The Voyages of Doctor Dolittle (Classic Reprint) Review
Some brief words about the Kindle edition (the {BestCustomerReview}.00 one taken from an etext in the public domain).
First off, no illustrations. My five year old does not seem to mind even though we started this book on a library edition with great color plates (that we had to return because of a hold!) Unlike some other classics, though, the illustrations were never the main event with the Hugh Lofting books.
Secondly, in terms of the objectionable language, with respect to racist terms we try to avoid using with our kids in the 21st century. The "N" words have been excised from this one, but the contexts are still racist, with a lot of referrals to Dolittle as White in contrast to somebody else's implicitly inferior otherness. It's quaint and difficult to read without context, so I find myself reading ahead as we read aloud to make on-the-fly changes to keep the really odd stuff out. While I feel for the people who decry censorship of classics, this is a kid's book, and without the context of reading, say, Tom Sawyer, or even Rudyard Kipling, there's no way younger readers aren't going to get a little taste of vinegar if they read an unexpurgated version. The Kindle edition is perfectly adequate on this front, if not optimal.
Finally, typos: there's about one every sixth or seventh page, more or less. I don't know whether this was the original etext, original edition, or the kindle-ized version, but they're moderately annoying. However, I am not complaining based on what I paid for this version!
The Voyages of Doctor Dolittle (Classic Reprint) Overview
PROLOGUE
A LL that I have written so far about
Doctor Dolittle I heard long after it
happened from those who had known
him-indeed a great deal of it took
place before I was born. But I now come to set
down that part of the great man's life which I.
myself saw and took part in.
Many years ago the Doctor gave me permission
to do this. But 'we were both of us so busy then
voyaging around the world, having adventures and
filling note-books full of natural history that I
never seemed to get time to sit down and write of
our doings.
N ow of course, when I am quite an old man,
my memory isn't so good any more. But whenever
I am in doubt and have to hesitate and think, I
always ask Polynesia, the parrot.
Tha t wonderful bird (she is now nearly two
hundred and fifty years old) sits on the top of my
desk, usually humming sailor songs to herself, while
I write this book. And, as everyone who ever met
her knows, Polynesia's memory is the most marvel·
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Table of ContentsCONTENTS; PART ONE; C}{ArTER; PROLOGUE ; I THE COBBLER'S S01'; II I HEAR Of THE GREAT NATURALIST; III THE DOCTOR'S HOME; IV THE 'VVn'F-VAFF; V POLY~'ESIA • •; VI THE VOU!'lDl:W SQUIRREL; VII SHELLFISH TALK •; VIII ARE You A GOOD NOTICER?; IX THE GARDEl' OF DREAiIS ,; X THE PRIVATE ZOO; XI 1J Y SCHOOL~1ASTER, POLYNESIA; XII 1,1y GREAT IDEA; XIII A TRAVELER ARRIVES; XIV CHEE-CHEE'S VOYAGe; XV I BECOlIE A DOCTOR's ASSISTANT •; I; II; III; IV; V; VI; VB; vrrr; IX; X; XI; PART TVO; THE CREW OF "THE CURLEW"; LUKE THE HERMIT; TIP AI"D THE SECRET; BOB; 1/1 El'DOZA ; TH E JUDGE'S DOG; THE EKD OF THE ilYSTElty; THREE CHEERS •; THE PURPLE 1
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