Anyone who knows me or reads this site (or both) knows that I love everything zombie-related. Zombies are such a part of world culture...particularly American culture...and they represent so much in terms of being a reflection of the worst aspects of human instinct and/or nature, the mindless automatonation of the American consumer mindset (per Romero's scathing Dawn of the Dead), and the single-mindedness of purpose inherent to our species. We eat, we fuck, we work, we buy stuff, we sleep, and then we get up and do it all over again the next day...and the next, and the next. But, the idea of "zombies run amuck" has been done, with mixed results, so often that maybe its time to really focus on the "human" aspects of zombie phenomenon. Sure, Romero tried to do it (and succeeded, for the most part) with his Zombie quadrilogy, but beyond that, we just don't have enough zombie movies and/or books that truly focus on the human stories behind the gut-chomping mayhem. Enter Max Brooks, son of director/writer/producer Mel Brooks, and his somewhat tongue in cheek approach was evident in "The Zombie Survival Guide". Now, Brooks brings us "World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War", a deadly serious affair if ever there was one. Let me state one thing right from the beginning; this book deserves the fucking Pulitzer Prize. I'm serious. I haven't read a book in a really long time that so perfectly reflects its purpose, but also captures the zeitgeist of the entire world. Mark my words: "World War Z" is going to be regarded as not only a "great" book, but an important one as well. The fact that it's about zombies nearly taking over the world...well, that's just bloody frosting on the cake, now isn't it?
Synopsizing "World War Z" is difficult, as it's a "novel" that is really just a collection of interviews. All these interviews are conducted by the same nameless journalist, and this journalist travels around the globe collecting the thoughts, ruminations, and recollections of pain, misery, and humor of his subjects. The subjects themselves range from various retired military personnel (both officers and grunts, and from various armies in the US and abroad), "regular" citizens, dog trainers/handlers, submarine crewmen, scientists, politicians, and even a former "celebrity bodyguard". All of these folks, as representatives of the entire world, have had their lives...and sometimes their bodies...permanently changed by the catastrophic war between mankind and the zombies. These stories are not, as one might assume, made up entirely of gung-ho "shoot-'em-in-the-head" sequences or action-packed set pieces (although there are plenty of those to be found). No, these are strikingly human tales, told by survivors. That's what all of these people have in common, and it's the theme or message of the entire book. When the chips are down, and mankind is driven to the point of near extinction, the remaining population of the world becomes made up entirely of survivors, whom have survived through various means. Sometimes, they have a little help from firearms, advanced military weaponry, or other such tools. But quite often, they survive through sheer determination and ingenuity, and sometimes, through underhanded actions and motivations. The fact remains, though, that these are survivors, and as such, their stories are invaluable as "historical documents". That's where the "sub" title "An Oral History of the Zombie War" comes into play. This is a historical document, told by those who survived. It's a history of an event that hasn't happened yet, and of course, probably never will. But, it's as representative of human nature...specifically, how humankind reacts to war...as any collection of interviews and ruminations of any war in our, lest we forget, fairly brief history.
What's particularly striking about "World War Z" is its remarkable restraint. Oh, there are gory sequences, but like most "war stories", they tend to make the skin crawl and the nerves jangle rather than make the gorge rise in your throat. Plus, a number of the stories are quite moving, as they deal with the loss of loved ones in alarmingly quiet and effective ways. More than once, while reading "World War Z", this reviewer was moved nearly to the point of tears...the stories are that effective. But it's not all doom and gloom. No, Brooks has the sense to pepper his book with some fairly humorous stuff, too. The aforementioned "celebrity bodyguard" sequence is almost howlingly funny, as many recognizable...or mostly recognizable "faces" feature into this sequence. At the end of the day, most of the the "celebrities" and the "privileged" react pretty much the way you'd expect them to in a world overrun with zombies...with selfishness, avarice, inconsideration, and outright cowardice. It's as tellingly honest as it is funny, and the inclusion of this sequence speaks volumes on Brooks' quality as not only a writer, but a satirist.
Rumors abound that "World War Z" has been optioned by Brad Pitt's production company "Plan B Productions" for a big-budget screen adaptation. Even the IMDB lists the film World War Z as "in development" with Pitt as producer. I'm going to go out on a limb here and state, for the record, that if treated correctly, "World War Z" would make not only an excellent film, but an essential...even important film. Brooks' writing style is suitably visual, and since all of the stories are told with direct narration, it's comparatively easy to visualize what each interviewee would have seen or experienced during the "War". Therefore, I hope that this film gets made...but only if Pitt and everyone else concerned treat the subject matter for its merits, and not as an opportunity to mine the more, shall we say, exploitative elements of the book.
"World War Z" is pretty much above reproach, as far as I'm concerned. Brooks' writing is clean and crispm and despite the length of the book, it never gets stale. The "interviews" are extremely well-played, with each of the interviewees having their own unique personalities. It's scary enough for those looking for a good fright, gory enough for the gorehounds, and more than cerebral enough to please those who crave brains...not just blood and guts...from their zombie stories. Furthermore, "World War Z" is an important book, as it dissects what makes us human, and analyzes the differences in culture, dogma, and political ideology that cause us to act and react to stressful and earth-shaking events...even world-wide zombie infestation. Highest possible recommendation!
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- Matthew Dean Hill, November 27, 2006
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