We have a lifetime's association with our bodies, but for many of us they remain uncharted territory. In Adventures in Human Being, Gavin Francis leads the reader on a journey through health and illness, offering insights on everything from the ribbed surface of the brain to the secret workings of the heart and the womb; from the pulse of life at the wrist to the unique engineering of the foot.
Drawing on his own experiences as a doctor and GP, he blends first-hand case studies with reflections on the way the body has been imagined and portrayed over the millennia. If the body is a foreign country, then to practise medicine is to explore new territory: Francis leads the reader on an adventure through what it means to be human.
Both a user's guide to the body and a celebration of its elegance, this book will transform the way you think about being alive, whether in sickness or in health.
Untitled
Gavin Francis leads us round a cultural map of the body - an adventure in what it means to be human. Taking in health and illness, and offering insights on everything from the ribbed surface of the brain to the unique engineering of the foot.
Adventures in Human Being is a fascinating journey through the human body (head to foot, naturally). This book is a perfect blend of science and lyrical prose regarding the body, that is easy to read for both a medical and non-medical audience alike. Francis explores anatomical subjects to both de-mystify the body and it's functions (and failings) while also encouraging a sense of fascination and wonder, in a highly-accessible manner. There has evidently been a lot of background reading for this book; fairy tale, philosophy and historical sources which combine beautifully with real-life examples to keep the reader both interested and entertained. Both respectful and curious, Francis has create a beautiful homage to the human body with his book Adventures in Human Being. - Emma (QBD)
Guest, 30/06/2017
