The Ascent of Rum Doodle

The world’s highest mountain awaits—and the world’s worst mountaineers (this side of Monty Python) are on their way to climb to its peak.

Named by The Guardian as one of the “1000 Novels Everyone Must Read,” (and by Bill Bryson as “one of the funniest books you will ever read.”), this classic laugh-out-loud novel was first published in 1956 and never out-of-print somewhere in the world since then.

Our adventure begins as Sir Hugeley Havering, chairman of the Rum Doodle Committee, puts the challenge squarely, “to climb Mont Blanc by the Grépon route is one thing; to climb Rum Doodle is, as Totter once said, quite another.” Armed with that wise warning, yet with typical British aplomb, Binder assembles a team and heads for Yogistan. Their goal: the ascent of Rum Doodle: elevation 40,000 and 1/2 feet.

The intrepid cast of characters include Dr. Prone, the expedition's doctor, constantly incapacitated by sudden illnesses; Mr. Jungle, charged with navigation, forever losing his way and cabling for money from obscure locations; and Mr. Constant, who alone speaks the native language of their guides and porters, through linguistic error provokes not just one but several riots. Led by Mr. Binder, whose narration would have you believe his crew and mission represent historic bravery and grit, these daring incompetents cut their path to the summit of Rum Doodle (sort of). A treat for any reader who loves to laugh.