World War Z
In short
World War Z is a 2006 zombie apocalyptic horror novel written by American author Max Brooks.
What is happening
The book presents an oral history of a global conflict against a zombie plague through various individual accounts. These interviews are recorded by an agent of the United Nations Postwar Commission to document the social and political impact of the war.
When
The novel was published in 2006.
Why it matters
It uses a unique documentary style to explore how different nations and social classes react to a global catastrophe. The narrative covers diverse locations ranging from Antarctica to outer space.
Easy to mix up
It is often confused with the 2013 film adaptation starring Brad Pitt, which follows a different plot structure.