Yes, this is a real book. And while it is listed under the category of 'Humor' by its publisher, a lot of serious research went into the writing of this 'Survival Guide.' Whether you enjoy watching zombie movies, are a writer of zombie stories or are simply worried about the uncertain eventuality of a possible zombie attack, this book is a must have for your collection.

Author Max Brooks covers all aspects of the zombie plague, from the virus that produces the zombie itself (Solanum), to symptoms and transference of the disease, cross-species infection, treatment (since the virus is 100% fatal, this section of the book is rather short) and most importantly, how to kill the bastards once they are infected.

Sections in the guide include, 'Weapons and Combat Techniques'--General Rules: Train Constantly, Care for your Tools; Close Combat: Bludgeons, Edged Weapons, Power Tools; Firearms: Heavy Machine Gun, Assault Rifle, Shotgun, Pistol; Explosives: Fire; Other Weapons and Armor. Not only does he list all of these items, he explains which are the best to use against a zombie and why.

Other important sections include, 'On the Defense'--Defending Your Home (preparation, supplies you will need, how to survive an attack, general defense), Defending Public Spaces, and The Fortress. 'On the Run,' 'Equipment'--Vehicles, Terrain and Transportation. 'On the Attack'--Weapons, Gear, Terrain and Strategies. And if all else fails, there is a large section called, 'Living in an Undead World.' There is even a long list of recorded zombie attacks going back into prehistory.

When I say Brooks covers all aspects of survival in a zombie infested world, I am not kidding. This book covers dozens of ways to lure and kill zombies, working alone or in groups, including underwater attacks (since zombies are [un]dead, they can survive(?) [and attack] underwater for extended periods of time). Every possible weapon for destroying zombies is discussed (including such off the wall ideas as radiation and nanotechnology), as are the good and the not so good approaches to using them.

Here are just a few lessons for surviving a zombie attack.

Organize before they arise!
Use your head: cut off their's.
Blades don't need reloading.
Get up the staircase, then destroy it!
Keep moving, keep low, keep quiet, keep alert!

Even if you don't take the contents of this book seriously (although if you expect to survive an attack, you better take it seriously) this is an interesting and fun read. The soft bound book is about 270 pages and is filled with line drawings as illustrations. Max Brooks is also the author of the New York Times Bestseller, "World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War" Both books are available at: www.crownpublishing.com

Don't get caught in a zombie attack without this book!