring it up? It's like me saying 'how could this book not include The Train To Buscan? I mean the movie hadn't even been made yet when this book had been published'. It's like bro, for real? And finally, getting all bitchy with the film critic saying the I Am legend monsters were zombies, like the CGI was freakin' terrible; when I very 1st watched that movie I 1st called them zombies then vampire/zombie hybrids, only once I read the book I was like 'oh they're completely vampires'. So I wouldn't get upset over a critic mistaking terrible CGI vampires for zombies.
Sorry, I don't normally write long reviews like this,but as of now, England is in its 2nd lockdown & ya girl has a lot of time on her hands, so I promised I'd, at the very least, write more in-depth reviews rather than the vague crap I usually write. No offence to Mr. Mogk, it was just unfortunate that I was reading his book when we went into a 2nd lockdown & made that promise.
I personally wouldn't recommend this book, it was just flat out dull. There's been more in-depth YT channels that have talked about zombie viruses that are for more interesting.
x
I love zombie movies/shows/books/games/comics, however I don't believe a zombie threat is ever going to happen so I do think this is all BS, but the reason I didn't give it 1 star is because I found the real life scientific stuff interesting & exploring zombies in media was fun.
Saying that, I don't believe a zombie apocalypse will happen but that doesn't mean I'm going to hate on this book for that reason. I didn't like this book because it just wasn't interesting. It wasn't engaging, it felt like a chore to get through. Now, I like the game The Last Of Us (1&2) & I ended up watching this YouTube channel that talked about the ins & outs of the TLOU virus, he made it SO fascinating (if like me, you want to delve into that yourself, Roanoke Gaming has a playlist of TLOU virus breakdown), it was riveting & made it sound like an actual possibility. If this book was like that YT channel's videos then I'd probably give it 5 stars, so you don't have to believe in an zombie apocalypse to like or dislike this book, it's about how you handle it, how you engage in your audience.
Maybe my young teenage self would enjoy this but now that I've hit the grand old age of 30, this just all seems like churned out crap that we've heard over & over again. Make it interesting my dude. Seriously, watch that guy's videos to get an idea of how to make a zombie virus real & interesting. Also if you're gonna get all anal about the term zombie then don't address Frankenstein's monster as Frankenstein. It happened a few times in the book, you're referring to the monster not the doctor. Also did we really need a lecture on the differences between zombies, vampires & werewolves? Also adding Romero's quotes in just didn't add anything of interest. I like the Dawn Of The Dead remake BECAUSE the zombies could run, but him bitching 'Christ, what did they do, get up from the dead & immediately take up a membership to the gym?' Nope, but we've become desensitised to slow moving zombies that they've become a laughing stock. What's scarier than a slow moving zombie? A fast running one. Just like everything else, monsters have to evolve to scare the audience. I for one am all for fast running zombies, it makes them way more threatening. I also had to laugh at this: '2 notable books were published about Hollywood film monsters that decade, & neither even mentioned zombies [...]. Zombies were omitted not because they weren't getting the respect they deserve but, rather, because Night Of The Living Dead hadn't been made yet.' so why bring it up? It's like me saying 'how could this book not include The Train To Buscan? I mean the movie hadn't even been made yet when this book had been published'. It's like bro, for real? And finally, getting all bitchy with the film critic saying the I Am legend monsters were zombies, like the CGI was freakin' terrible; when I very 1st watched that movie I 1st called them zombies then vampire/zombie hybrids, only once I read the book I was like 'oh they're completely vampires'. So I wouldn't get upset over a critic mistaking terrible CGI vampires for zombies.
Sorry, I don't normally write long reviews like this,but as of now, England is in its 2nd lockdown & ya girl has a lot of time on her hands, so I promised I'd, at the very least, write more in-depth reviews rather than the vague crap I usually write. No offence to Mr. Mogk, it was just unfortunate that I was reading his book when we went into a 2nd lockdown & made that promise.
I personally wouldn't recommend this book, it was just flat out dull. There's been more in-depth YT channels that have talked about zombie viruses that are for more interesting.
x
December 5, 2011
Purely amazing. This is a must read for anyone into the zombie genre, be it zombie lit or otherwise. I'd rate it as a zombie lit essential right up there with Max Brooks The Zombie Survival Guide: Complete Protection From the Living Dead and World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War.
I have to admit, I had passed this up a few times at local book stores during October when it was prominently featured on Zombie end caps. Even though I saw it had a forward by Brooks (who does not give his good graces lightly) I had passed it up because of how recent it was, how all over the cover seemed, and how by the combination of title and blurbs on the back it seemed like just another quickly produced zombie guide from a publishing company trying to rack in the cash on the zombie band wagon.
I was oh so wrong. Matt Mogk's book is pretty much a detailed response to all of those shenanigans (and even discusses them). It lays down with laser precision basically everything you'd want to know about zombie history and culture and is amazingly well researched (and sourced with great end note citations). It is, in short, everything I ever wanted in a guide to zombie culture.
On top of that it is amazingly recent and topical, something I've not come to expect in zombie books. Fiction usually looks to the future, and books I've read like this have been heavy on decades past. But the comparisons to real world events in the book mention many things from just the last year, and at times it felt SO topical I had to remember I was reading a print book and not the most well written blog I'd ever read.
For me this book which was amazing all the way through had a few stand out moments even above that. It opens with the single best definition of the modern zombie I've ever read, and then follows that by quickly and in very plain terms that leave little room for misunderstanding explaining how this modern creature came about via Romero's "Night of the Living Dead", how these creatures got the name zombie (the name of the European release of "Dawn of the Dead"), and where the whole "braiiiiins" meme came from. The second stand out moment of the book for me is that it amazingly discusses the evolution of the ultra-modern "living zombie" that "28 days later" birthed and for the first time was able to fully convince me that yes, it is a zombie movie.
I have to admit, I had passed this up a few times at local book stores during October when it was prominently featured on Zombie end caps. Even though I saw it had a forward by Brooks (who does not give his good graces lightly) I had passed it up because of how recent it was, how all over the cover seemed, and how by the combination of title and blurbs on the back it seemed like just another quickly produced zombie guide from a publishing company trying to rack in the cash on the zombie band wagon.
I was oh so wrong. Matt Mogk's book is pretty much a detailed response to all of those shenanigans (and even discusses them). It lays down with laser precision basically everything you'd want to know about zombie history and culture and is amazingly well researched (and sourced with great end note citations). It is, in short, everything I ever wanted in a guide to zombie culture.
On top of that it is amazingly recent and topical, something I've not come to expect in zombie books. Fiction usually looks to the future, and books I've read like this have been heavy on decades past. But the comparisons to real world events in the book mention many things from just the last year, and at times it felt SO topical I had to remember I was reading a print book and not the most well written blog I'd ever read.
For me this book which was amazing all the way through had a few stand out moments even above that. It opens with the single best definition of the modern zombie I've ever read, and then follows that by quickly and in very plain terms that leave little room for misunderstanding explaining how this modern creature came about via Romero's "Night of the Living Dead", how these creatures got the name zombie (the name of the European release of "Dawn of the Dead"), and where the whole "braiiiiins" meme came from. The second stand out moment of the book for me is that it amazingly discusses the evolution of the ultra-modern "living zombie" that "28 days later" birthed and for the first time was able to fully convince me that yes, it is a zombie movie.
October 20, 2011
I loved it. That's all I really have to say. It's very insightful and informative. Mogk's writing style is really informative and at the same time, really entertaining. He has a certain talent of making something as serious and probable (I'm serious - I genuinely believe in the zombie apocalypse) with such a light air and a tone that will catch anyone's attention. I love how it says "non-fiction" because it is. I love all of the cited sources and how they come from credible sources, making everything very concrete and very, very real. And that ending line, "what you don't know can eat you"? Genius. Absolute genius.
November 28, 2017
This book is amazing. I loved all the science and research about how a zombie body /might/ work. I loved reading a book by someone who loves zombies so much. This book isn’t silliness. It actually has a lot of interesting information about the future of humanity. How we act toward disaster. How our population growth affects our world. And yeah. There is a lot of fun talk about zombie movies and the like. This book was a real treat.
November 10, 2011
Excellent book and extremely up to date. Reads a bit like a textbook but the humor is rampant. While I understand the inability to include every zombie movie or mention in existence I do wonder why the author left out the 2010 Dylan Dog: Dead of Night style "thinking" zombies. Odd. I wasn't certain if I should be horrified or ecstatic that I have read, am reading, or have seen a majority of the reference material included in this book. I highly recommend it ... just so long as you realize that there is no survival for you or me.
October 29, 2011
Awesome. Simply awesome. A lot of fascinating information yet a fun and easy read. It really picks up where Zombie Survival guide left off. Broken down into four sections - evolution of the modern zombie, science, survival, pop culture - and well organized within each for easy reference. Whether you think you are a zombie expert or know nothing about zombies, this book will knock your socks off!
August 15, 2022
I enjoyed learning some new information from this:
I didn't realize George Romero didn't intend for the monsters in his movie to be zombies and that the name came from an Italian movie years later, or that everyone who dies turns into a zombie whether or not you are bitten or directly exposed to a zombie.
I also didn't realize that 28 Days Later zombies aren't undead!
I think the best part of this book is the history of zombies in film and pop culture.
I think anyone who enjoys the horror genre will enjoy this, and especially those who like zombie films and stories in particular. I was glad to see the Zombie, Ohio book got a mention.
I didn't realize George Romero didn't intend for the monsters in his movie to be zombies and that the name came from an Italian movie years later, or that everyone who dies turns into a zombie whether or not you are bitten or directly exposed to a zombie.
I also didn't realize that 28 Days Later zombies aren't undead!
I think the best part of this book is the history of zombies in film and pop culture.
I think anyone who enjoys the horror genre will enjoy this, and especially those who like zombie films and stories in particular. I was glad to see the Zombie, Ohio book got a mention.
May 18, 2012
Dear Zombie Apocalypse…you scare the crap out of me so I’m cramming before you occur.
Yep, zombies make me extremely paranoid. I like them in concept, it’s a neat idea…it’s also extremely creepy and the possibility of a human zombie disease popping up is large enough that I take zombie survival seriously. I’m just glad I’m not alone, otherwise I’d be weird…right? Right.
Anyway!! To the review. When this book says everything it means pretty much everything. It has tips for survival, facts about actual zombie like occurrences in nature (not in humans), the origin of the modern zombie, and pretty much all the zombie entertainment facts you’ve ever been curious about. For a book that’s only 288 pages it’s pretty much packed. I personally enjoyed the “know your zombies” part where it has a drawing of famous movie zombies and a little info on them, and also the humor that’s put in to lighten the otherwise creepy mood. The bits on survival are actually things people don’t think about and should, like the number one thing you’ll need if it all goes south…or which cities have the lowest population densities. It even debunks some of the most common opinions on surviving. It has facts from actual researchers and legitimate studies done around the world on various topics that can relate to an undead uprising. Some of the stuff is down right jaw dropping because you’re shocked to see how close humans are to causing something terrible to happen or participating in something monstrous. Mogk makes sure to cover all basis when it comes to situations, he references movies (some really obscure) and even takes the time to explain things. You even learn what is and isn’t a zombie movie. But beware! If you haven’t seen the movies or shows it does have spoilers, so it could very well ruin something for you. If you are like me and forget things like that, then you’ll be fine. Two of my favorite quotes from this book, though there are a lot of great ones but to give you a taste, are “That’s not Uncle Bob anymore; that’s just some freeloader wearing his skin and bones.” and “Fairy tales get you killed.” The first one had me laughing for a bit and I’ve even used it in conversation since I read the book.
The author is a guy who takes this seriously as well as he’s one of the top zombie researchers out there, to put it simply…he knows his crap. So if you were curious as to what zombie book out there has the most actual facts, it’d probably be this one. He’s also awesome enough to give you info on other books out there so that if you are craving for more zombie reading you’ll know others that have great info. Overall to anyone who “enjoys” zombies then this is certainly one to check out, the fans of straight forward fiction might not enjoy it as much but it’s still a great book.
If you visit the Zombie Research Society website you can find more awesome things from Matt Mogk and colleagues. There is also a shop where you can find his and other’s books, shirts, and even a membership to the society itself. May is Zombie Awareness Month, so why not treat yourself to something?
Yep, zombies make me extremely paranoid. I like them in concept, it’s a neat idea…it’s also extremely creepy and the possibility of a human zombie disease popping up is large enough that I take zombie survival seriously. I’m just glad I’m not alone, otherwise I’d be weird…right? Right.
Anyway!! To the review. When this book says everything it means pretty much everything. It has tips for survival, facts about actual zombie like occurrences in nature (not in humans), the origin of the modern zombie, and pretty much all the zombie entertainment facts you’ve ever been curious about. For a book that’s only 288 pages it’s pretty much packed. I personally enjoyed the “know your zombies” part where it has a drawing of famous movie zombies and a little info on them, and also the humor that’s put in to lighten the otherwise creepy mood. The bits on survival are actually things people don’t think about and should, like the number one thing you’ll need if it all goes south…or which cities have the lowest population densities. It even debunks some of the most common opinions on surviving. It has facts from actual researchers and legitimate studies done around the world on various topics that can relate to an undead uprising. Some of the stuff is down right jaw dropping because you’re shocked to see how close humans are to causing something terrible to happen or participating in something monstrous. Mogk makes sure to cover all basis when it comes to situations, he references movies (some really obscure) and even takes the time to explain things. You even learn what is and isn’t a zombie movie. But beware! If you haven’t seen the movies or shows it does have spoilers, so it could very well ruin something for you. If you are like me and forget things like that, then you’ll be fine. Two of my favorite quotes from this book, though there are a lot of great ones but to give you a taste, are “That’s not Uncle Bob anymore; that’s just some freeloader wearing his skin and bones.” and “Fairy tales get you killed.” The first one had me laughing for a bit and I’ve even used it in conversation since I read the book.
The author is a guy who takes this seriously as well as he’s one of the top zombie researchers out there, to put it simply…he knows his crap. So if you were curious as to what zombie book out there has the most actual facts, it’d probably be this one. He’s also awesome enough to give you info on other books out there so that if you are craving for more zombie reading you’ll know others that have great info. Overall to anyone who “enjoys” zombies then this is certainly one to check out, the fans of straight forward fiction might not enjoy it as much but it’s still a great book.
If you visit the Zombie Research Society website you can find more awesome things from Matt Mogk and colleagues. There is also a shop where you can find his and other’s books, shirts, and even a membership to the society itself. May is Zombie Awareness Month, so why not treat yourself to something?
September 3, 2012
Loved it!
I'd like to think of myself as someone who knows a lot about zombies, but I certainly learned a lot more with this book!
Definitely a must read for those of you who love the genre, as it answers so many of the questions us zombie nerds often find ourselves discussing.
Finally, the 28 Days Later debate can be put to rest!
I'd like to think of myself as someone who knows a lot about zombies, but I certainly learned a lot more with this book!
Definitely a must read for those of you who love the genre, as it answers so many of the questions us zombie nerds often find ourselves discussing.
Finally, the 28 Days Later debate can be put to rest!
December 20, 2011
From the origins of the the word zombie, to the exploration of the genre, this book has it all including survival tips. I thoroughly enjoyed it.
July 10, 2017
I’m a total sucker for the subculture around zombies. I used to have a zombie hunting license sticker on my car, I also own The Zombie Survival Guide, participated in a 5k Zombie Run, played “Left 4 Dead” and I’m a huge fan of the TV series “The Walking Dead”. I’ve had this book sitting on my shelf for a couple of years and I’ve only read bits and pieces of it here and there. Reading it in its entirety was a great experience, though, and I could really appreciate the cohesive knowledge Matt has compiled in this book. Zombie knowledge is considered the most logical creature knowledge to read up on as 1) it basically just encourages you to be prepared for an emergency situation and 2) it’s not completely outside of the realm of possibility that something similar could actually happen. Matt does a great job setting facts straight and sharing what knowledge is out there from science to survival to pop culture. There are a surprising amount of movies I thought were about zombies, but technically aren’t (and even the writers admit it!).
June 7, 2018
I was lucky enough to get in on the ground floor of the Zombie Research Society (ZRS) and was the local chapter president for 2 years. It's not as much about zombies as it is in making sure that people are prepared for any event or disaster that comes their way. After some conflicts in personality with Matt and his staff, I dissolved my local 35 person group and went on with my life. His book came out a year later and the change from using the zombie as a foil went from being a joke to being the norm. Matt is a good writer, but the book lacks from some good fact-finding and dedicated research. Interviewing Max Brooks and having quotes from George Romero every other page is filler, not a contribution. Spending chapters discussing how vampires and werewolves are different than zombies is just silly. Take out the fluff and it is a good book on preparing and mitigating risk in the event of an epidemic, disaster, or an unnatural uprising of the fetid undead.
April 19, 2019
Entertaining and Informative
An entertaining and well-referenced book striking a nice balance between humor and metaphor regarding zombie culture and the impending zombie apocalypse.
An entertaining and well-referenced book striking a nice balance between humor and metaphor regarding zombie culture and the impending zombie apocalypse.
July 14, 2021
I read this in college and I have to be in the mood for zombies to go through the entire book again. But I still go back once in a while and brush up on my "survival knowledge." This will forever be on my shelf.
May 6, 2017
A good look at the cultural phenomenon known as zombie. Though as a longtime zombie aficionado, I didn't learn too much new stuff.
June 30, 2020
Incredibly educational and entertaining. Matt spared no expense in knowledge with this one. Great work!
June 20, 2021
this book scared the sh*t out of me i cannot lie
September 19, 2023
Informative and interesting but dragged down by the fact this author is completely sure that a zombie plague is quite literally going to happen tomorrow.
October 16, 2014
Do you consider yourself a zombie aficionado? Would you know what to do if one of those stilted-walking, flesh-decaying reanimated corpses arrived at your door? If the answer to both questions is NO, then Matt Mogk’s EVERYTHING YOU EVER WANTED TO KNOW ABOUT ZOMBIES is a must-read if you’re hoping to survive the (probably) upcoming zombie apocalypse.
All of your zombie-related questions are thoroughly answered in the essential guide. And while zombie research is--technically--mostly theoretical, Mogk offers an in-depth review of the undead’s history, pathology, and place in pop culture and film.
As the president of the Zombie Research Society, Mogk is your best source for accurate zombie information such as: What’s the proper definition of a zombie? Where did zombies originate? Which weapons work best against the undead? How do you avoid zombies? And perhaps the most important question: Can zombies really exist? (The answer to this one may surprise you.)
While Mogk definitely has a sense of humor, he approaches his zombie topics in a straightforward, plausible manner. In fact, EVERYTHING YOU EVER WANTED TO KNOW ABOUT ZOMBIES was nominated for the Bram Stoker Award for Nonfiction in 2011.
So curl up on the couch this Halloween, and educate yourself about everything you ever wanted to know but--understandably--were afraid to ask about zombies. Because, who knows, one day you might be one.
All of your zombie-related questions are thoroughly answered in the essential guide. And while zombie research is--technically--mostly theoretical, Mogk offers an in-depth review of the undead’s history, pathology, and place in pop culture and film.
As the president of the Zombie Research Society, Mogk is your best source for accurate zombie information such as: What’s the proper definition of a zombie? Where did zombies originate? Which weapons work best against the undead? How do you avoid zombies? And perhaps the most important question: Can zombies really exist? (The answer to this one may surprise you.)
While Mogk definitely has a sense of humor, he approaches his zombie topics in a straightforward, plausible manner. In fact, EVERYTHING YOU EVER WANTED TO KNOW ABOUT ZOMBIES was nominated for the Bram Stoker Award for Nonfiction in 2011.
So curl up on the couch this Halloween, and educate yourself about everything you ever wanted to know but--understandably--were afraid to ask about zombies. Because, who knows, one day you might be one.
October 8, 2012
I have a thing for zombies. I spend a lot of time thinking about them. Two of my favourite books ever are zombie books (World War Z, The Zombie Survival Guide). I am itching for The Walking Dead to come back on air. I love zombies. Well, not actually because zombies are horrifying. You know what I mean.
This book is better than The Zombie Survival Guide. I'll let that sink in for a minute. In The Zombie Survival Guide, Max Brooks takes some creative liberties (such as knowing how zombies come into existence) in the name of entertainment. Which is fine. Great even. As I said, The Zombie Survival Guide is one of my favourite books ever. What makes Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Zombies the better book is that it is all fact. Although zombies are a fictional being, science says they aren't impossible. The book provides good insight into that.
Not only does it explore the science of zombies, it gives an in depth look at all manor of zombies in popular culture - from film, literature and video games to zombie walks and zombie proms. It really is everything you wanted to know about zombies.
On a scale from Totally Awesome to Horrifically Awful, I'd give it a Totally Awesome. It joins the ranks of my favourite books of all time. If you even have a slight interest in zombies, you should read this.
This book is better than The Zombie Survival Guide. I'll let that sink in for a minute. In The Zombie Survival Guide, Max Brooks takes some creative liberties (such as knowing how zombies come into existence) in the name of entertainment. Which is fine. Great even. As I said, The Zombie Survival Guide is one of my favourite books ever. What makes Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Zombies the better book is that it is all fact. Although zombies are a fictional being, science says they aren't impossible. The book provides good insight into that.
Not only does it explore the science of zombies, it gives an in depth look at all manor of zombies in popular culture - from film, literature and video games to zombie walks and zombie proms. It really is everything you wanted to know about zombies.
On a scale from Totally Awesome to Horrifically Awful, I'd give it a Totally Awesome. It joins the ranks of my favourite books of all time. If you even have a slight interest in zombies, you should read this.
January 4, 2015
This book was surprisingly delightful. There are tons of Max Brooks wannabes out in the world shelling out theories and rehashing old jokes, but this book is different. Also Max Brooks wrote the forward, and if he approves it, it passes any zombie-related test. Did I mention Max Brooks once called me "sweetheart" at a convention and I got a bit of the vapors? Because that happened.
Anyway, this book. Mogk looks at zombies through the lenses of neuroscience, biology, disaster preparedness, and pop culture. You have a little fun with zombie hypotheticals while learning interesting facts about neuroscience, biology, disaster preparedness, and pop culture. That's the real reason this book is enjoyable instead of 300 pages of parody. It is well researched, using zombies as a focus for a wide range of discussions.
The only part that was eye-rolling was when he discussed "suspected zombie outbreaks" of the past and mentioned Roanoke (a mystery for which circumstantial evidence is pretty high that it is not mystery) and the Anasazi cliff dwellers. It's all fun and games until you start putting actual historical events in the context of zombies.
Otherwise though, this book is a fun way to absorb facts and theorize about my personal favorite monster, although it does make me reevaluate my chances of actually surviving the apocalypse.
Anyway, this book. Mogk looks at zombies through the lenses of neuroscience, biology, disaster preparedness, and pop culture. You have a little fun with zombie hypotheticals while learning interesting facts about neuroscience, biology, disaster preparedness, and pop culture. That's the real reason this book is enjoyable instead of 300 pages of parody. It is well researched, using zombies as a focus for a wide range of discussions.
The only part that was eye-rolling was when he discussed "suspected zombie outbreaks" of the past and mentioned Roanoke (a mystery for which circumstantial evidence is pretty high that it is not mystery) and the Anasazi cliff dwellers. It's all fun and games until you start putting actual historical events in the context of zombies.
Otherwise though, this book is a fun way to absorb facts and theorize about my personal favorite monster, although it does make me reevaluate my chances of actually surviving the apocalypse.
June 8, 2015
"But it’s not just that a zombie pandemic seems to speak to our anxieties about the tragedies and destruction we see in the world around us. Many argue that zombies ring true because they are us. They are nothing more than the personification of our own failings come back from the dead to eat us out of existence before we screw things up any more than we have already. Writer and philosopher Ayn Rand famously observed that modern man is an abject zombie on a forced march through a meaningless life, and she may have a point.A good read for zombie lovers, as well as anyone who has ever asked, "What exactly are zombies and why should I care?"
For the first time in human history, more of the world’s population lives in crowded urban centers than rural environments, and in most industrialized nations, that number is quickly approaching 90 percent. Correspondingly, global job satisfaction is at its lowest point in more than two decades, with the younger generations leading the pack in unhappiness. We grow up. We get uninspiring jobs to pay the rent. We work our whole lives to no real end. We get promotions. We get laid off. We find new uninspiring jobs that are pretty much the same as the old ones. We sit in traffic and wonder how it came to this. We grow old. Our health fails. We die. Another zombie bites the dust."
January 14, 2012
Not bad - a decent overview of zombie culture and lore, though the inclusion of Cormac McCarthy's The Road in his research is an obvious misstep. A good companion to Max Brooks' books. Beware, though: multiple spoilers for popular zombie movies throughout (though if you're reading a book like this, you've probably seen most of them). A little more coverage on The Walking Dead would have been appropriate. Surprisingly, he misses Les Revenants altogether - though it is a lesser known zombie film, it's not entirely obscure, and should have been included as an example of the non-traditional zombie film.
As well, mention of I Am Legend is made, but without much of any reference to Matheson's book and the notion that the afflicted characters - much more analogous to vampires than zombies - were also suffering from mass hysteria that caused them to fear (for example) crucifixes and holy water.
Hit and miss, really. There are some excellent sections on preparedness and survival, and an interesting analysis on post-apocalyptic survival odds in various locations. It's still an enjoyable book, and well-illustrated - the 'know your zombie' insets are really well done.
As well, mention of I Am Legend is made, but without much of any reference to Matheson's book and the notion that the afflicted characters - much more analogous to vampires than zombies - were also suffering from mass hysteria that caused them to fear (for example) crucifixes and holy water.
Hit and miss, really. There are some excellent sections on preparedness and survival, and an interesting analysis on post-apocalyptic survival odds in various locations. It's still an enjoyable book, and well-illustrated - the 'know your zombie' insets are really well done.
January 12, 2018
Everything You Ever Wanted To Know About Zombies is a truly excellent guide to zombies that covers all the bases in just enough detail to satisfy your, and is now my favourite book in my zombie library.
Unlike many other zombie texts which suffer from the over-inflated ego of the authors who like to put forward their own theories and ideas as widely accepted gospel. this text is ripe with references to academic texts, and zombie literature and movies, providing evidence for all the theories and ideas discussed.
EYEWTKAZ covers topics including "what are zombies?", "Where did they come from?", "Could they really exist?" and "Why are zombies so popular" among others.
There is, of course, a lot more depth that one could go into, but for that I would recommend reading more specialist books. However, with some intelligent thought behind it, this book has enough content to turn a zombie virgin into something of an expert.
EYEWTKAZ is an excellent book for any zombie fan, anyone wanting to understand the concept and appeal of zombies, and also an excellent present for pretty much anyone.
Unlike many other zombie texts which suffer from the over-inflated ego of the authors who like to put forward their own theories and ideas as widely accepted gospel. this text is ripe with references to academic texts, and zombie literature and movies, providing evidence for all the theories and ideas discussed.
EYEWTKAZ covers topics including "what are zombies?", "Where did they come from?", "Could they really exist?" and "Why are zombies so popular" among others.
There is, of course, a lot more depth that one could go into, but for that I would recommend reading more specialist books. However, with some intelligent thought behind it, this book has enough content to turn a zombie virgin into something of an expert.
EYEWTKAZ is an excellent book for any zombie fan, anyone wanting to understand the concept and appeal of zombies, and also an excellent present for pretty much anyone.
January 18, 2013
For discussing the effects of zombies on pop culture, it's relevant. For discussing the origins of the zombie mythology, it's informative. But in the survival/"Zombie Apocalypse" portion, it is irresponsibly bad. It makes a mockery of science. Mogk wields it like some pimpled junior high-er who found some bitchin science article but is simply unable to understand its context.
I think the only way this book is valuable as a means to preparing for the "Zombie Apocalypse" is if the probability for it didn't approach zero. Just because something has a "probability" doesn't mean it's worth considering. There a certain probability that I'm currently dreaming and/or controlled by The Matrix. In calculus when a probability approaches zero, it is regarded as zero.
Mogk was doing fine until he tried to bring a movie monster (collectively the walking dead are a singular entity) up as a realistic prospective threat. He does the institution of science a great disservice by recklessly wielding it.
I think the only way this book is valuable as a means to preparing for the "Zombie Apocalypse" is if the probability for it didn't approach zero. Just because something has a "probability" doesn't mean it's worth considering. There a certain probability that I'm currently dreaming and/or controlled by The Matrix. In calculus when a probability approaches zero, it is regarded as zero.
Mogk was doing fine until he tried to bring a movie monster (collectively the walking dead are a singular entity) up as a realistic prospective threat. He does the institution of science a great disservice by recklessly wielding it.
August 18, 2015
This book was pretty good! It's a serious work by an author who helped found the Zombie Research Society (ZRS). It covers zombie history and development, its place in popular culture, references, zombie-like animals, and more. Of course, as it should be, there is a lot of allusion to George Romero and Night of the Living Dead. Throughout the book you find little icons with Romero's face and a snippet about his thoughts on certain aspects of zombie culture. I thought this book was easy to read, informative, entertaining, and interesting. I would love to someday get my own copy for my shelves, as I got this copy from the library. Recommended reading for anyone who loves or is interested in zombies.
November 24, 2015
Very, very bizarre but nevertheless entertaining book. Not sure if the author was being tongue and cheek or not in the very factual/literal way in which he presented the zombie threat. Given the extent of the author's involvement in cataloging the zombie lexicon, it may well be the latter. I did appreciate the nuggets of scientific, historical, and survivalist knowledge Mogk threw in, and the whimsical and somewhat mishmash-y way it all blended together.
The one thing that gnawed at me (pun intended, ha ha) was the author's zombie-elitist tone. Ironic or not, it comes across as a bit insufferable, and is the only reason I knocked a star off the four stars this book would otherwise deserve.
The one thing that gnawed at me (pun intended, ha ha) was the author's zombie-elitist tone. Ironic or not, it comes across as a bit insufferable, and is the only reason I knocked a star off the four stars this book would otherwise deserve.
July 9, 2012
Written by the founder and head of the Zombie Research Society (ZRS) this book is really well researched. It's non-fiction -- and seeing as how zombies are fictional, you'd think it would just be an overview about zombie books/films/etc, but it covers history, survival tips, pop culture and speculative science too. It's amusing when he sites research studies to back up theoretical questions about zombies. And I can't believe the numbers of highly trained academics who have published material on zombies.
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