![]() The book clearly denounces slavery and condemns the European exploitation of Africa. ![]() ![]() The original edition of the first book in the series, shown here, includes what are now recognized as racist plot elements, along with the presupposition of European racial superiority that was still common in Britain at the time it was written. ![]() If the part about skin bleaching caught your attention, you are not alone. (The Eddie Murphy film version from a decade ago has little in common with the book.)įor those unfamiliar with the book, here’s a quick primer (sorry, spoiler alert): English physician learns how to communicate with animals, becomes a veterinarian, sails to Africa to cure a monkey epidemic, gets arrested, escapes, vaccinates monkeys, bleaches the skin of an African prince, encounters pirates, survives, sails home, travels in the circus. Though its iconic status had solidified, Doctor Dolittle faded slowly from the cultural radar, enough so that today most people have little knowledge of the original story. ![]() In the rankings of children’s literature, its popularity was for many years topped only by Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. Hugh Lofting’s Doctor Dolittle series was a consistent best-seller from the time of its initial publication through the mid-20th century. ![]()
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