I avoid horror books and films like the plague. I’ve watched maybe two scary movies in my life and have never understood why people read horror novels.

So how could I possibly have enjoyed World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War? Let me count the ways. (Note: I have not seen the movie, and refer only to the book.)

1. Format: World War Z is a collection of oral interviews performed by an agent of the United Nations Postwar Commission ten years after hostilities have ceased. The novel is divided into seven parts that cover the decade from the initial discovery of zombies to the state of total global war.

2. Pace: The narrator keeps a low profile, and information is revealed through the interviews, so you learn more and more about the conflict as you proceed, rather than beginning with an information dump.

3. Scope: World War Z consists of interviews from survivors all over the world: the United States, Asia, Cuba, Europe, etc. The narrator talks with civilians, scientists, politicians, and military leaders. He interviews the Chinese doctor who discovered “Patient Zero” in a remote village, a Palestinian who as a teenager took refuge with his family in Israel (the first nation to quarantine itself), a corrupt American who developed a placebo vaccine, an Australian astronaut who watched the war from the International Space Station, and many more.

4. Tone: Since this book brings together dozens of accounts, you get to experience many voices, some angry, some guilt-ridden, some arrogant. Aside from personal differences, Brooks incorporates perspectives from various nations, ethnicities, and religions. I’m in awe of the research that must have gone into this book.

5. Audiobook: I listened to World War Z: The Complete Edition (Movie Tie-in Edition): An Oral History of the Zombie War, which came out in 2013. (The book was published in 2006, followed by an abridged audiobook in 2007). Both audiobooks are narrated by the author accompanied by a full cast of excellent voice actors. Hearing different voices and accents definitely enhances the experience of this book.

Downside: There is a fair amount of swearing that I could do without. (Surprisingly, the gory descriptions didn’t faze me.)

Now, what does World War Z have to do with real history?

1. It makes you think about the importance of oral history. Max Brooks states in the 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’?”
2. Even though this book takes place in a fictional     present/future, it’s based on the current geopolitical climate. I’m sure you could study and debate Brooks’ projection for hours.
3. Different facets of human nature, culture, and history are highlighted. To give just one example, how do you think the Americans and the Russians would react differently to a zombie outbreak? How would their military, political, and religious pasts affect their war efforts?

There you have it, a short review from someone who has no experience with the genre.

Have you ever enjoyed a book that took you outside of your comfort zone?