Gavin Francis: The Bridge Between Worlds – a Brief History of Connection

Gavin Francis qualified in Medicine from Edinburgh in 1999 and now works as a GP in Edinburgh and the Isles of Mull & Iona. Gavin is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature and the author of ten books of non-fiction.

As a celebrated author he brings a unique blend of medical insight and literary flair to Pentlands Book Festival 2025. Renowned for weaving stories that bridge science and humanity, a review of Gavin's book Intensive Care states that, 'in telling this story, he reveals others: of loneliness and hope, illness and recovery, and of what we can achieve when we care for each other'.

In his latest, The Bridge Between Worlds – A Brief History of Connection, he explores the power of bridges, actual and metaphorical, to bring people together – across forty years of travel, six continents, and 2,000 years of engineering. Gavin's storytelling flows from these journeys, meeting people who have related their stories to him. Each bridge provides a series of thought-provoking ideas.

Gavin's appearance at the festival will be a bridge that connects ideas and stories to enrich people's lives and contributes to the common thread of well-being, friendship and relationships to emphasise our commonality.