Educated at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the London Polytechnic, Lofting became a civil engineer and traveled a great deal in his work. In 1912, he decided to become a writer and settled in New York City. He saw action in France and Flanders in the First World War, serving with the Irish Guards, and was seriously wounded by shrapnel in 1918. After being invalided out of the army, he returned to his writing and, in 1920, published the highly successful The Story of Doctor Dolittle. Over the next seven years, he published a Doctor Dolittle book each year, all of which were commercial successes. Lofting also produced other children's books, but he is best remembered for the Dolittle series. His other works include The Voyages of Doctor Dolittle (1923), The Story of Mrs Tubbs (1923), Doctor Dolittle's Zoo (1925), Doctor Dolittle in the Moon (1928), The Twilight of Magic (1930), Doctor Dolittle's Return (1933) and Victory for the Slain (1942). |
Chrysoma Associates Limited
