Gavin Francis is a physician and the award-winning author of four books, including Adventures in Human Being, Empire Antarctica; and True North. A regular contributor to the London Review of Books, Guardian, and New York Review of Books, Francis lives in Edinburgh, Scotland.
"[An] enthralling collection of illustrated pieces about human
transformation.... Dr. Francis will leave you marveling at the
physical self you carry around with you every day."--Daily Express
(UK)
"[A] timely, thought-provoking and eloquent book... Francis is the
opposite of the arrogant doctor-god. Indeed with this book,
brimming both with warmth and insight, he puts himself among the
ranks of physicians with fine pens, including Oliver Sacks and Atul
Gawande, who, for all their learning, retain a deep humility."--The
Times (UK)
"A thought-provoking read."--Book Riot
"A thoughtful exploration.... Francis's wide-ranging experience and
curiosity produce fascinating samples of medical and cultural
approaches to human change."--Publishers Weekly
"A wonderful series of meditations--clinical, anthropological,
literary and deeply humane--on his patients and their
illnesses."--Henry Marsh, author of Do No Harm
"Ambitious... [Francis] is well schooled in the literature of
medical curiosities, from Galen to Sir Thomas Browne and beyond.
But Shapeshifters is at its best, and strangest, when dealing with
mundane translations: puberty, pregnancy, menopause, the not so
simple facts of our being sexed beings. Francis has an engaging way
with medical-cultural history... Such is the breadth of [his]
interests that Shapeshifters is never less than intellectually
energetic."--Guardian (UK)
"Francis elegantly weaves detailed descriptions of physiological
processes together with memories, anecdotes, and tales from history
to produce a rich narrative that is informative and surprising... a
pleasure to read."--The Lancet
"Gavin Francis makes being a doctor sound like the best job in the
world.... The 24 essays in this collection...all circle the theme
of metamorphosis, and shed light on the biases of modern medicine
even while celebrating its achievements."--Village Voice
"In this provocative and important book about our shared future,
Francis ranges broadly to describe altered human states and selves.
He delves into medical history, and, with equal ease, into medical
case studies, to reveal how humans are capable of changing our
bodies and minds. Steeped as much in history as in the future, we
might describe this book as an audacious attempt to write a
manifesto for a trans-human future (read it to understand what that
phrase might mean)."--Siddartha Mukherjee, author of The Emperor of
All Maladies and TheGene
"Reading these essays is like touring a museum of medical marvels
led by the best guide; one with boundless curiosity, a taste for
the weird and a deep well of thoughtfulness and knowledge.
Shapeshifters is about bodily change, from normal transitions such
as conception, menopause and sleep, to anomalies and disorders --
amputation, anorexia, people who have grown horns. What gives this
book heart are Gavin Francis's moving encounters, as a working GP,
with people whose bodies have undergone strange
transformations."--The Times of London (UK)
"The heart of the book is about the key life transitions:
conception, birth, puberty, pregnancy, menopause, death--and sleep.
Francis's method is to weave together stories from his general
practice, his medical training and his travels, with a host of
quotes, references and anecdotes from art, literature and history.
The result is a rich pleasure."--Sunday Times (UK)
"The insight [Francis] offers into the physician's realm is
profoundly affecting.... Shapeshifters provides a fascinating
account of humankind's efforts down the millennia to understand our
minds and bodies in order to prolong life and
wellbeing...beautifully written as well as extremely
absorbing."--Herald Scotland (UK)
"This is a fascinating account, full of detail that one would
otherwise not know, and full of openness in terms of the
difficulties, triumph, disasters and glories of a career in
medicine."--Scotsman (UK)
"This stylish and exhilarating collection of essays comes from a
wide-ranging mind and a profound humanity. With warmth and wit,
Gavin Francis examines the body's strategies for survival and
change, embedding his thoughts in a broad frame of reference from
across human culture and history. Each piece is a pleasure to read,
and in sum they are inspiring."--Hilary Mantel, Man Booker
Prize-winning author of Wolf Hall and Bring Up the Bodies
"What makes the book fun to read is not only the author's limpid
anecdotes from his private practice, but also his abiding marvel at
the body's endless expressions. Francis ranges freely and
skillfully from the strange to the elemental... [he] always makes
you think. Captivating medical narratives that fit well alongside
those of Oliver Sachs, Atul Gawande, Jerome Groopman, and Berton
Roueché."--Kirkus Reviews, starred review
"Wonderful, written with a deep feeling for language. A
writer-physician who sees the drama and beauty in human
life."--Annie Dillard, author of An American Childhood and Pilgrim
at Tinker Creek
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