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Platypus Prepared: The Platypus Reads Part XXVIII

Two and a half years ago, I was looking for the perfect groomsman gift to get the guys who had put up with so much just to see me get married. I thought of the usual gifts: cuff links (but they don't ever ware shirts that would require them), imported beer (but most don't drink), personalized beer mugs (see above), etc. Then I thought it might be nice for them to get something that they would actually use and enjoy. So for the guys who are supposed to be prepared for anything, I decided to go with "The Zombie Survival Guide" by Max Brooks. The book was a hit. Everywhere you looked during the course of the day, you would see a groomsman squirreled away into a shady spot reading the sage green book. There was only one problem: I didn't have enough money to get my own!

Just recently, my wife was kind enough to buy a copy of "The Zombie Survival Guide" for me. I read it through in one weekend and found it refreshingly witty. The main point, of course, is enjoying the dead-pan gallows humor, but I did detect an undercurrent of something more. Over and over again, the book stresses getting back to basics, voluntarily giving up luxury and reestablishing community. This is all ostensibly to prepare for the imminent onslaught of the undead, but it got me to thinking. I wonder if the real appeal of the book is that it allows us to fantasize about having an exciting excuse to do what we know we should be doing anyway.

Let me explain. People love the idea of growing their own food, but it's hard and monotonous work. We all recognize our need for community, but it's frustrating and time-consuming to establish it. Think how many times a week you hear people saying things like: "I need to exercise more," "I need to cut back on the coffee," "I'm trying to buy more organic foods." Maybe a few will try these things for a time, but very rarely do these desires motivate anyone to lasting change. After all, it's not as if the world will immediately end if we have another Starbucks. But what if the world was going to end on Tuesday and our abstinence would help turn the tide? Then our abstinence, typically undertaken in the service of some vague notion such as "health" or a sense of First-World guilt, becomes a heroic act.

The "Zombie Survival Guide" is obviously written tongue-in-cheek, and that's where its final appeal comes from. Because "World War Z" is a fiction, the reader can have all the fun of fantasizing about a life full of adventure and meaning without actually having to make lifestyle changes that are uncomfortable. The reader can dream about a life of romance and adventure without feeling pressed to take any steps to make it a reality.
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Joi said…
I still need to read Zombie Survival Guide, but World War Z is definitely one of my favorites. It's suprisingly well thought-out.
3:00 PM
Herch said…
On the lines of zombie books, are you aware of the book "Pride and Prejudice and Zombies"? From what I've heard about it, it takes Jane Austin's text, and without altering any of it, inserts scenes featuring zombies at appropriate intervals. I am very intrigued to see how the book turns out.
12:01 AM
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