1940's books

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Victory for the Slain (Cape 1942) Paperback. This is Lofting's only work for adults, a single long poem in seven parts about the futility of war; the refrain "In war the only victors are the slain" permeates the poem. It was published only in the United Kingdom.

Doctor Dolittle and the Secret Lake (Stokes 1948 & Cape 1949) is the longest book in the series, and the tone is the darkest; World War II took place before the book was published, during which Lofting had published his anti-war poem (see above). The book contains passages that almost border on being misanthropic with some very powerful passages concerning war. Also of note is that Lofting's depiction of African characters is far less caricatured than in previous novels.

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