Classic Starts®: The Voyages of Doctor Dolittle

Hugh Lofting (1886–1947) was a British children’s author, best known for his Doctor Dolittle series. Lofting began his career as a civil engineer before enlisting in the British Army to serve in the First World War. While at war, he began writing letters to his children, which soon became the stories of Doctor Dolittle. After being seriously wounded in the war and returning home, Lofting published his first book, The Story of Doctor Dolittle in 1920. Its sequel, The Voyages of Doctor Dolittle won the Newbery Medal. The series spawned an additional eight sequels and has been adapted into numerous film and stage adaptations. In addition to children’s books, Lofting also wrote Victory for the Slain, a long poem that described the futility of the First World War.