Read "World War Z" by Max Brooks.

[Brigid]

I am only part of the way through it, but I am totally hooked. It is about a zombie apoclypse, but don' let that put you off if you do not care for zombie stories. It is really more about the human response to the cataclysm than about the zombies themselves. Brooks takes a highly original approach: his premise is that a journalist who had collected statistics and other information for an "after-action report" about the disaster for a United Nations commission was chided because he wanted to included the human stories he had collected along the way. "Write your own book," he was told. So here is his oral history, a la Studs Terkel. My favorite so far: a conversation with a former White House chief of staff who is now literally shoveling shit for a living (he works for a bioconversion plant).


I hear this novel is supposed to be made into a movie starring Brad Pitt (I guess he'll be the journalist). Done right, it should be fabulous. Fans of AMC's "The Walking Dead" should love it.

Oh, and one last tip: This novel was written in 2006. That's right -- The Bush regime is faced with a global zombie pandemic. :wow:

[Bucky]

1. Once you get later into the book, you find out it's the McCain-Powell Administration

Oops, I meant to say "spoiler warning" first. Sorry.

[Brigid]

2. !

:spank:

[NewJeffCT]

3. I thought it was pretty clear it was Powell-Dean

with Howard Dean being "The Whacko"

[NewJeffCT]

4. One of my favorite scenes

was the female pilot whose plane went down somewhere in Louisiana (I think it was Louisiana)and she has to survive out in no-man's-land by herself, with a little help from her friend.

[AllenVanAllen]

14. That's one of the stand out stories imo.

[MountainLaurel]

5. Love that book

The slow approach of disaster and how the response was handled and mishandled are fascinating.

[NewJeffCT]

6. It's pretty good

but, I'm not sure if it's that realistic. Even mismanaged, I think the Battle of Yonkers was kind of unrealistic - a modern military can deal out an amazing amount of damage... I think it will come across great on the screen, though.

[NewJeffCT]

7. It's pretty good

but, I'm not sure if it's that realistic. Even mismanaged, I think the Battle of Yonkers was kind of unrealistic - a modern military can deal out an amazing amount of damage... I think it will come across great on the screen, though.

[NewJeffCT]

8. If you didn't know

Max Brooks is the son of Mel Brooks & Anne Bancroft.

[Brigid]

10. Really?

*looks at back cover photo* Yeah, I can see that, if you look at pictures of Mel Brooks in his younger days.

[NewJeffCT]

11. Yes

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Max_Brooks

>>>
Brooks was born in New York City, the son of director, producer, writer, and actor Mel Brooks and actress Anne Bancroft.<1>

[krispos42]

9. I see you found the Karl Rove parallel

:rofl:

[fizzgig]

12. great read

i lent mine out a couple years ago and haven't seen it since x(

[Forkboy]

15. That's seems to be commonplace.

I lent my copy to my nephew last year. Be lucky if I get it back before 2020. My friend would have lent me his copy, but he had already lent to another friend. He hasn't gotten it back either. :)

[AllenVanAllen]

13. The movie will be out next summer

staring Brad Pitt. I loved the book.

[denbot]

16. Remember this phrase..

Cherry pie. I thought one of the more memorable scenes was the "Battle of Hope, New Mexico".

[AllenVanAllen]

17. I love the use of Iron Maiden's "The Trooper"

It made the whole battle scene more tangible to me.