“The love of all living creatures
is the most noble attribute of man.”
Charles Darwin
Courtesy of Eredus:
“After you have exhausted what there is
in business, politics, conviviality, and so on –
have found that none of these finally satisfy,
or permanently wear – what remains?
Nature remains.”
Walt Whitman
Courtesy of BBC Earth:
Courtesy of Sustainable Human:
HUGH LOFTING
1886 – 1947
Doctor Dolittle, one of the best-loved characters in children’s literature, was born in the mud and blood of the Flanders trenches in World War I. His creator, Hugh Lofting, was appalled by the casual cruelties inflicted on the horses that worked and died so bravely in the front lines. Despairing of man’s inhumanity, Lofting imagined a world in which he could talk to the animals and ask them about their joys and sorrows.
“Imagine” by John Lennon, performed by Emeli Sandé:
In his weekly letters home to his two small children, he invented a doctor who lived in the peaceful English village of Puddleby-on-the-Mash. He called him Dolittle – the nickname he’d given his son Colin. Doctor Dolittle lost his patients because he kept so many pets. So, instead, he cared for the animals, who taught him their language.
“Talk To The Animals” (courtesy of NewportTheatreGuild):
Second Lieutenant Lofting read parts of these stories by candlelight to his fellow soldiers in the trenches. One told Colin years later that they had saved his sanity. Around the edges of the letters, Lofting sketched his unassuming hero – a portly, rather unkempt figure in a frock coat and top hat.
This endearing figure – thoughtful, scholarly, and impractical – could have been created by a rural vicar. But Lofting, a dark, brooding man of Irish stock, had a more colourful life. He was born in Maidenhead in 1886, the youngest of six children. His father, a clerk of works, made it clear to the young boy that writing was not a man’s career.
So Lofting left home, qualifying as a civil engineer in Boston and London and spending the next five years prospecting in Canada and building railways in West Africa and Havana. He returned to the US where he married an American debutante, Flora Small, and settled in New York City to turn his hand to writing stories. It was a gamble. Their first child, Elizabeth, was born in 1913. The short stories he wrote were published in magazines but barely paid the bills.
Then came World War I. After working for the British Ministry of Information in New York, Lofting was commissioned into the Irish Guards. In 1918, wounded and sent home, he found that Flora had kept his letters. Back in New York, he decided to turn them into a book. If there was one thing Lofting had in common with Dr Dolittle, it was his deep love of animals. As a boy in Maidenhead, he had maintained a small zoo and a natural history museum in the back of a linen cupboard until his mother found it after following a trail of white mice.
Lofting’s youngest, Christopher, recalled taking home baby birds that had fallen out of their nests. With anybody else, they would have died within hours. But his father would put the bird under a lamp, feed it with a pipette or a matchstick, and six weeks later he would open a window and the bird would fly out.
Courtesy of Kinder World:
The Story of Doctor Dolittle
In the Dolittle books, Lofting imbued that love of the animals in millions of his young readers by the brilliantly simple stratagem of creating the one man who was allowed to learn their language. The first, The Story of Doctor Dolittle, was published on both sides of the Atlantic to huge and immediate success.
The glorious opening sequence from the 1967 film “Doctor Dolittle” (courtesy of Jacob Coronado):
In this and the subsequent Dolittle adventures, he created a delightful menagerie of animal characters: Polynesia, the short-tempered parrot, the double-headed Pushmi-Pullyu, Dab-Dab, the duck, and Gub-Gub, the pig, and the caterpillar as long as a village street, with gout in a dozen of its feet, Jip, the dog, and the owl, Too-Too. In many books, the narrator is young Tommy Stubbins, the Doctor’s apprentice and wide-eyed admirer.
“The Carnival of the Animals: X. Aviary” by Camille Saint-Saëns (courtesy of Arpege’s Music):
Lofting won prestigious literary awards during his lifetime, but Dr Dolittle became a millstone around his neck. He had drunk quite heavily since being invalidated out of the army in 1918. This turned towards alcoholism as his wife Flora succumbed to mental illness. She died in 1927, and the following year he married New Yorker, Katherine Peters. Two weeks after their wedding, she died from pneumonia contracted on their honeymoon.
“The Last Rose of Summer” (Irish Traditional), performed by Barry Douglas, piano, and Eimear McGeown, Irish flute:
Doctor Dolittle on the Moon
A few months later he published a Doctor Dolittle novel that stranded him on the Moon – his effort to dispose of his hero. Alcoholism and grief pitched him into manic depression. But public pressure was such that in 1933 he was forced to bring Dolittle back. In the last four books, the gentle Doctor becomes Lofting’s mouthpiece to express his discontent with the modern world, its materialism, and heedlessness.
In 1935 he married for the third time, to a young nurse half his age. They moved to California, where he found happiness. But the outbreak of World War II redoubled his pessimism. Turned down by the Irish Guards when he attempted to re-enlist, he started drinking again and eventually died of liver failure in 1947, aged 61.
“Piano Concerto No. 1 in E-Flat Major”, H. 27: II. by John Field, performed by Míċeál O’Rourke and London Mozart Players:
Lofting bequeathed to the world one of the imperishable characters of children’s fiction – the subject of three Hollywood films, one starring Rex Harrison and another, Eddie Murphy, and a stage musical. Doctor Dolittle’s books are as enthralling as ever.
“Books teach you to conquer the world with your love!”
Dr Manoj Bhambu
The Voyages of Doctor Dolittle
The Voyages of Doctor Dolittle is the second book in Hugh Lofting’s beloved series about a very kind doctor who can talk to animals and the one that most happily conveys the richness of the author’s invention. If the doctor’s linguistic wizardry weren’t entertaining enough, he also has a habit of falling into fanciful adventures in the company of his pets, whom I have mentioned previously.
Courtesy of TED-Ed:
The narrator, the young boy Tommy Stubbins gives the account of what is going on in Dolittle’s household and on the epic journey from their home base in the village of Puddle-by-on-Marsh to the floating atoll called Spidermonkey Island, where they hope to examine the rare Jabizri beetle. In the course of their travels, Dolittle and company brave a shipwreck, encounter the Great Glass Sea Snail, and solve the mystery of the disappearance of the great naturalist known as Long Arrow.
Throughout, Lofting’s wit and warmth, and the beautifully realised characters, human and animal, provide a happy counterpoint to the compelling story of their perilous escapades, making The Voyages of Doctor Dolittle a perfect vehicle in which to explore the pleasure and promise of wonderful storytelling.
An extract from The Story of Doctor Dolittle:
“Once upon a time, many years ago – when our grandfathers were little children – there was a doctor and his name was Dolittle – John Dolittle, M.D. It means that he was a proper doctor and knew a whole lot. He lived in a little town called Puddleby-on-the-Marsh. All the folks, young and old, knew him well by sight. And whenever he walked down the street in his high hat everyone would say, ‘There goes the Doctor! He’s a clever man.’
And the dogs and the children would all run up and follow behind him; and even the crows that lived in the church tower would caw and nod their heads. The house he lived in, on the edge of the town, was quite small, but his garden was very large and had a wide lawn and stone seats and weeping willows hanging over. His sister, Sarah Dolittle, was the housekeeper for him, but the Doctor looked after the garden himself.
He was very fond of animals and kept many kinds of pets. Besides the goldfish in the pond at the bottom of his garden, he had rabbits in the pantry, white mice in his piano, a squirrel in the linen closet, and a hedgehog in the cellar. He had a cow with a calf too, and an old lame horse – twenty-five years of age – and chickens and pigeons and two lambs and many other animals. But his favourite pets were Dab-Dab, the duck; Jip, the dog; Gub-Gub, the baby pig; Polynesia, the parrot; and the owl, Too-Too.
His sister used to grumble about all these animals and said they made the house untidy. And one day when an old lady with rheumatism came to see the Doctor, she sat on the hedgehog, who was sleeping on the sofa, and never came to see him more, but drove every Saturday all the way to Oxenthorpe, another town ten miles off, to see a different doctor.
‘Surely, Dab-Dab,’ said he, ‘we have some cockroaches!’
Then his sister, Sarah Dolittle, came to him and said,
‘John, how can you expect sick people to come and see you when you keep all these animals in the house? It’s a fine doctor would have his parlour full of hedgehogs and mice! That is the fourth personage these animals have driven away. Squire Jenkins and the Parson say they wouldn’t come near your house again – no matter how ill they are. We are getting poorer every day. If you go on like this, none of the best people will have you for a doctor.’
‘But I like the animals better than the ‘best people,’ said the Doctor.
‘You are ridiculous,’ said his sister and walked out of the room.
Courtesy of Christopher Szafran-Luce:
naturetails 
Lovely share, Joanna. I think you could serve as a role model for Dr Dolittle, but you always do so much. I enjoyed this.
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Thank you, Pat, for such wonderful comments, which are greatly appreciated!
Joanna
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You are very welcome, Joanna. I remember how you communicate with the groundhog, cat, and all of your birds.
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Dear Joanna, once again I have to say that I have no words to express the fascination that your fabulous articles arouse in me.
I knew of Doctor Dolittle from having seen the films, but I knew nothing about its author,
that’s why your article aroused in me the greatest interest, also for the beautiful passages you quoted, and for the beautiful images, videos and music that you shared
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It is true, Pat, because animals are more intelligent than most people realise. I wrote about my communication with Gaby, a hedgehog who lived with me.
Joanna
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Hugh Lofting, like many people wanted an escape from the mundane daily chores of life and the horrors of war. He found his escape in his writings about Dr. Dolittle and likely helped many of his fellows in the trenches escape if only for a short time. Too bad about the dreaded drink that took him, but we were lucky to have him and his stories. I agree with Pat, you also fit the role model of respect for nature and all God’s creatures. Happy Thursday Joanna. Allan
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Thank you, dear Luisa, for your wonderful comments! I don’t think I warrant the praise, as it is the writer and his work that make my post interesting, but I thank you for your kind words, which are much appreciated!
Joanna x
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Thank you so much, Allan, for your beautiful comments, which lift my spirit! With so much turbulence in the world around us, we need the gentleness of nature and books like Dr Doolittle.
Joanna
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Great essay. I knew almost nothing about Lofting before reading it. I also didn’t know there are more than one Dolittle book.
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Thank you, Neil, for your kind comments, which are greatly appreciated! I am so glad that you know more after reading my post, and I hope it will continue in the following posts.
Joanna
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This is a lovely tribute to an amazing writer and artist. His stories are brilliant but I especially love his drawings, so simple and so poignant! Out of the trauma and tragedy of war, he found simplicity and joy in his writing and drawing. Thank you Joanna, for presenting this now whilst there is so much negativity in todays world! 🤗💐😘💌
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Happy 4th July Day, Neil!
Joanna
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Thank you, Ashley, for your beautiful comments, which are greatly appreciated! You are right, we do need the gentleness of such stories to keep our spirits up, and hope for a better future in our hearts.
Joanna
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It is always a real pleasure to read your articles, dear Joanna 🙏🙏🙏
…. and this was no exception 💓
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Thank you, dear Luisa, for your kindness!
Joanna
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Dr Dolittle was a delight of my childhood but I’m ashamed to say never knew anything about Hugh Lofting, so I thank you for educating me. I always knew that he must have been a man with a very tender heart and I am sorry that he had is so badly broken too many times. I don’t wonder that two world wars would have affected him terribly, never mind losing two wives. The films here are just lovely and it was nice to hear Anna Breytenbach’s voice which I recognised immediately. She has a very special connection to Nature! Thank you for this mood lifter!
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Thank you so much, Carolyn, for the wonderful comments, which made my day! Your beautiful thoughts are much appreciated!
Joanna
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I love all the critters out there!!
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Thank you so much, GP, for your wonderful comment, which is much appreciated!
Joanna
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Frankly, I don’t trust a person who doesn’t like animals.
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That is my feeling too, GP! Thank you!
Joanna
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🙏💞🙏
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XXX!
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Looks like very interesting stories with lovely illustrations. I-Day greetings, friend!
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Thank you, Indira, for your lovely comments, which are greatly appreciated! Greetings to you to, Indira!
Joanna
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Thank you so much, Joanna, for this wonderful post on Hugh Lofting and his creation of the classic and timeless character, Dr. John Dolittle—my personal favourite. A doctor who spoke the language of animals and loved them more than his patients, Dolittle remains an enduring symbol of compassion and imagination.
While Lofting’s personal life was marred by hardship—struggles with alcoholism, grief, depression, and ultimately liver cirrhosis—his literary journey was truly remarkable. Despite his father’s dismissive view that writing couldn’t be one’s profession, he followed his passion of writing.
His story brings to mind several parallels. Lofting’s letters to his children remind me of the letters written by our former Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, to his daughter Indira (who also went on to become PM), during his imprisonment in Ahmednagar Fort. Those letters with insights on Indian history, culture, politics, and philosophy—later became the foundation of his celebrated book “The Discovery of India.’
Like Lofting, a civil engineer, Chetan Bhagat, another engineer from IIT Delhi and MBA from IIM Ahmedabad, who became an investment banker continued writing. Many of his books have even inspired popular Hindi films.
Closer to home, I recall a colleague’s son who, after graduating from IIT and receiving lucrative offers from MNCs, chose instead to travel across India. He also co-founded YourQuote, a platform for sharing quotes and poetry. Similarly, Saurabh Bothra, an IIT-BHU graduate, opted yoga teaching as his profession.
Thank you once again, Joanna, for sharing such an engaging and enriching post, beautifully supplemented with relevant images, audios, and videos.
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Thank you so much, Kaushal, for your wonderful comments, and for the addition of relevant facts. I am always waiting for your review as it makes my day! I love Dr. Dolittle books because I communicate with wildlife in my garden, whether wasps, bumblebees, birds, frogs or plants.
Thank you again, dear Kaushal, your words are deeply appreciated!
Joanna
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It’s truly my pleasure, Joanna, to read your posts in silence. You’re most welcome!
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Thank you, Kaushal!
Joanna
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Very nice!!
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Thank you for sharing such a complete and sensitive journey through Lofting’s life and Dolittle’s magic. A reading that encourages us to return to the essentials: tenderness, connection and deep respect for all life forms. 🌿✨
Have a beautiful day, appreciated Joanna. 🤗🫂✨
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Thank you, Lincol, for the beautiful comments, which are greatly appreciated!
Joanna
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Thank you!
Joanna
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Excellent post!
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Thank you so much, Dawn, for your wonderful comment, which is greatly appreciated!
Joanna
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It was so interesting to read about the real person behind “Dr. Dolittle.” Thank you for sharing!
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Thank you, Diana, for your kind comments, which are greatly appreciated!
Joanna
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You chose one of my favourite authors to write about, Joanna! I loved the series as a child, they gave me endless joy with their quirky characters and cute illustrations. I knew how the books were written in the forms of letters from the trenches, but I didn’t know about his unhappy later life. Poor Hugh Lofting, he deserved better!
As several readers have commented before me, you are a lot like Doctor Dolittle yourself, Joanna! I love you and your blog!
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Thank you, dear Harini, for such wonderful comments, which made my day!
With your uplifting kindness, you are adorable, and I love you too!
Joanna x
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🤗💕😽💐
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XXX!
Joanna
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It’s true, Joanna: you are certainly WP’s Doctor Dolittle–and lucky us. I loved some of those initial videos of the animals as well–particularly the one that shows us how animals are communicating with us through their interactions. Lovely!
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Thank you, dear Annie, for the wonderful comments! Your kind words made my day, and are greatly appreciated!
Joanna x
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The connections are there, we just need to be open to them.
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Thank you, Kenne, for your thoughtful comments, which are greatly appreciated!
Joanna
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Oh dear Joanna, your series of “The Great Books of the World” continue to reflect the remarkable influence and power of books. Thanks for sharing your thorough research my friend (which all of the books you’ve mentioned are probably from your personal collection). Hugs and smooches! 🥰💖🤗📕😊
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Thank you, dear Kym, for your wonderfully thoughtful comments! You are right, with over 10.000 books in my home library, I have a many to choose from.
Joanna xxx
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You’re welcome my dear Bibliophile Queen! 📙📚📗 You must have a room in your home designated as your personal library…wall to wall books! 😍💖🥰 What a treasure!
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Yes, Kym, the books are displayed beautifully in every room!
Joanna x
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Oh how I love that! Much love to you my dear Joanna! 🥰📗💖📚🦋📙😊
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