Send us a Text Message. Embarking on the path to American citizenship is like navigating a thorny maze, complete with pitfalls and the occasional glimmer of hope. Leah's trek through this labyrinth has been a tale of persistence, dotted with absurdities only Dan's wit could dress up in comedic garb. We peel back the layers of paperwork and process, revealing personal stories from Leah's Canadian upbringing to the poignant struggles of maintaining one's identity amidst a bureaucratic...

Send us a Text Message. Welcome to another gripping episode of the Zombie Book Club! This week, hosts Dan and Leah dive deep into the complex world of "The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live," a thrilling post-apocalyptic drama that continues the saga of beloved characters while introducing us to new, challenging environments. As totalitarian regimes merge with the undead threat, the series not only provides edge-of-your-seat horror but also profound existential questions that tug at the very...

Send us a Text Message. Welcome to the "Zombie Book Club," the podcast where Dan and Leah meet in their zombie bunker to discuss zombies, spreadsheets, and survival stories. In this episode, Dan shares his progress on writing about resilient people surviving a zombie outbreak. Meanwhile, Leah talks about her book club spreadsheets, detailing representation and demographics in the books we have read here on Zombie Book Club, including a breakdown by race and gender. Leah also explores other...

Send us a Text Message. Welcome to this thrilling episode of the Zombie Book Club, where today, we're not just surviving a zombie apocalypse from the comfort of our couches but also dissecting the South Korean sensation, #Alive. Directed by Cho Il-hyung and starring Yoo Ah-in and Park Shin-hye, this film takes us on a nerve-wracking ride with Oh Joon-woo, a gamer trapped in his apartment during a terrifying outbreak. With no one but his digital connections to keep him company, Joon-woo must...

Send us a Text Message. Ever found yourself in a battle for your literal survival? That's what we're unpacking in our 40th milestone episode of the Zombie Book Club. Strap on your snowshoes for a wild ride from harrowing tales of a snowpocalypse, to the everyday resilience needed to juggle a physically demanding job and a passion for podcasting.  There's a raw authenticity as we peel back the layers of navigating work with disabilities, a journey riddled with PTSD and physical injuries. The...

Unearth the sociopolitical depths of "Night of the Living Dead" in our latest podcast episode. Leah and Dan invite you to a riveting discussion on the iconic 1968 film and its 1990 remake, where we sift through the black and white terror and the vivid hues of zombie evolution. We're not just talking about undead brain-eaters; we delve into the human condition, peppering our analysis with humor and personal anecdotes to keep the macabre mood at bay. We dissect the cultural impact of George...

Ever found yourself laughing in the face of adversity, or perhaps disguising discomfort with a tough exterior? Our most recent heart-to-heart unravels the complex web of toxic masculinity, diving into how these cultural norms, from emotional suppression to enforced stoicism, wreak havoc on mental health just as fiercely as a zombie apocalypse would on humanity. We share candidly about our personal mental health journeys, including the ongoing battle with PTSD and how these experiences mirror...

Hold on to your baguettes, because we're dissecting "Daryl Dixon", where we follow Daryl from The Walking Dead as he stumbles into zombified France in his own spin off. We're peeling back the layers of character development and questioning whether the series is losing its human touch amidst the gore, and pondering if the latest spin-off is more famine than feast in the substance department. We dish out our dreams for the future of the franchise while keeping our critique glasses firmly in...

Ever faced down the wild, colorful haired monster that is an internet troll? Prepare yourself for a direct confrontation with the Troll epidemic! Hoist the mainsail as we navigate the treacherous seas of gender misconceptions, drop anchor to challenge stereotypes and unravel media misrepresentation, discussing the myths surrounding gender-affirming care and the origin of the Bechdel test. We ready our grappling hooks to scale the fortified ramparts of the systemic barricades women face in...

Join us as we delve into "Planet Dead," a thrilling exploration of a post-apocalyptic world that masterfully blends dark comedy with the stark realities of survival, featuring formidable Black heroines and unforgettable clown cannibals. Sylvester gives us insight into the inspirations behind this gripping tale, including the societal reflections that underscore the narrative, and shares his perspective on the future of humanity amidst our own self-made barriers. With a keen eye for character...

In this thrilling episode of the Zombie Book Club, hosts Dan and Leah take a nostalgic trip back to 2003 to revisit "28 Days Later," the film that redefined the zombie genre for both of them. As they lament the current impossibility of screening the movie due to Sony's rights acquisition for the upcoming sequel, "28 Years Later," they also celebrate the unexpected hero of the day: the librarian who ensures this cinematic gem remains accessible through interlibrary loans. Dan and Leah delve...

Welcome back to the Zombie Book Club, where your hosts, Dan and Leah, take a deep dive into the curious and potentially groundbreaking concept of Zombiechosis. This episode, we're stepping away from our usual undead narratives to explore a mental health phenomenon that's yet to be recognized in the DSM but feels eerily familiar to our modern lives. Inspired by the distress seen in captive animals, known as zoochosis, we ponder if humans are experiencing a similar fate, dubbing it...

"Cargo" delivers a post-apocalyptic journey set in the desolate landscapes of Australia, where Andy, a father infected by a pandemic virus turning humans into zombies, races against time to secure a future for his infant daughter, Rosie. After the tragic demise of his wife, Kay, Andy and Rosie navigate the perils of the Australian outback, encountering survivors and the constant menace of zombies. Among these survivors is Thoomi, an Aboriginal girl who believes in the curative powers of the...

Strap in for an offbeat adventure with us, Dan and Leah, as we navigate the peculiar crossroads of zombie obsessions and real-world quandaries. We wrestle with resume woes and career switcheroos, all while pondering the unyielding grip of the undead on our collective imagination. Welcome to our eclectic universe, where the day-to-day grind meets the fantastical, and where voice acting antics collide with heartfelt discussions about climate change and sustainable living. This session is a...

Get ready to march into the macabre with our discussion on CONPLAN 8888 – the Army's zombie apocalypse battle plan that's more than just a punchline. Dan and Leah, your battle-hardened hosts, sift through the pages of the U.S. Army's most bizarre contingency with wit and wisdom, SO MUCH WISDOM. We're not just talking about the walking dead; we're analyzing the military's strategic humor, contemplating its role in training, and decoding the different zombie types the Department of Defense...

Ever wonder how a zombie apocalypse would treat those with disabilities? Or what the barking of dogs might add to the quality of a podcast? Grab your headphones and join us as we navigate ableism in the zombie apocalypse. We discuss the unexpected potential of clay cats as currency in the apocalypse and the portrayal of people with disabilities in apocalyptic media. We're serving up a concoction of humor and depth that’ll have you pondering and chuckling in equal measure. This episode is not...

Ever feel like the world’s taking a turn for the apocalyptic, and all you can do is laugh—or maybe raise a katana like Tilda Swinton's enigmatic Zelda Winston? That's the vibe we're catching in our latest chat about "The Dead Don't Die," where the dry wit and consumerist zombies of this eccentric flick have us talking. From the star-studded cast's quirky on-screen magic to the all-too-real parallel of fracking-induced environmental disasters, we've got a spread of topics that'll have you...

Join hosts Dan and Leah as they introduce the "Casual Dead"; the Podcast within the podcast within the book club. Dan shares his recent social media misadventure, a thread that spiraled into a chaotic debate, and contemplates a career shift to social media management. Leah, on the other hand, talks about her artistic escapades, from crafting clay mushroom incense holders to exploring digital art. The duo also introduces their new weekly format, promising a mix of casual chats, zombie news,...

2023 is officially over, and what a wild ride it's been! Celebrate with us as we mark a year of thrilling reads and apocalyptic scenarios, all while navigating the juggernaut of daily life and personal battles. From the literary feast of 'The Girl with All the Gifts' to the gritty survival in 'Plague of the Dead' we've traversed the spectrum of undead fiction with laughter, insights from authors like Lori Calcuttaire, Brandon Starocci and Joshua Grant, and heartfelt discussions on more...

Have you ever pondered the thin line separating human from alien, or grappled with the notion that our primal instincts might override societal norms? Tune in as we journey through Octavia Butler's "Clay's Ark," a poignant and harrowing tale that compels us to confront such unsettling questions. With a trigger warning firmly in place, we launch into a robust dialogue on the challenging themes this novel tackles – from graphic violence to the nature of humanity in the face of a mysterious...

In this episode of Zombie Book Club, we delve into the CDC's ingenious strategy for public health communication: a comic book about zombie apocalypse as a metaphor for real-world disasters. We discuss how this approach not only captivated global audiences but also effectively raised awareness about emergency preparedness. From examining the comic's narrative to critiquing its representation of women, LGBTQ+ communities, and racial diversity, we offer a comprehensive analysis. Co-hosts Dan and...

Get ready to embark on a whirlwind journey through the captivating world of the Netflix series, "Kingdom." Dare to venture into the realm of the undead as we unpack the historical Korean zombie series. We promise you a mind-bending exploration of power, leadership, and fear of the unknown in a world gone rogue - a world where the dead rise, and the living fight for control. From splendid visuals to shocking plot twists, and the cultural significance of the show, we take you on a riveting...

2004 Dawn of the Dead - Unearthing a Zombie Classic In this episode, join us as we dive into the 2004 remake of "Dawn of the Dead," directed by Zack Snyder. We dissect the story of Ana, a nurse navigating a nightmarish, zombie-ridden world, and her encounters with a diverse group of survivors in a shopping mall. As they fend off hordes of fast, aggressive zombies, internal conflicts and ethical challenges, such as Andre's harrowing ordeal with his zombie family, bring tension to a boiling...

Would you rather fight one horse-sized zombie or 100 duck-sized zombies? Well, get ready for our zombie game show inspired by Hollywood Squares and Snatch Game.  This episode of Zombie Book Club is a hilarious rollercoaster ride into the world of zombie apocalypses. We have on board with us Laurie Calcaterra, martial arts master and writer-creator of 'Path of the Pale Rider', Joshua Grant, who is bringing his bestselling comic 'Another Zombie Apocalypse' to life on screen, and Eric Mills, an...