New Jersey Physicians Publish Three New Books
Books by New Jersey doctors cover a memoir about loss, a no-salt cookbook, and a surgeon's reflections from private practice.
Updated on Nov. 4, 2026 in Nutrition
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New Jersey Monthly featured three new books written by New Jersey physicians. The titles include a memoir-in-letters, a cookbook promoting a no-salt diet, and a book drawing on two decades of private orthopedic practice.
Why it matters
The books reflect physicians in New Jersey turning clinical and personal experience into public health guidance. Dr. Carl S. Goldstein argues that salt-heavy food culture is fueling an epidemic of vascular illness, a concern that applies to readers across the state.
The feature covers three books from New Jersey physicians, with one author citing 20 years of private practice experience. The source does not report sales or clinical outcomes tied to the books.
The players
Dr. Carl S. Goldstein
Dr. Carl S. Goldstein is a nephrologist and a longtime New Jersey Monthly Top Doctor who co-wrote Mix It Up.
Dr. Shanda McManus
Dr. Shanda McManus is a family physician in Monmouth County who wrote the memoir Brother Epistles.
Dr. Erica Rowe Urquhart
Dr. Erica Rowe Urquhart is a Hudson County orthopedic surgeon who wrote The Invisible Hand Wielding the Scalpel.
The details
Dr. Shanda McManus, a Monmouth County family physician, wrote Brother Epistles, a memoir-in-letters addressed to her younger brother, who was killed in a drive-by shooting. Dr. Carl S. Goldstein, a nephrologist, co-wrote Mix It Up with registered dietitian nutritionists Olivia Thomas and Christina Badaracco, and Hudson County orthopedic surgeon Dr. Erica Rowe Urquhart wrote The Invisible Hand Wielding the Scalpel.
Timeline
Dr. Urquhart has practiced privately for the past 20 years, the experience her book draws on.
Big Picture
The books add to a body of physician-authored writing aimed at general readers in New Jersey. The extraction does not supply a named precedent or documented trend to place them against.
Readers interested in lowering salt intake can compare the no-salt recipe approach in Mix It Up with their current eating habits. Anyone managing blood pressure or kidney health should discuss dietary changes with their own clinician before making them.
The takeaway
Reducing salt is a practical step many readers can start with everyday cooking. Discussing diet goals with a physician can help tailor changes to individual health needs.
Further reading
For more on diet and food choices, explore Nutrition coverage.
Source note: This article includes information reported by New Jersey Monthly.
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