Rum Doodle Postcard

The Ascent of Rum Doodle is a short 1956 novel by W. E. Bowman (1911-1985). It is a parody of the non-fictional chronicles of mountaineering expeditions (notably Maurice Herzog's book Annapurna chronicling the first ascent of Mt. Annapurna in Nepal) that were popular during the 1950s, as many of the world's highest peaks were climbed for the first time. A new edition was released in 2001 with an introduction by the contemporary humorist Bill Bryson. It has been critically well received. Though a parody, it has become one of the most famous and celebrated books of mountaineering literature. The book has been republished several times since 1956. The current edition is published by Pimlico, an imprint of Random House. A bar and restaurant in Kathmandu, called Rum Doodle and decorated with pictures from the book, has become a popular staging point for expeditions to Mt. Everest. Many expeditions are given large wooden footprints to sign which are then nailed to the wall, ceilings and even the bar. The wall bears signatures from many famous mountaineers, including Sir Edmund Hillary, Reinhold Messner, Ed Viesturs, Rob Hall, and many Sherpas, including Ang Rita.