2013-08-09-publishers_weekly.vp

Affordable Health Care—in a Book
Publishers keep up with the burgeoning of new ap- Craig Panner, editorial director of the med- proaches to health care and the need for fresh infor- ical division at Oxford University Press, says,mation “As we begin to prepare for the Affordable Care Act, publishers recognize the importanceof, and the need for, high-quality consumer ed- ucation material. Consumers want to be in-formed and prepared for their heath care Republi- needs. Many of us have a fear of doctors and the cans—their 40th—to repeal the Affordable Care uncertainty of the diagnosis. Combined withAct (aka Obamacare) having come to naught, the change in heath care coverage and what wethe heath care industry in the United States is are afforded, consumers want to be informedbracing for change, though what form that more now than ever before. And, yes, there arechange will take remains up unknown, at least vast amounts of information freely available onin the minds of most consumers. And no won- the Web, yet much of it has not been vetted, theder: conflicting information abounds. In July, information is often confusing and possiblythe New York Times reported that insurance even misleading, and, more importantly, theregulators in New York state estimated health information leads to ‘cyberchondria’—self-di-insurance costs for residents who buy individ- agnosis of disorders. We’re aiming to arm read-ual policies will be cut in half in 2014 under the ers with the information they need.” Upcomingnew law.
consumer titles from the house include Navi- The New Republic reported on much the gating the Complexities of Stroke (Aug.) by same situation in California. But state govern- Louis R. Caplan. But Oxford University Press isments in Florida and Georgia are predicting also the publisher of titles specifically targetedsharp increases in insurance costs for their resi- at heath care providers, such as the recentlydents. Who can blame Americans for being published The Intelligent Clinician’s Guide toflummoxed? A May CNN poll showed that 54% the DSM-5TM and last year’s “How Manyof Americans opposed the law, but more than More Questions?”: Techniques for Clinical In-half of those said they opposed the law because terviews of Young Medically Ill Children byit didn’t go far enough. As the nation waits to Rochelle Caplan and Brenda Bursch. Pannersee how it will shake out, all eyes in heath care adds, “As society takes advantage of the Af-are trained expectantly on Washington. Pub- fordable Care Act, physicians need the tools tolishers of health-related books, too, are trying to meet the needs of their patients. By workinggauge what effect the new law will have and, with experienced clinicians, publishers can pro-more importantly for their purposes, what vide the tools necessary for effective patient-cli-kinds of books it may encourage consumers to nician interaction.”seek out in the future.
For those looking for historical back-
ground on the Affordable Care Act, SUNY
Press has a 2012 paperback titled Fighting for
Our Health: The Epic Battle to Make Health health, and just running to doctors in place of
Care a Right in the United States by Richard any real and practical approach to how you live
Kirsch,
published
cooperation
with each and every day of your life.” Upcoming
Rockefeller Institute Press. And in April of Square One titles include Magnificent Magne-
next year, Lynne Rienner Publishers will pub- sium: Your Essential Key to a Healthy Heart
lish Insuring Children’s Health: Contentious and More (Nov.) by Dennis Goodman and
Politics and Public Policy by Alice Sardell.
“Readers seem to gravitate toward books About Memory Loss and How You Can Stop It: on particular illnesses or issues, such as depres- A Guide to Proven Techniques and Supple-sion, diabetes, or Alzheimer’s, but books on the ments to Maintain, Strengthen, or Regain Mem-heath care system in general also see brisk ory (Nov.) by Pamela Wartian Smith (the fourthsales,” says Rowman & Littlefield executive edi- in a series); and Sodium Bicarbonate: Nature’stor Suzanne Staszak-Silva. “Consumers are Unique First Aid Remedy (Jan.) by Mark Sircus.
hoping to understand both the state of our heath care system and how it will change mov- consumers seeking information,” says Melisaing forward. Parents are also interested in learn- Duffy, Wiley’s associate director of marketinging more about the health of their children in for consumer Dummies guides. “Heath care re-terms of issues they may be facing and how form means that people are getting more in-families can address them and still focus on volved overall family health and well-being.” Last circumstances—from finding out about howmonth, the house published Unraveling U.S. the reforms affect them to advice on livingHealth Care: A Personal Guide by Roberta E. healthier lives as the cost of access to medicineWinter and Talking to Your Doctor: A Patient’s continues to increase. The first wave of con-Guide to Communication in the Exam Room sumers we see requesting information are thoseand Beyond by Zackary Berger. In September, with Medicare benefits. Consumers want toRowman & Littlefield will publish Understand- know what additional benefits are provideding Parkinson’s Disease: A Comprehensive In- and how they can get these additional benefits.
troduction for Patients and Caregivers by And they want information from a credibleNaheed Ali and Dosage: A Guiding Principle source.” The publisher partnered with AARPfor Health Communicators by J. David Johnson. for the November title Medicare for DummiesOctober will see Hospice Voices: Lessons for by Patricia Barry, and in spring 2014 will pub-Living at the End of Life by Eric Lindner.
lish The Affordable Care Act for Dummies.
“The most effective form of health care has For a little levity, Rodale will publish Eat always been principally about prevention,” Drink Vote: An Illustrated Guide to Food Poli-notes Rudy Shur, president of Square One Pub- tics in September. Marion Nestle, an expert inlishers. “It has always been about taking per- public health and nutrition, teamed with thesonal responsibility for your own health. I don’t Cartoonist Group syndicate to select 250 car-think any kind of legislation is going to change toons on nutrition and health. Rodale editorialthe fact that people need to get more personally director Jennifer Levesque says, “It’s an infor-involved when it comes to health. To para- mative and entertaining way for readers to getphrase the late President Kennedy, we should to the heart of what can be complicated foodnot ask how much of our health quality can be policy and health issues.” On a more seriousmanaged by our country—we should ask how note, in October, breast cancer awarenessmuch of our health we can manage for our- month, the house will publish Prevention: Theselves. The bloated medical costs in the U.S. re- Ultimate Guide to Breast Cancer: Your Essen-sult from too many people just handing over the tial Resource from Diagnosis to Treatment andreins on their own health to doctors. There is a Beyond by Mary L. Gemignani, a surgeon atdifference between seeking a physician’s coun- New York’s Memorial Sloan-Kettering hospi-sel alongside your own best efforts at good tal, and the editors at Prevention magazine.
In more alternative news, in March of next clude I’m Too Young for This!: The Natural year Piatkus Books will publish Good Medi-Hormone Solution to Enjoy Perimenopause cine: Safe, Natural Ways to Solve Over 70 Com-(Sept.) by Suzanne Somers and The Fast Metab- mon Health Problems by Patrick Holfordolism Diet Cookbook: Eat Even More Food and (distributed by Trafalgar Square). Piatkus pub-Lose Even More Weight (Dec.) by Haylie lisher Tim Whiting says, “There is a growing in-Pomroy. Heather Jackson, v-p, executive editor terest in preventing lifestyle diseases, such asfor Harmony Books, says, “We don’t have heart disease and diabetes, through diet. Ofplanned books on the topic of the Affordable course, those in the know have always beenCare Act at present, but it’s certainly an urgent aware of the link between disease and lifestyle,issue and a pressing concern, especially for the but it’s becoming more mainstream.”self-employed and the cash-strapped amongst In an interesting twist, one longtime pub- us, of which there are so many. Recently, it was lisher of guides to spiritual wellness is begin- announced in the New York Times that New ning to incorporate more books about York and other states would see a 50% decrease traditionally defined health (i.e., care for the in the cost of private health insurance. But for body rather than care for the mind) into its list.
families, that still means thousands of dollars Jan Johnson, publisher of Red Wheel/Weiser each month out of pocket. Seems to me that one Books, Conari Press, Hampton Roads, and Dis- of the most affordable acts of self-care around is information Books, says, “A few years ago we to grab a book—whether it’s for an escape into a started getting proposals for books that had fictionalized land, a romp through history, or to mostly to do with our physical health. We’d al- gather needed information about an interest or ways published on spiritual health/practice and mental health/self-help/recovery. [Asso- Alternative and Mainstream
ciate publisher] Caroline Pincus and I were Publishers continue to invest heavily in talking one day, and a light bulb clicked books on alternative medicine. Avery senior ed- on—we’re getting these proposals because it’sitor Lucia Watson says, “Consumers know now all related. Spiritual, mental, and physicalmore than ever that conventional medicine health. It kind of sounds like a big ‘duh’ now,doesn’t have all the answers and there are pow- but truly it spurred us to start publishing bookserful ways they can take charge of their own like Migraine: Get Well, Break Your Depend-health.” Avery titles on alternative cures in- ence on Medication, Take Back Your Life [June]clude Gutbliss: A 10-Day Plan to Ban Bloat, by Sharron Murray, and Chronic Resilience: 10Flush Toxins, and Dump Your Digestive Bag- Sanity-Saving Tools for Women Coping withgage (Oct.) by Robynne Chutkan (which Wat- the Stress of Illness [Aug.] by Danea Horn.”son describes as “an integrative plan to relieve the symptoms of GI distress many women ex- combines the mainstream—it doesn’t get moreperience, but most conventional doctors don’t medical establishment than Harvard Medicaltake seriously”) and a fifth edition of The Coco- School—with the alternative: The Harvardnut Oil Miracle by naturopathic doctor and nu- Medical School Guide to Tai Chi by Petertritionist Bruce Fife, coming in paperback in Wayne and Mark L. Fuerst. The title, a paper-December.
back guide and workbook, has been selling Inner Traditions continues to offer books nearly 400 copies a week since its publication in on herbalism and other alternative topics. April. This month, the press publishes Yoga forForthcoming titles include Adaptogens in Med- a Healthy Lower Back by Liz Owen and Hollyical Herbalism (Aug.) by Donald R. Yance. The Lebowitz Rossi, as well as Yoga Critical Align-house’s April title, The Wild Medicine Solution ment by Gert van Leeuwen. For its part, Ster-by Guido Masé, has almost sold out its first ling printing and recently was named book of the Digestive Health by Jillian Sarno Teta andyear by the International Herb Association.
Jennette Bessinger, a naturopath and a chef, re- spectively, in January, as well as The Medicinal Stay Vital, Productive, and Happy for aChef: Eat Your Way to Better Health by Dale Lifetime by John Arden (Jan.), which offers thePinnock in November.
latest available information on neuroplasticity And Da Capo has several forthcoming ti- and neurogenesis. The author is the director of tles by M.D. authors, such as The Mayo Clinic training for mental health for the KaiserGuide to Stress-Free Living by Amit Sood, com- Permanente Medical Centers in Northern Cali-ing out in January, and The New Science of fornia.
Overcoming Arthritis: Prevent or Reverse Your Pain, Discomfort, and Limitations by Thomas Ellen O’Neill says, “We’re looking at the grow-Vangsness, the chief of sports medicine at the ing trend of self-help books in the space whereUniversity of California’s Keck School of Medi- health and psychology meet. A Field Guide tocine, as well as an orthopedic surgeon, due in Lucid Dreaming [Sept.] by Dylan Tuccillo,November.
Jared Zeizel, and Thomas Peisel and Real Hap- What’s Next?
piness at Work [Dec.] by Sharon Salzberg repre-sent the evergreen interest in taking control of Health care publishers, like publishers in one’s happiness, but the prescriptions draw in every category, are scanning the horizon for the added muscle of the mind—at work and at new trends. Heather Jackson of Harmony says, rest. And there will always be a market for diet “When it comes to trends, diet still is king, but it and exercise books; we just like to make sure is awfully crowded and may be due for an un- that ours come with promises that are real and seating by another self-health category. In that research that is valid.” In December, the house space, though, natural plant-based foods—from will publish Thinner This Year: A Younger vegan, to vegetarian, to paleo—are the shelf Next Year Book by Chris Crowley and Jennifer winners. Our The Paleo Manifesto: Ancient Sacheck.
Wisdom for Lifelong Health [Sept.] by JohnDurant is a book that we believe will become the bible of this style of eating, as well as Brad’s ports, “Sale of our consumer health books re-Raw Book [Dec.] by Brad Gruno, for readers main strong, especially among titles on chronicwanting to step their way into consuming more conditions. We sell to the trade and are alsofresh plant foods.” pleased to report special sales to hospitals, clin-ics, and organizations. We’ve seen growth in Marian Lizzi, editor-in-chief of Perigee e-book sales—about 30% of our sales are now Books, points to “ongoing interest in intermit- e-books. In addition to offering our titles as tent fasting, a method that was introduced in trade paperbacks, we also offer each title in four Dr. James B. Johnson’s The Alternate-Day Diet, e-book platforms.” The house will publish Dia- which Perigee first published in 2009. Back betic Retinopathy—from Diagnosis to Treat- then, the idea was a bit ahead of the curve. ment by David Boyer in September.
We’re now updating the book to reflect new re-search.” that are not so much how-tos as how-it-was “Rather than dense medical opinions and recountings of heath care work and experiences complex diets, readers are looking for quick in the heath care system are also beginning to fixes that will improve their health but also fit in pop up from various houses. In February of with a busy lifestyle,” says Lesley O’Mara, man- next year, Berkley will publish Extraordinary aging director, Michael O’Mara Books. “In Latte Hearts: A Journey of Cardiac Medicine and the or Cappuccino? [Oct., distributed by Trafalgar Human Spirit, a trade paperback original, by Square], Hilly Janes introduces 125 easy deci- John Elefteriades, a cardiac surgeon who has sions to change your life. For example, should I treated more than 10,000 patients.
McGraw-Hill is betting on ongoing interest court will publish a health-related memoir: The in cerebral health with The Brain Bible: How to Answer to the Riddle Is Me by David Stuart MacLean. The author told his story—of being highlight his books in both magazines and tele-placed in a mental hospital and eventually dis- vision is unprecedented.” In the first sign ofcovering that the malaria drug Lariam had such synergy, Djokovic will be featured on thecaused dramatic memory loss—in abbreviated cover of Men’s Fitness.
form on This American Life. In this $25 hard- The Zinc Ink imprint will publish six–12 ti- cover, he gives more detail about how in 2002, tles per year. Upcoming titles include Sleekify: at age 28, he woke up in a foreign country with The Supercharged Bodyweight Workout to no money, no passport, and no memory of who Tone and Strengthen and Flatten Your Belly Fast! by Michael Olajide (Dec.) and the April ti- Big Names in Health Launch New Imprints
tle The EveryGirl Diet: How I Learned to Eat Ballantine is launching Zinc Ink, a new im- Right, Dropped 40 Pounds, and Took Control print headed by David Zinczenko—author of of My Life—And How You Can Too! by Extrathe Eat This, Not That! series and the CEO, edi- host Maria Menounos, which has an an-torial director of Galvanized Brands—with nounced first printing of 50,000 copies.
Ballantine Skyhorse Publishing recently launched its (Ballantine is also publishing a book that own new health imprint, Gary Null Publishing,Zinczenko authored, Eat It to Beat It: The with two books this fall by Null, a longtime ra-No-Diet Food Lover’s Plan to Put You Back on dio host and author specializing in alternativethe Road to Health, in December.) Zinc Ink will medicine and nutrition: Reboot Your Brain: Alaunch this month with Serve to Win: The Natural Approach to Fighting Memory Loss,14-Day Gluten-Free Plan for Physical and Men- Dementia, Alzheimer’s, Brain Aging, and Moretal Excellence by #1-ranked Serbian tennis (Sept.) and No More Diabetes: A Completeplayer Novak Djokovic, who was diagnosed as Guide to Preventing, Treating, and Overcom-gluten intolerant in 2010. The book includes a ing Diabetes (Nov.).
foreword by William Davis, author of Wheat Skyhorse associate publisher Bill Wolfsthal Belly: Lose the Wheat, Lose the Weight, and says, “With health books, sometimes the mes- Find Your Path Back to Health, which, accord- senger is the message. For decades, Null has ing to Bookscan, has sold more than 400,000 railed against processed food and pharmaceu- copies in hardcover since it was published by tical solutions to widespread health problems.
Though controversial, he has millions of fans.
Ballantine publisher Libby McGuire says, Now the American public is becoming more “Zinczenko can bring these connections that he aware of the issues he has talked about since thehas to other platforms. He’s involved with 1980s. With more books, like No More CancerMen’s Fitness and all of the AMI [American Me- and No More Allergies, scheduled for springdia Inc.] magazines, so he can leverage things 2014, we are confident that partnering withthere, and then at ABC News he’s a contributing someone with a distinct voice will set theseeditor. Being able to have a publisher who can books apart in a crowded field.”

Source: http://www.rockinst.org/newsroom/news_stories/2013/2013-08-09-Publishers_Weekly.pdf