The Zombie Survival Guide
by Max Brooks
This book is the primary reason I became interested in the whole zombie phenomenon. I cannot overstate its importance in my becoming interested in the subject. I highly recommend reading this book. It gives great survival tips that would be useful, not just in a zombie apocalypse, but in a variety of emergency situations. Survival is survival, and much of his advice can be applied to surviving floods, earth quakes, civil unrest or possibly even war. A copy of this book has been on my desk throughout the process of writing Oak Ridge Apocalypse. Besides, the humor woven into the book is pure genius. This is a must read for any fan of the zombie genre or survivalists, or better yet zombie survivalists.
World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War
by Max Brooks
This is a great book. Please do not mistake it for the travesty of a movie with the same title. Yes, the movie was supposed to be based on this book. The book has zombies in it. The similarly titled movie has zombies in it. That is where the similarities end. Do not watch the movie if you have not already. You have been warned. Do read the book if you have not already. Unlike the movie, it is worth your time.
The zombies I created in Oak Ridge Apocalypse are very similar to those of Max Brooks mainly due to the survival guide, but the tactics used by my protagonists are largely due to World War Z. Max Brooks has an uncanny ability to visualize what combat versus zombies might really be like, and to communicate it very well. The survival guide gives great advice, but think of World War Z as an example of application. He took all of the tips and tricks from the survival guide and wove scenarios around their real world uses. Do get these books. You will not be disappointed, and when the zombies rise up, you will be prepared to defend yourself and your loved ones.
On a side note, I was not asked to place these endorsements on my website. I do make a small commission from you purchasing these books from the Amazon affiliate links. My thanks go to Max Brooks for introducing me to the fun world of zombies.