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Spotted owls in Oregon; desert tortoise in the Mojave; panthers in Florida; and piping plover’s on Cape Cod—Cameron MacDonald made sure he saw them all and many more on a trip that would make John Steinbeck, Jack Kerouac, and Charles Kuralt proud.  Armed with a used Grand Caravan, his toddler and infant children, his wife, and his dog, MacDonald set out on the adventure of a lifetime attempting to see the endangered animals, plants, and trees he had been studying and writing about in his day-to-day life as a wildlife biologist and journalist, live in their natural habitats.

Proof of his success is found in his new book, THE ENDANGERED SPECIES ROAD TRIP: A Summer’s Worth of Dingy Motels, Poison Oak, Ravenous Insects, and the Rarest Species in North America (Greystone Books; August 20^th 2013; $17.95), which is replete with photos and details from his trip.  Some of the highs and lows for MacDonald included seeing the rare spotted owl in Oregon while unknowingly contracting a rather severe case of poison oak; suffering intense heat and barren terrain in the Mojave while hiking along, “poking each rock in hopes that a head might pop out” to reveal the ever elusive desert tortoise; and at the side of the road in California, fearing he was going to get a ticket, but instead sharing a photo-op of a California condor with a state trooper.

In between bouts of screaming kids, messy diapers, inclement weather, and horrible hotel rooms, MacDonald offers fascinating details about the natural history of the animals he sought, and also provides insight into the threats they face such as overpopulation, commercial fishing, and climate change—forces that are driving them toward extinction.

THE ENDANGERED SPECIES ROAD TRIP is an engaging exploration of family dynamics, life on the road in America, and the natural history of a vast continent.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Cameron MacDonald has worked as a wildlife biologist across North America.  His writing has appeared in the Globe and Mail, the Georgia Straight, and elsewhere.  He lives in Vancouver, B.C.

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In our modern, fast-paced world, we can easily feel overwhelmed and anxious by the unending demands life throws our way. Most of us have a built-in optimal level of anxiety—the point at which we feel “in the zone,” or highly productive. This “good” anxiety can actually help propel your life forward. After a certain point, however, anxiety delivers a diminishing return. Worrisome thoughts begin to nag at us and distract us from the positive, enjoyable experiences of life. If this describes you (or someone you care about), you could be almost anxious.

In a new book entitled ALMOST ANXIOUS: Is My (or My Loved One’s) Worry or Distress a Problem? (Hazelden Publishing; October 2013; $14.95), Luana Marques, PhD, from Harvard Medical School, with Eric Metcalf, MPH, describe almost anxious as the grey area between a normal, healthy level of anxiety and a fully diagnosed anxiety disorder and provide scientifically based assessment tools for determining whether you could be almost anxious. Marques and Metcalf then help you to identify which category of anxiety affects you—worry, social, or physical—and outline steps you can take to change your behavior. Critical action steps are illustrated by successful stories of real people who have used the steps to improve their well-being.

The authors expertly provide clear methods for avoiding the almost-anxious trap, including changing thought patterns, engaging in an exercise routine, maintaining a support network of trusted people, and training yourself to be in the present moment without projecting into the future.

ALMOST ANXIOUS will help you manage situations, practice new patterns of behavior that will keep your level of anxiety in a healthy, productive “zone,” and lead a fulfilling and more enjoyable life.

ABOUT THE AUTHORS:
Luana Marques, PhD is an assistant professor in the Department of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School and senior clinical psychologist at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) in Boston. Dr. Marques also serves as director of Psychotherapy Research and Training at the hospital’s Center for Anxiety and Stress Disorders and as director of the MGH Hispanic Clinical and Research Program.

Eric Metcalf, MPH is an Indianapolis-based medical writer, editor, and health educator. He has authored or contributed to dozens of books on health and fitness, including the best-selling Doctors Book of Home Remedies line.

ABOUT THE ALMOST EFFECT SERIES:
The Almost Effect series presents books written by Harvard Medical School faculty and other experts that offer guidance on common behavioral and physical problems falling in the spectrum between normal health and a full-blown medical condition. These are the first publications to help general readers recognize and address these problems
.

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Everyone feels sad or down from time to time, but ongoing unhappiness could mean there’s something more going on. You could be almost depressed—stuck in the place between basic sadness and diagnosable clinical depression—which may be preventing you from having a healthy and productive life.

In fact, a recent study released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention surveyed a cross section of more than 235,000 adults in the United States and found that just over 9 percent were suffering from two or more symptoms of depression. About 4 percent could be diagnosed as clinically depressed, leaving 5 percent of those surveyed experiencing symptoms without a diagnosable condition and, therefore, no plan for treatment.

In ALMOST DEPRESSED: Is My (or My Loved One’s) Unhappiness a Problem? (Harvard Health Publications/Hazelden Publishing; October 2013; $14.95), doctors Jefferson Prince, MD, (Harvard Medical School) and Shelley Carson, PhD, (Harvard University) thoroughly examine the symptoms of depression proven to cause suffering. They offer self-assessment tools for determining whether your unhappiness or lackluster feelings about life are rooted in symptoms of depression and then provide clear, research-based behavioral, psychological, social, and biological techniques for relieving those symptoms. Prince and Carson outline these solutions, which are applied routinely by doctors and therapists in the field, in structured, easy steps for those who are almost depressed. Includes case studies of real people who have successfully changed their approach to the world because of these practices.

ALMOST DEPRESSED will help you determine the proper course of action, change how you manage situations, and improve your outlook for a positive and fulfilling future.

ABOUT THE AUTHORS:
Jefferson Prince, MD serves as the director of child psychiatry at MassGeneral for Children at North Shore Medical Center, is a staff member in the Department of Psychiatry at Massachusetts General Hospital, and is an instructor at Harvard Medical School.

Shelley Carson, PhD is a Harvard research psychologist and lecturer whose research focuses on the interface between psychopathology, creativity, and resilience.

ABOUT THE ALMOST EFFECT SERIES:
The Almost Effect series presents books written by Harvard Medical School faculty and other experts that offer guidance on common behavioral and physical problems falling in the spectrum between normal health and a full-blown medical condition. These are the first publications to help general readers recognize and address these problems.

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The parents of teenagers suffering in violent or abusive relationships often feel worried, isolated, and confused about how to help their child. But they are not alone—and neither are their children. The fact is that nearly 40 percent of female adolescents have experienced relationship abuse—be it emotional or physical—and 20 percent of that group are victims of sexual violence.  Add to this the statistic that one of every three women murdered in the United States is killed by a husband or boyfriend and it is no wonder that parents are terrified to the point of immobilization when it comes to helping their child break out of an abusive relationship.

In their new book, WHEN DATING BECOMES DANGEROUS: A Parent’s Guide to Preventing Relationship Abuse, Patti Occhiuzzo Giggans, MA, executive director of Peace Over Violence, and Barrie Levy, MSW, author of In Love and in Danger, equip parents with the tools and expert advice needed not only to prevent their child from entering an abusive relationship but to end a destructive relationship before it goes too far. By drawing on examples, case studies, and research, WHEN DATING BECOMES DANGEROUS offers answers to key questions on the minds of parents today:

• How can I teach my son or daughter, gay or straight, the warning signs that they are in an unsafe relationship?
• How can I show my child what a healthy relationship looks like—now and when they become an adult?
• How can I prevent my child from becoming abusive or abused?
• What forms of relationship violence are common today (e.g., via social media, texting)?
• What warning signs of abuse and trauma should I be looking for?
• How and why does my child stay in the relationship even while being mistreated?
• How can I manage my reaction to my child’s relationship, and when is the right time to intervene?
• What is the best course of action for guiding my teen through a breakup?

With WHEN DATING BECOMES DANGEROUS, parents can rest assured that they are sending their teenager out into the dating world equipped with the knowledge, strength, and communication skills to walk away from harmful relationships and develop healthy ones.

ABOUT THE AUTHORS

Patti Occhiuzzo Giggans, MA, and Barrie Levy, MSW are both experts on relationship violence. Giggans works as executive director of Peace Over Violence, headquartered in Los Angeles. She has her own blog on the Huffington Post (huffingtonpost.com/patti-giggans) and a YouTube channel, PeaceOverViolence. Levy, a violence prevention specialist, is the author of In Love and in Danger and the editor of Dating Violence, a collection of writings about adolescent dating abuse and violence.

ABOUT HAZELDEN
Hazelden Publishing is part of the Hazelden Foundation, a national nonprofit organization founded in 1949 that helps people reclaim their lives from the disease of addiction. With 60 years of knowledge and experience, Hazelden offers a comprehensive approach to addiction that addresses the full range of patient, family, and professional needs, including treatment and continuing care for youth and adults, research, higher education, public education and advocacy, and publishing. It has facilities in Minnesota, Oregon, Illinois, Florida, and New York.