Bob's Book Reviews: Author Bill Bryson

RALEIGH, N.C. — Author and book reviewer Bob Cairns caught up with Bill Bryson, author of A Walk in the Woods (soon to become a Robert Redford produced movie starring Emma Thompson), One Summer: America 1927 and numerous others books. Bryson has more books than any other author in the 40 years of The Sunday Times bestsellers list. Cairns asked him what his favorite older books are. Here's what he had to say:

"The two older books that jump to mind for me are Lost Horizon by James Hilton, which is a classic adventure book (the one about Shangri-la), which I read at a single sitting when I was about 15 and haven’t had the nerve to go back to since for fear that the repeat experience wouldn’t be so magical, and The Ascent of Rum Doodle by W.R. Bowman, a parody of an Everest expedition. It was written by an unknown Englishman and is completely forgotten now, but it is the funniest book I have ever read — and it is one that I have returned to again and again."