Doctor Hudson's Secret Journal

by Lloyd C. Douglas

THIS has been an eventful day. We formally opened our new hospital this afternoon. The city's medical profession was ably represented and many of our well-to-do philanthropists came for tea and a tour of inspection.

Everybody commented on our astounding luck in disposing of the shabby old building in Cadillac Square for a quarter of a million. Lucky, they said, that our site had been chosen for the new skyscraping office building. And what a lucky dog I was, added the mayor, that this exquisitely landscaped four-acre tract came onto the market just as we had begun to look for a new location.

Genres: Fiction, Classics, Historical Fiction, Philosophy, Religion, Christian Fiction, Literature

295 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1939

About the author

Lloyd C. Douglas was a noteworthy American minister and author. He spent part of his boyhood in Monroeville, Indiana, Wilmot, Indiana and Florence, Kentucky, where his father, Alexander Jackson Douglas, was pastor of the Hopeful Lutheran Church. He died in Los Angeles, California.
Douglas was one of the most popular American authors of his time, although he didn't write his first novel until he was 50.
His written works were of a moral, didactic, and distinctly religious tone. His first novel, Magnificent Obsession, was an immediate and sensational success. Critics held that his type of fiction was in the tradition of the great religious writings of an earlier generation, such as, Ben-Hur and Quo Vadis.
Douglas is buried in Forest Lawn Memorial Park Cemetery in Glendale, California.

Reviews

[Dottie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this probably before I was a teenager -- not exactly a children's book nor even a teen book -- but it was in one of the book closets -- yes, closets -- in our home and so I read it. I don't think I was allowed to go into those closets of books as they were the grown-ups books, but I read every single book in them or close to it.

THIS one left an indelible impression which influenced me to explore and test what I believed apart from what I might be taught. One of the very first of those books that I call epiphany reading -- they hit home, strike a chord, send us down a different path -- have an effect.

I'm sure it's not great l iterature. Probably pretty melodramatic actually. But it remains one of my favorite encounters with a book.

[Natnat337 · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've read the main Lloyd C Douglas collection (I have that set of old blue collier books), and this is one that always stays in my mind. It's a fantastic mystery, but goes much deeper than that. I won't give it away - read it!!! Wonderful message about doing good deeds for other people without glorifying yourself (that's stated poorly - there's a reason I'm not a writer!)

[Charity · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved "Magnificent Obsession" and loved even more "Dr. Hudson's Secret Journal." Loved the concept of serving others secretly and the blessings that come therein. Loved the concept of learning always. One of my new faves.

[Julia · Rating 3 out of 5]

My son-in-law hunted this up for me for Christmas because my favorite book is Magnificent Obession by Lloyd Douglas. After the success of MO people clammered for a peek into the secret journal that was spoken of in the book. The Secret Journal is not nearly as compelling as the original book and many of the sections are dated. He comments alot about the fears and attitudes about war during World War 1 and the influenza epidemic that accompanied the war. It was interesting from a historical perspective and made me wonder how history with treat the events that we are going through right now.

[Bonnie]

I read this in high school and it changed my life. A wonderful message in a story format that is both touching and teaching!

[Forest Graham]

Can't say much about it. It's hard to get a feel for a story when you read it backwards. I can report the excessive use of the word "beans."

[Neff · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book is a little slow but the message is great!

[Dan]

My grandfather suggested I read this along with The Magnificent Obsession.

[Janet Rosfeld · Rating 4 out of 5]

I came to this book because of a reference to it in another book. It's from the 1930s and it totally captured my attention and was just the book I needed at the time I needed it

[Debby · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this in high school, and I found it to be a significant book.

[Mareli Thalwitzer · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don't understand it - but I believe it.

[Chuck · Rating 4 out of 5]

Doctor Hudson's Secret Journal is a hard book to define. It is fictional but written as a journal. It contains a philosophy for living and touches on some religious thought and has been considered by many as a self-help aid.

Author Lloyd C. Douglas had a fine career as a minister before retiring to write his first novel at age 50. His first book, Magnificent Obsession, was on the best seller list for 18 months. It hinted at a secret lifestyle of doing good deeds without telling anyone. This was also supposed to bring personal power to the giver. People wanted to know more, and this novel was written to expand on the topic and to provide more of an overview of the fictional Dr. Hudson's life.

Douglas went on to write a number of very successful novels having to do with Christian themes, including The Robe, and The Big Fisherman. Several of these books were adapted for the big screen.

I very much enjoyed this mild taste of life back in a simpler time. The novel covers the period from World War I through the 1914 Influenza pandemic and prohibition. If you can find them, all of the novels listed are well worth reading!

[Stephanie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Clearly written after Magnificent Obsession didn't live up to my expectations. I thought Magnificent Obsession was a really good and interesting book and was eager to read Dr. Hudson's secret Journal, it was more of a back story for the first book without getting into the meat of how Dr. Hudson lived his life. Still a good book and I enjoyed it, but it was hard to finish.

[Kathleen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lovely book and so very topical to today's world. It is hard to believe this book was written in 1935(?) ish. It is an excellent follow up to Magnificient Obsession. Lloyd C Douglas offers a interesting perspective on how to live life fully.

'... and hope, I think is the first requisite of courage.'

Words to live by then and now.

[Tarissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

The story behind the story of The Magnificent Obsession...

An entertaining read, especially for fans of the original novel. I still don't agree with the doctrine it teaches (or lack thereof), but I enjoyed hearing more about the doctor's private life and about some of his adventures/acts of kindness.

[Natasha Monmo · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've read the main Lloyd C Douglas collection (I have that set of old blue collier books), and this is one that always stays in my mind. It's a fantastic mystery, but goes much deeper than that. I won't give it away - read it!!! Wonderful message about doing good deeds for other people without glorifying yourself (that's stated poorly - there's a reason I'm not a writer!)

[Dorothy · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a companion novel to Magnificent Obsession. I read it because I wanted to know some things that were left out of the first one and am still in the dark. I thought that it rambled a lot and was not interesting.

[Jilles · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting book that is written as a journal and mixes the story of a doctor living his life with a life philosophy of a spiritual kind that became popular in his earlier novel Magnificent Obsession.

[Kim Hampton · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had a hard time getting into this book at the beginning, but once I did, I loved it! The characters intrigued me, but there were so many of them that I had a hard time keeping them straight. I would recommend it to anyone who likes inspiring fiction.

[Elena Hebson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wasn't sure what to expect after reading Magnificent Obsession, but I actually liked this one more, if anything. I definitely agree with more of the points made in this book - the last one was a bit odd.

[Carol Houston · Rating 5 out of 5]

A book that will encourage you to invest -in others!

[Caleb · Rating 4 out of 5]

An encrypted journal is found, detailing a doctor's journey through his random of acts of kindness. I read it fast. An enjoyable read.

[Scott Kinnaman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Life changing book that helped ignite my love of reading.

[Darlene Hull · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was disappointed in this book. A decent story but not really worth keeping a secret as it were. I was hoping it would have more on the secret itself of quietly helping others. After the first few chapters it basically lost that thread and became a complicated telling of dozens of events with dozens of people that I had trouble keeping track of. Also, lots of ruminating about the war and the influenza epidemic.

[Partridge Public]

Douglas, Lloyd C.

[Audra Mcdonald · Rating 4 out of 5]

Must read after Magnificent Obsession.This is how he understands and discovers how to pay it forward.

[Kay · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tells the beginning story of Magnificent Obsession. It's a little repetitious of the Magnificent Obsession but very clarifying too.

[Margot Jennifer · Rating 2 out of 5]

Trite characters. Hard to get into. Great principle to be learned. I did not enjoy this book, but it has changed my life for the better.

[Austin Stocki · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is the original, "The Secret"