Zombie reading list for fans of "The Walking Dead"

A couple weeks ago, season four of The Walking Dead premiered on AMC to a record-breaking number of viewers. If you are a fan of the show or just enjoy some gore in your reading material, here is a list of zombie-related books to check out. You'll be surprised at some of the titles we have! First up, the most obvious:

The Walking Dead by Robert Kirkman
TEEN GRAPHIC NOVEL WALKING DEAD
RANDALL OAKS TEEN GRAPHIC NOVEL KIRKMAN
An epidemic of apocalyptic proportions has swept the globe causing the dead to rise and feed on the living. In a matter of months society has crumbled-- no government, no grocery stores, no mail delivery, no cable TV. In a world ruled by the dead, we are forced to finally start living.

Eighteen volumes have been published in this graphic novel series so far. You may check out each volume individually or....


...if you want to binge-read, I recommend:

The Walking Dead Compendium
TEEN GRAPHIC NOVEL WALKING DEAD

Compendium 1 collects issues 1-48 (Volumes 1-8)
Compendium 2 collects issues 49-96 (Volumes 9-16)

You will still need to request Volume 17: Something to Fear and Volume 18: What Comes After after reading both volumes to be current with the entire series!

If you do decide to binge-read, please be cautious, or you may end up like me, waking up in the middle of the night, screaming and holding out both arms in front of you in self-defense against an approaching walker. Embarrassingly, I can only handle zombies/horror in small doses.

FICTION

World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War by Max Brooks
FICTION BROOKS
An account of the decade-long conflict between humankind and hordes of the predatory undead is told from the perspective of dozens of survivors who describe in their own words the epic human battle for survival. See also: the movie adaptation starring Brad Pitt: World War Z (DVD)

Zone One by Colson Whitehead
RANDALL OAKS FICTION WHITEHEAD
In this wry take on the post-apocalyptic horror novel, a pandemic has devastated the planet. The plague has sorted humanity into two types: the uninfected and the infected, the living and the living dead.

Paul is Undead: The British Zombie Invasion by Alan Goldsher
FICTION GOLDSHER
Can the Beatles sublimate their hunger for gray matter, remain on top of the charts, and stay together for all eternity? After all, three of the Fab Four "are" zombies, and zombies live forever ....

Rise Again: A Zombie Thriller by Ben Tripp
FICTION TRIPP
Sheriff Danielle Adelman is threatened when her small town of Forest Peak is in danger of being overrun by residents who have suddenly died and become zombies and she flees across the California desert, searching for her missing sister.

TEEN

The Enemy by Charlie Higson
TEEN HIGSON
RANDALL OAKS TEEN HIGSON
After a disease turns everyone over sixteen into brainless, decomposing, flesh-eating creatures, a group of teenagers leave their shelter and set out for a harrowing journey across London to the safe haven of Buckingham Palace. More in this series: The Dead, The Fear, The Sacrifice.

Ashes by Ilsa Bick
TEEN BICK
Alex, a resourceful seventeen-year-old running from her incurable brain tumor, Tom, who has left the war in Afghanistan, and Ellie, an angry eight-year-old, join forces after an electromagnetic pulse sweeps through the sky and kills most of the world's population, turning some of those who remain into zombies and giving the others superhuman senses. More in this series: Shadows, Monsters

Dearly, Departed by Lia Habel
TEEN HABEL
In the year 2195 when society is technologically advanced but follows the social mores of Victorian England, recently orphaned Nora Dearly is left at the mercy of her domineering, social-climbing aunt, until she is nearly kidnapped by zombies and falls in with a group of mysterious, black-clad commandos. More in this series: Dearly, Beloved

Rot & Ruin by Jonathan Maberry
TEEN MABERRY
In a post-apocalyptic world where fences and border patrols guard the few people left from the zombies that have overtaken civilization, fifteen-year-old Benny Imura is finally convinced that he must follow in his older brother's footsteps and become a bounty hunter. More in this series: Dust & Decay, Flesh & Bone, Fire & Ash.

CRAFTS AND RECIPES

In these craft books zombies aren't so scary:

Creepy Cute Crochet: Zombies, Ninjas, Robots, and More! by Christen Haden
746.434 HAD

Zombie Felties: How to Raise 16 Gruesome Felt Creatures from the Undead by Nicola Tedman
746.0463 TED

The cupcake designs in these books are creepily impressive:

Zombie Cupcakes by Zilly Rosen
641.8653 ROS

A Zombie Ate My Cupcake! 25 Deliciously Weird Cupcake Recipes by Lily Vanili
641.8653 VAN

Do you think the zombie apocalypse is a real possibility? Do you wish you had some advice so you can adequately prepare for life as a zombie? If so, the following books are right up your alley.

How to Be a Zombie: The Essential Guide for Anyone who Craves Brains by Serena Valentino

TEEN 398.45 VAL

So Now You’re a Zombie: A Handbook for the Newly Undead by John Austin
FICTION AUSTIN

Cooking for One or Two

Recipes are generally sized for about four or six people, which is great if you are cooking for a family or a small dinner party (or one teenaged boy).  However, when your cooking for one or two, there is simply too much food.  You are faced with a dilemma, endless leftovers or trying to scale down the recipe (which sometimes leaves you with awkward quantities of unused ingredients like half a can of beans).   Thankfully there are plenty of cookbooks out there for solo and couple diners.  Below are some of my favorites:

Cooking for One:

Pleasures of Cooking for One by Judith Jones.
Find it in the catalog!
Judith Jones was an editor for Julia Child and James Beard, so she has pretty good foodie cred.  After losing her husband, she decided to come up with great meals to cook by herself.  This has lots of great classic dishes to make for yourself including Ratatouille and Boeuf Bourguigon.  My personal favorite is a poached egg nestled in greens.  It's yummy, takes about five minutes to make and is great for nights I barely feel like heating something in the microwave.  Jones gives you lots of good ideas for what to do with
leftovers too!

What We Eat When We Eat Alone by Deborah Madison.
Find it in the catalog!
This is an interesting look into the actual eating habits of solo diners. It has lots of smart, practical during the week recipes as well as some outlandish, treat yourself recipes.  This is the book I most frequently turn to when making dinner for myself.  My personal favorite recipe is the avocado taco recipe which is cheap, easy and delicious!

Serve Yourself: Nightly Adventures in Cooking for One by Joe Yonan.
Find it in the catalog!
If you want seriously delicious food with Southwestern accents definitely check out this title.  Most recipes have several layers of flavor going them on, which makes them tasty but probably not quick mid-week meals.  I really enjoyed his recipes for mushroom tacos with caramelized onions and goat cheese.  Even though it turned out ugly thanks to my poor omelet making skills, the Swiss chard, goat cheese and bacon omelet was completely delicious and could definitely feed more than one with a side salad.

Cooking for Two:

One Pan, Two Plates by Carla Snyder.  
Find it in the catalog!
If you are looking for quick but delicious weeknight meals for two check out this cookbook.  Each recipe includes the hands-on cooking time as well as the total cooking time, so you can plan your meals easily.  A variety of different cuisines are covered in this book including French, Italian, Thai, and Indian.  Some tasty sounding recipes include: three cheese mac and cheese with crispy prosciutto, lamb korma, and balsamic braised chicken thighs with figs and creamy polenta.

Not Your Mother's Slow Cooker Recipes for Two by Beth Hensperger.
Find it in the catalog!
During the winter months, I'm a huge fan of using my slow cooker.  Mainly because it means I don't have to spend any time actually cooking, I just have to do prep.  However, most slow cooker recipes make a lot of food and I wind up eating the same thing for days on end.  Thankfully, this book gives you recipes that are just big enough for two.  And it actually has small batch soup recipes!  Yummy sounding recipes include: Provencal tomato soup with poached egg, chicken with basil cream sauce, and skirt steak fajitas with tomato-olive salsa.

Small-Batch Baking by Debby Maugans Nakos.
Find it in the catalog!
Excess baked goods aren't usually a problem; odds are you can hoist them upon loved ones, friends and coworkers with little resistance.  Who doesn't like a homemade cookie?  However, if the temptation of having 30 delicious freshly baked cookies is too much temptation to bear, you can check out this book which sized for one or two portions.

Some New (and Cool) Additions to the Collection

Just an eclectic mix of some new non-fiction additions to the collection:

Japanese Sword Fighting: Secrets of the Samurai by Masaaki Hatsumi - on a cart full of books, THIS is the first one I picked up to look at. It's full of photos. Find it in the catalog

Surgeon in Blue: Jonathan Letterman, the Civil War Doctor Who Pioneered Battlefield Care by Scott McGaugh. Seems like an interesting angle on one more aspect of the Civil War. Might fit the bill for history and medical buffs alike. Find it in the catalog

iPad for Artists by Dani Jones. Mainly tutorials for different creative techniques, like drawing and painting, using art apps. Color photos/illustrations. Find it in the catalog

Asperger's Syndrome Workplace Survival Guide: A Neurotypical's Secrets for Success by Barbara Bissonnette. Excerpt from the book description: "It covers everything from choosing the right career to deciding whether disclosure is the right option. It features realistic strategies for meeting employer expectations and effectively resolving problems." Find it in the catalog

Quick Changes: Fresh Looks for Every Room (from House Beautiful). Little, but packed, with ideas to spruce up your home. Color photos. Find it in the catalog

Today is the Last Day of the Rest of Your Life by Ulli Lust. A massive graphic novel. From the description: "Two teenaged punk-rock girls hitchhike their way across Italy without a penny in their pockets..." Find it in the library catalog

The Universe: An Illustrated History of Astronomy by Tom Jackson. Lists 100 astronomical discoveries that changed history; includes a section in the
back of famous astronomers. Lots of Photos. Find it in the catalog

Detroit Rock City: The Uncensored History of Rock 'N' Roll in America's Loudest City by Steve Miller. I think the title says it all. Find it in the catalog

American Epic: Reading the U.S. Constitution by Garrett Epps. You must be dedicated for this one ... according to the book jacket, legal scholar Epps goes through the entire Constitution. Find it in the catalog

Abominable Science! Origins of the Yeti, Nessie, and Other Famous Cryptids by Daniel Loxton and Donald Prothero. Another one that has a descriptive enough title. Photos! Find it in the catalog

Recommended read: Some Girls, Some Hats and Hitler: A True Love Story Rediscovered

Some Girls, Some Hats and Hitler by Trudi Kanter
RANDALL OAKS 940.53 KAN
Find it in the catalog!

We hear it, coming from the end of the street. Closer, closer. Each step at the same split second. Each step the same length, loud, powerful, terrifying. We are like tiny ants whose nest has been disturbed, running in all directions, trying to find a hole, a blade of grass, somewhere--anywhere--to hide.

Originally self-published in 1984, Some Girls, Some Hats and Hitler is the memoir of Austrian hat designer Trudi Kanter, who escaped from Austria after the invasion and occupation of the Nazis. A successful owner of a hat business in Vienna, Ms. Kanter witnessed the changes in her beloved city  after the Nazis took over power. She knew she had to get herself and her parents out of Austria, and persevered to see their safety assured.

A great majority of Trudi Kanter's memories are written in the present tense, as if she is re-experiencing events and conversations. I love her use of prose. She vividly describes people and scenes in a very succinct way, such as this excerpt about her second husband Walter, when they were still dating:

His hand holds mine under the table, reaches for my knee. Summer breeze. The smell of wood, of pines, moss, living and dying. I like his choice of wine and food, the way he makes the waiters dance around us. The way he handles the night and me in the car. In the twilight his eyes are velvet purple.

While reading Ms. Kanter's recollections we are able to witness her love of Vienna, her awe of traveling through Paris checking out the latest hat designs and fashions, her terror of running out of time to live and becoming trapped in Austria, and finally her adjustment to living and starting over in London.

After doing the nearly impossible of procuring a visa for herself after the Austrian borders closed, Ms. Kanter then went about getting one for Walter, and later, for both her parents. I was amazed at the strength of this woman, and I recommend this book if you enjoy reading about history and would like to hear a unique perspective on World War II.

Check out our new eNewsletter for fiction fans

Whether your a fan of sit on the edge of your seat thrillers or nice light romances, odds are you'll find something useful in our newest eNewsletter for Fiction Lovers.  The latest edition has some sound advice on judging a book by its cover.

Confessions of Sociopath by M.E. Thomas

Most sociopaths (also known as psychopaths) aren't serial killers as the media might make you think. Most are productive and functioning human beings - you may know one - that often come across as extremely charming but manipulative individuals seemingly without a conscience. After reading Confessions of a Sociopath by M.E. Thomas I was enlightened to the more "everyday" sociopath among us.

Thomas (an alias for obvious reasons) runs the blog SociopathWorld, is a former lawyer, and a current law professor. Her opening anecdote was upsetting to the point that I doubted I could continue reading, but I forged ahead. She discusses some of the theories and diagnostic tests surrounding psychopathy, but she doesn't dismantle or attempt to prove any of them in depth, she mostly identifies with them or not. She's very confident, if not arrogant, about her abilities: occasionally she makes declarations such as "I am a genius." At times I couldn't shake the feeling that she was manipulating all of us "empaths" just a bit. However, I do applaud her honesty - her childhood didn't sound particularly rosy, which I wish she had explored a bit more. She adds some humanity to an otherwise generalized label. I recommend this book if you're interested in psychology and/or psychopathy, or if you want some insight into someone you know to be, or suspect might be, a sociopath.

Confessions of a Sociopath: A Life Spent Hiding in Plain Sight by M.E. Thomas
Find it in the catalog!

Beach Reads Display

Skip the airfare and travel from the comfort of your lawn chair by reading one of the books from our summer non-fiction display.  In keeping with the summer reading theme, all titles are travel related.  Here's a list of the current titles included.  You are sure to find something to love!