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World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War
Unavailable
World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War
Unavailable
World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War
Audiobook (abridged)6 hours

World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War

Written by Max Brooks

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

4/5

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Currently unavailable

Currently unavailable

About this audiobook

The Zombie War came unthinkably close to eradicating humanity. Max Brooks, driven by the urgency of preserving the acid-etched first-hand experiences of the survivors from those apocalyptic years, traveled across the United States of America and throughout the world, from decimated cities that once teemed with upwards of thirty million souls to the most remote and inhospitable areas of the planet. He recorded the testimony of men, women, and sometimes children who came face-to-face with the living, or at least the undead, hell of that dreadful time. World War Z is the result. Never before have we had access to a document that so powerfully conveys the depth of fear and horror, and also the ineradicable spirit of resistance, that gripped human society through the plague years.

Ranging from the now infamous village of New Dachang in the United Federation of China, where the epidemiological trail began with the twelve-year-old Patient Zero, to the unnamed northern forests where untold numbers sought a terrible and temporary refuge in the cold, to the United States of Southern Africa, where the Redeker Plan provided hope for humanity at an unspeakable price, to the west-of-the-Rockies redoubt where the North American tide finally started to turn, this invaluable chronicle reflects the full scope and duration of the Zombie War.

Most of all, the book captures with haunting immediacy the human dimension of this epochal event. Facing the often raw and vivid nature of these personal accounts requires a degree of courage on the part of the reader, but the effort is invaluable because, as Mr. Brooks says in his introduction, "By excluding the human factor, aren't we risking the kind of personal detachment from history that may, heaven forbid, lead us one day to repeat it? And in the end, isn't the human factor the only true difference between us and the enemy we now refer to as 'the living dead'?"

Note: Some of the numerical and factual material contained in this edition was previously published under the auspices of the United Nations Postwar Commission.

LanguageEnglish
Release dateSep 12, 2006
ISBN9780739340141
Unavailable
World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War

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Reviews for World War Z

Rating: 3.991887189878308 out of 5 stars
4/5

5,177 ratings409 reviews

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  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    This book is great for any fan of the zombie fiction and the epistolary novel. I had a hard time putting it down in parts. Cover many points of view and situations. Great Book
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    I listened to this on audio. What I liked about it was the way it sounded like recorded witnesses. Some of the stuff they said like Zombies having no supply line and all the differences between regular humans and human fighting strategies was interesting to think about. People from all over the world were interviewed for this book. I do not consider myself a huge Zombie fan, but I did really like this book.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    I loved this book! What a unique way to write a zombie story. Mr. Brooks takes current world political situations and cultures, or current as of the writing, and extrapolates on them to determine how various places would deal with a zombie plague. By interviewing individuals who were in the thick of his war, he gives us a very personal insight into human nature, culture, and politics in a very entertaining way. I was fascinated with the stories.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    A fun read about what the world might look like following a massive zombie outbreak that is eventually controlled. I enjoyed reading about the various challenges and possibilities of what the world would have faced in a zombie outbreak. It was written in a serious way, but not too serious and that kept it fun.

    The story was told as a series of interviews, which made it possible to tell the story from places around the world, but took away from the story for me as there was no character development. I know this was done by the author as a way to tell the story, but for me it made things drag on a bit more than I thought they needed to.

    3.5 stars if I could do that. A fun read and I am interested to see how the movie will be put together when it comes out in a couple of years.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    My first mistake was reading this book in a rushed manner before the movie came out. I knew that the two were going to be nothing alike but still had to read the book before the movie since my boyfriend really wanted to see the movie and I didn't want to be left out of that excursion. The book was great but was totally an overwhelming amount of information. It seems like the type of book that could be read over and over again and still discover new things each time.

    It was very interesting how history was tied in and the whole situation was made to seem so "realistic." I mean this in the sense of how people would respond and how everyone would respond differently. In the movie, it was made way too cut and dry and was so simple it was impossible.

    The book seemed to tackle every angle of a possible zombie epidemic. Though, in the end I am still unclear on how the whole thing started. I think, instead of a movie, or even a sequel, this would have made an awesome tv show, most likely on the discovery channel or something that would allow it to stay most true to the book.

    When I started the book I was very skeptical. I did not think the format would hold my attention, with the constant change of characters and no definitive plot. However, it worked out for the best. While i would have liked to relate everything to one single experience, it was almost better to get the all around picture.

    One question that was eating at me the whole time though was how much truth is there to all of the "history" in the book? A lot of stories reflected past wars and stories that didn't involve zombies. Are these truthful? I noticed that some were and some were not. However, the ones that were not may have just been assumed to be in the future. Who knows... I think knowing that they were (if they were) would have given this put a very different view in my eyes.

    I hope to go back and read this book again in the future!
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    I'm not a huge Zombie fan. Like couldn't care less about Zombie stuff, the genre is just so played out. BUT. This was a good read, it wasn't over the top zombie and it didn't make it sound like the world is a bunch of idiots who can't escape a shuffling horde.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Did a much better job than most apocalyptic plots of making you believe it could go down that way. Totally creeped me out, perfect for a Halloween read!
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    A must read.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    I definitely have a ceiling of enjoyment for zombie stories, finding a slow-moving mindless mass neither haunting nor inspiring. Also, inventive apocalyptic dystopias are a dime a dozen these days, many of which are more plausible than a zombie-inspired world war. However the zombie war here is only a framework to weave a complex tapestry of geopolitics, logistics, improvised innovation, plague/contagion spread and military response. The audiobook is a fantastic production and the interview format qua oral history really makes this an solid effort, though abridge-able and unevenly executed.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    4.5 stars Wow! What a book. Where to even start? I really liked the format of the book. It was like reading a collection of short stories that built on top of each other. I love the realistic approach the author took with the subject and how well thought out the content was. I appreciated the diversity represented - cultural, age, social standing, etc. The author didn't hold anything back and boldly delve into those areas. Ahh, the dogs! <3
    I did wish he went even further though. I was wondering about the environmental impact of the war - all those corpses! What happened to the animals? How many of them survived?
    I also watched the movie after reading the book. Movie was so disappointing compared to the book. I was frustrated by how much was changed - especially about the zombies and that Israel scene. Ugh! Anyway, book was waaaaay better.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    This quickly became one of my all-time favourite books. I am a HUGE zombie nerd, and this had been on my wishlist for so long, and once I got it it was well and truly devoured!The Oral History angle on this book is refreshingly unique, and a realistic way to tell such a story. I was impressed at the range of characters, the differences in their stories of survival, and the way the story flowed so well between them all despite many of the speakers living on opposite sides of the world.World War Z is the ultimate book for zombie-lovers, or really anyone interested in sci-fi. Not much more I can say other than: read it! It's brilliant!
  • Rating: 2 out of 5 stars
    2/5
    Only read 100 pages but it didn't hook me. I guess i'm not a fan of the oral history/interview format. Knowing that everything had already happened took away any suspense i would have felt. In the first hundred pages there was only one moment that really shocked me or made me feel strongly about it at all. And without a specific character to focus on i just didn't feel attached to the story.I thought the general writing and characterizations were very good though. This book wouldn't deter me from reading other books by the same author.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    This is one of those books where I really wavered between four and five stars, but I settled on four after realizing that I stalled reading it near the end and found myself with a lack of motivation to finish it. The book really was innovative in some ways, and I really enjoyed a lot of it. But then I would find myself stuck in a quagmire of information about how to fight zombies underwater, and I had trouble going back to reading it. Overall, I enjoyed it a lot, though.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    This is the first time I've ever said this....I definitely liked the movie more than the book. Enough said.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    I really liked the interview style narrative of this book. I saw the movie first but I don't think the two can even be compared as the same story. This story was different from the typical zombie book/ tv show/ movie in that it gave a look into the post-zombie apocalypse and how not just one or two individuals responded but on a worldwide scale. The book embraced the tough decisions that individuals, leaders, and nations would have to face in that type of situation and reading it feels like an actual recent-history book (not in a boring way). Overall I really enjoyed it and would definitely recommend it whether you've seen the movie before or not.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    The usual zombie apocalypse... with a twist. Brooks' book is about the fashionable story from a new point of view. The whole book is series of interviews with the soldiers, survivors, etc. of the great zombie war. The whole story, the happenings after the dreads came alive, outlines from their tales...
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    This book was terrifying on many levels. What I find to be the most terrifying aspect is the sheer amount of selfishness, greed, and short-sightedness that humanity exhibits that led to such a global catastrophe. Humans display this level of depravity every day, so it really is an accurate depiction of what could actually occur if the dead were to rise again. It is truly sad, and wasteful to consider, but I think most people coast along daily without thinking too much about how we take advantage of, or conversely, ignore one another on a daily basis.What really made the ending for me though, is that humanity has finally come together on a global level to work together and rebuild. There's even a quote from one of the characters that is basically summed up as follows: "Because everyone in the world shared this experience, we can all relate to one another as humans, without cultural identities getting in the way." This is the power of fiction, if the storyteller is skilled enough, they bring people together through storytelling, instead of a giant tragic event occurring to unite individuals.
  • Rating: 2 out of 5 stars
    2/5
    Wasn't really feeling this. You would think that it being about a zombie war it would've been more exciting, but most of it just bored me.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Great concept and interesting read. My attention wavered near the end, and I'm not a machine/weapons person, so the sections describing them were a little rough. Altogether, a great read!
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    I really enjoyed this book, despite the way it jumped around. It was nice to have a Zombie story that shows us coming out ok in the end. The rest of them tend to be literally the end of the world, not just the end of the world as we know it!

    It was not nearly as enjoyable as the Zombie Survival guide, however it was interesting to see some of the tips from the survival guide displayed in practical uses. Definitely more entertaining to read this book if you have read Zombie survival guide first!!
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    It took me nearly forever, but I finally finished it.

    The book was good, it was the format it was written in that did me in. It was basically written like one of those documentaries where the whole story is told by and interviewer asking questions. There was just days (or maybe it was the specific sections) where I just couldn't stand reading it.

    I can imagine something like this taking place if the ZA were to really happen.

    Good book. Glad it's done. It's king fu was NOT stronger than mine!!
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    1) This is NOT a horror novel. Whoever called it that was clueless.
    2) This is not a zombie novel. It's a book about humans, political commentary, and human nature.
    3) This book cannot be made into a movie. And from what I understand, it wasn't.

    A friend told me about the book and after catching a glimpse of the movie trailer my wife watched, I decided to read it. It's a very quick read...structured as 140 interviews. I would not have normally read it had I not known it was not about zombies. Even still, it was just okay - though I gives props to Brooks for all of his research and some for his commentary (I liked the Cuban boat people twist.) Too bad he didn't retain some control of the rights.

    Good airplane book.

  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Memorable.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Reread. Still awesome.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    BEST BOOK EVER
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Amazing story and detail. I love the political/social commentary. The only gripe I have was that, while the individual stories are different, the book began to sound like a broken record after a while. I still really enjoyed the read.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    The book blends nicely journalistic interviews in a fictional background. And it has zombies in it.
    You can see the author did his homework in this one. The research in the military field is good, though I have my doubts conventional warfare would be so ineffective against the zombies. As a lot of characters are from different countries I guess he needed to do a lot of research on that too.
    But as a Brazilian, I found that my country was shown in a very stereotypical way. Ok, we have a lot of violence here, but indians living in trees like ewoks and illegal organ transplant are not at all part of our reality.
    The book also didn't give me that "end of the world" feeling you usually find in zombie movies or books. More of that would be nice.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    RIGHTEOUS.
  • Rating: 1 out of 5 stars
    1/5
    Sucked. Only Max Brooks could write a zombie story and make it boring. The "interviewing survivors" narrative was a bad choice. Totally removed any drama or suspense from the stories - you knew everyone was going to live or else they wouldn't be alive to be interviewed! Plus, each character only got a handful of pages at most, not enough space to create in-depth characters. They were mostly stereotypes either because of this or because that's all Brooks knows. Despite the plague being dubbed "African Rabies" in the book, there is only one black character. I can recall two female characters in the book. One, the downed pilot, has a nervous breakdown while running from a zombie hoard and "hears" her dead mother's voice over her radio. The other, Russian soldier, becomes a human incubator spitting out babies. The other characters that seem like average joes but rise to the occasion are modeled after friends of his father, Mel Brooks, such as the movie director character, based upon Steven Spielberg.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    I do not like scary books or movies. I downloaded a free chapter of World War Z onto my Kindle, figuring I'd see what all the fuss was about. It wasn't what I expected at all.World War Z is structured as an oral history of the Zombie War. It is broken down into (mostly) short interviews with survivors from around the globe, including doctors, military personnel, and ordinary civilians, which are organized into chapters. The reader gets a picture of the progression of the war, from the first diagnoses in China to the spread of the contagion, the devastating effects of the plague, and eventual improvements (not quite sure I would label it victory). My children have both seen the movie and liked it, but from their descriptions I have the impression that the book is completely different, and far superior. The writers of the movie apparently came up with a rather convenient resolution, which is NOT part of the book at all. Personally I found the book well written and thought-provoking. Yes, some of the stories are harrowing, but overall the plot was remarkably believable and well thought-out.