Synopses & Reviews
First published in 1956, The Ascent of Rum Doodle quickly became a mountaineering classic. As an outrageously funny spoof about the ascent of a peak in the Himalayas, many thought it was inspired by the 1953 conquest of Everest. But Bowman had drawn on the flavour and tone of earlier adventures, of Bill Tilman and his 1937 account of the Nandi Devi expedition. The books central and unforgettable character, Binder, is one of the finest creations in comic literature.
Review
"Wonderful . . . does for mountaineering what Three Men in a Boat did for Thames-going or Catch-22 did for the Second World War." Punch
Review
"[Bowman] proves himself to be an entertaining humorist who has much to offer for readers who like their outdoor humor dripping with understated British irony." Publishers Weekly
Review
"This wonderfully funny parody of adventure stories was first written in the 1950s but is just as fresh today with a truly brilliant comic narrator whose commentary on the expedition members is unintentionally hilarious. Buy it." Sunday Mirror
Synopsis
Led by the reliably underinsightful Binder, a team of seven British menincluding Dr. Prone (constantly ill), Jungle the route-finder (constantly lost), Constant the diplomat (constantly arguing), and 3,000 Yogistani portersset out to conquer the highest peak in the Himalayas. Though a parody, it has become one of the most famous and celebrated books of mountaineering literature.
Synopsis
An English comic novel about a World War II expedition to a Himalayan peak.
WITH AN INTRODUCTION BY BILL BRYSON
An outrageously funny spoof about the ascent of a 40,000-and-a-half-foot peak, The Ascent of Rum Doodle has been a cult favourite since its publication in 1956. Led by the reliably under-insightful Binder, a team of seven British men -- including Dr Prone (constantly ill), Jungle the route finder (constantly lost), Constant the diplomat (constantly arguing) -- and 3,000 Yogistani porters sets out to conquer the highest peak in the Himalayas.
Synopsis
W.E. Bowman (1912-1985) was a civil engineer who spent his free time hill-walking, painting and writing (unpublished) books on the Theory of Relativity.
About the Author
W. E. Bowman (19111985) was a civil engineer who spent his free time hill-walking, painting, and writing (unpublished) books on the Theory of Relativity. Bill Bryson is the author of A Short History of Nearly Everything and A Walk in the Woods.