Austin Peay professors pen 'non-fiction academic zombie book' - WLOX.com - The News for South Mississippi

They're topping the box office and starring in one of cable TV's biggest hits. It seems like zombies are everywhere these days, even on the campus at Austin Peay State University.

History professor Antonio Thompson and his wife, biology professor Amy Thompson, are bringing the undead to academia with a book they've been writing morning, day, and night, The Real World Implications of the Zombie Apocalypse. Both professors at Austin Peay, the Thompsons say this is a work of non-fiction.

"The way we're approaching it is pretty unique," said Antonio Thompson.

The book's divided into academic fields, with Antonio Thompson using his expertise to address what could happen in government in an invasion of the living dead.

"There is a lot of political philosophy and theory regarding the formation of governments," said Antonio Thompson.

"The section I'm writing is how the Centers for Disease Control, how the World Health Organization respond when there is a viral outbreak," added Amy Thompson.  

Not only that, but the Thompsons said a Harvard professor is contributing a chapter on how the brain would be different in a zombie, and a member of the armed forces is writing on what the military's response would be to a zombie attack. Other chapters are written by an Austin Peay sociology professor, a theologist, and a business expert. All give their expert takes on how the world would react to a hypothetical zombie apocalypse.

"This seems to have generated more attention than anything I've ever worked on," laughed Antonio Thompson.

In bringing in experts in all different fields, the Thompsons said the goal is to use the hook of zombies as a means of exposing students to a number of academic fields.

"It's giving us the opportunity to engage students and faculty and the community at large," said Antonio Thompson. "Keep it enjoyable, and incorporate some of these students in there too. I think you can see thus far, we are being fairly successful."

After introducing their idea to publishers at Comic Con, the Thompsons are now working with McFarland Press.