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 favorite 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), and Constant the diplomat (constantly arguing) -- along with 3,000 Yogistani porters, sets out to conquer the highest peak in the Himalayas.