Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #4746 in Books
• Published on: 2001-10-04
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 160 pages

Synopsis
First published in 1956, The Ascent of Rum Doodle quickly became established as a mountaineering classic. As an outrageously funny spoof about the ascent of a 40,000-and-a-half-foot peak, many thought it 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 book's central and unforgettable character, Binder, is one of the finest creations in comic literature.

Customer Reviews

Very disappointing
I bought this book based on the number of excellent reviews written and the foreword by Bill Bryson. Having read a number of Bill Bryson books I thought this would keep me entertained. I was exceedingly let down. There are a few good moments but overall the book did not live up to its billing. A significant number of the jokes are writen in different ways but are essentially the same. I was left feeling happy that the book was quite short (<200 pages) which meant I could finish it quickly and move onto something more enjoyable.

A comedy masterpiece
I stumbled upon this book in an old second-hand bookshop, though why the previous owner chose to part with it is a mystery to me. It is absolutely hilarious from beginning to end. The way in which the loveable central character, Binder, never lets the catalogue of disasters get him down, and sees beyond the utter incompetence and laziness of his comrades - who are more interested in hypochondria or gastronomy than climbing a mountain - had me crying with laughter throughout. His blind optimism is touching and uplifting; and his eternal praise for the gruff porters - and mortal fear of offending the fearsome chef, Pong - is hilarious.

If you liked Diary of a Nobody or Three Men in a Boat, then you really will not fail with this book.

A classic. If you don't own it, then buy it!
I very much enjoy humour books and have been reading and collecting them for years. This one is certainly in my top ten. I first read it about 15 or so years ago, after stumbling across it in a bookstore, and remember laughing aloud a lot at some of the wonderfully cosy and subtle humour. In fact, back then I re-read it about four times, and then lent it out to everyone I knew who I thought would like it. I remember my sister finding it hysterical (but then she enjoys subtle humour based on character and found 'Diary of a Nobody' hilarious too).

What prompted me to write this review is that I was surfing through these pages yesterday and came across the entry for the Ascent of Rum Doodle, and looked at the other reviews, and doing that caused me to pop up in the attic and dig out the book and read it again last night. Although it had that 'time gap' quality to it, like watching an old Morecambe & Wise show that you haven't seen for years and so you can't help comparing how you feel now with how you felt when you first encountered it, and although it was so familiar that I could almost recite the jokes in it, I *still* thought it was great. That same cosiness was there, together with that real sense of having stumbled across something very 'different' to the norm - and certainly different to the run-of-the-mill 'comedy' books you usually find churned out.

I won't say much about the storyline, since that's covered already above, but will suggest that everyone give themselves a real treat and buy a copy of The Ascent of Rum Doodle (the Voyage of the Flying Fish - another Bowman book - is pretty good too, but Rum Doodle is the one to curl up with and have a really nice time).

Can't give this book anything but 5 stars!