University of California Press Blog» Health & Medicine

When Breast Isn’t Best: Spiked Reviews Bottled Up

ssilverman — Thu, 11 Apr 2013 22:26:29 +0000

In the wake of Mayor Bloomberg’s decision last summer to remove formula samples from the diaper bags given to new mothers in New York City, the breast vs. bottle feeding debate is more contentious than ever.

The Spiked Review of Books recently took up this issue in a review of Suzanne’s Barston’s new book, Bottled Up: How [more...]

The UC Press Guide to the Affordable Care Act

ssilverman — Wed, 11 Jul 2012 01:05:23 +0000

In light of the Supreme Court’s recent decision to uphold most of the provisions of the Affordable Care Act, you may want to take a look at Inside National Health Reform, John McDonough’s firsthand account of the intense effort required to bring this legislation into law. McDonough served as Senior Advisor on National Health Reform to the U.S. Senate Committee on [more...]

UC Press author Bill Foege has received one of thirteen Presidential Medals of Freedom

ssilverman — Mon, 04 Jun 2012 22:55:53 +0000

Congratulations to Bill Foege, author of House on Fire: The Fight to Eradicate Smallpox, for receiving one of thirteen Presidential Medals of Freedom–America’s highest civilian honor. Among other winners were Bob Dylan and Toni Morrison. In this C-Span video, Bill is the first recipient to walk out on the platform.

For more context regarding Bill’s work [more...]

UC Press Podcast: Why Calories Count

ssilverman — Mon, 26 Mar 2012 18:46:21 +0000

Calories—too few or too many—are the source of health problems affecting billions of people in today’s globalized world. Although calories are essential to human health and survival, they cannot be seen, smelled, or tasted. They are also hard to understand. In Why Calories Count, Marion Nestle and Malden Nesheim explain in clear [more...]

UC Press Podcast: Engineering Happiness

ssilverman — Thu, 22 Mar 2012 22:59:06 +0000

Manel Baucells and Rakesh Sarin have been conducting ground-breaking research on happiness for more than a decade, and in this book they distill their provocative findings into a lively, accessible guide for a wide audience of readers. Integrating their own research with the latest thinking in the behavioral and social sciences—including [more...]

Deeper Context: The Final Leap

ssilverman — Wed, 29 Feb 2012 23:10:24 +0000

May 27, 2012 will mark the 75th anniversary of the construction of the Golden Gate Bridge. One of the most iconic structures in the world, the bridge combines amazing engineering, breathtaking views and everyday utility along with the much darker secret that it is the world’s top suicide spot.

Weaving drama, tragedy, and politics against the [more...]

UC Press Podcast: Weighing In by Julie Guthman

ssilverman — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 21:53:46 +0000

We’ve just posted the newest episode in our on-going podcast series. In it, podcast producer extraordinaire, Chris Gondek, interviews Julie Guthman about her amazing book, Weighing In.

Rather than go on about what I think about her thought provoking look at issues around what has come to be called the obesity epidemic, here are some reviews [more...]

Becoming Dr. Q: My Journey from Migrant Farm Worker to Brain Surgeon

ssilverman — Tue, 27 Sep 2011 23:57:01 +0000

Of all the books we have on our Fall 2011 list, I don’t think you’ll find a more timely title than Becoming Dr. Q: My Journey from Migrant Farm Worker to Brain Surgeon by Dr. Alfredo Quiñones-Hinojosa.

I don’t think I need to tell you why this stirring tale of a man overcoming stigma and borders [more...]

What if There Were Nutrition Labels For Drugs?

ssilverman — Wed, 13 Jul 2011 22:30:09 +0000

An example of a drug fact box for Abilify from the New York Times

What if drug companies made simple, easy to understand labels for your prescription, the way food companies do with nutrition labels? According to Steven Woloshin and Lisa M. Schwartz, the authors of Know Your Chances: Understanding Health Statistics, consumers might make different choices about [more...]

How Climate Change Damages Our Health

ssilverman — Tue, 05 Apr 2011 22:21:53 +0000

One of our most anticipated titles for Spring, Changing Planet, Changing Health is an eye-opening book that looks at the ways climate change is altering patterns of disease. It’s scary—and pressing—stuff. Before reading this book, I had no idea that since 1976, the planet has given rise to 40 new diseases. Or that every year, [more...]