BOOKS:

Zombies your thing? Read on

Friday, Oct. 16, 2009 | 2 a.m.

Who: Max Brooks
When: 7 tonight
Where: Clark County Library, 1401 E. Flamingo Road
Tickets: Free, 507-3400

There’s nothing like a rotting corpse slogging toward you with an empty gaze and flesh-eating desire. Its limbs fall with abandon, its hair is atrocious, and that muted, low, aching groan is alarming to say the least. Zombies wipe out entire towns by eating the decent citizens.

What makes for good movies, some of which have attained amazing cult status, is not such a great experience in real life. Fortunately, author Max Brooks helps us realize that the living dead need not be so deadly.

The best-selling author of “Zombie Survival Guide” and “World War Z” and former “Saturday Night Live” writer will be at the Clark County Library theater this evening to discuss his most recent book, “The Zombie Survival Guide: Recorded Attacks.”

Published this month by Random House, “Recorded Attacks” details significant zombie attacks throughout history. The first dates to 60,000 B.C. in central Africa. The 144-page paperback graphic novel includes “recorded” attacks and ensuing battles in 12 periods and locations, from Egypt to Los Angeles.

Brooks uses this documentation of how members of varying cultures speared, beheaded and were eaten by zombies as a preparedness tool. Who better than the son of director Mel Brooks to spin thought-provoking, educational and historic tales?

Tonight’s lecture includes a slide show and book signing.

Live chat: Tuesday, noon PST; Chat with Krista Creelman; Problem Gambling Center executive director Krista Creelman will answer questions about gambling addiction from Las Vegas Sun readers from noon to 1 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. ... Submit question