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Alan Bennett: Doctor Dolittle Stories - Abridged

Classic readings from the BBC archive

by Hugh Lofting

Narrator Alan Bennett

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Length 9 hours 57 minutes

Language English

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Summary
About the author

Alan Bennett reads three enchanting Doctor Dolittle stories

Doctor Dolittle has an extraordinary talent – he can talk to the animals! Taught by his parrot, Polynesia, he is soon able to chat to every kind of creature – and his skill leads him into all sorts of adventures.

In The Story of Doctor Dolittle, the Doctor and his pets set sail for Africa to save the monkeys – but they face great danger and challenges, including a sinking ship and Barbary pirates...

The Voyages of Doctor Dolittle finds Doctor Dolittle on the high seas once again, this time with his young friend Tommy Stubbins. The pair head for Spider Monkey Island, a mysterious place of magic and secrets...

Doctor Dolittle’s Circus sees the Doctor in need of money, so he and his Pushmi-Pullyu join the circus. They’re such a hit with the other animals that Doctor Dolittle soon finds himself running the show!

Brilliantly read by Alan Bennett, whose delightfully whimsical rendition brings Doctor Dolittle and all his animal friends magically to life, this charming collection of stories will delight listeners young and old.

Children's

Hugh Lofting was born in Maidenhead in 1886. As a child he kept a miniature zoo and wildlife museum in his mother's linen cupboard and enjoyed making up stories for his family. He later studied engineering in London and the United States, and visited Canada, Africa and the West Indies. After his marriage in 1912 he settled in the United States. Hugh Lofting fought in the trenches during World War I and it was whilst observing the lack of compassion shown to the horses on the battlefields that the idea for Doctor Dolittle was born. He was the main character in letters Hugh sent home from the front to entertain his children. The successful publication of The Story of Doctor Dolittle in 1920 was followed by a further eleven books. In 1923 Hugh Lofting was awarded the Newbery Medal. He died in 1947.