2022 Living Now Book Awards Silver Medalist in Sexuality/Femininity

“A well-written and empowering work about the challenges facing female patients.”

—Kirkus Reviews

“Good guidance for turbulent times.”

—Library Journal

“Simply wonderful! An indispensable resource for women who have ever felt daunted by their interactions with caregivers.”
—Carole Browner, PhD, MPH, Distinguished research professor at UCLA’s Jane and Terry Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior and the Departments of Anthropology and Gender Studies

“Why do so many women have difficulty feeling heard and understood when they visit their doctor? Why are they misdiagnosed more frequently and later than men—even when their symptoms are exactly the same? And why do they suffer more side effects than men from the medications they're prescribed? Sidelined helps to answer those questions. Backed by extensive research, part memoir, part personal stories, this excellent and informative book offers a voice to those women who have been told (and believed) that their symptoms are ‘all in their head.’ It provides a useful road map on how to get the most effective healthcare and will be a valuable resource for all women interested in improving the quality of their healthcare and making more fully informed decisions.”
—Robbie Davis-Floyd PhD, author of Birth as an American Rite of Passage and Ways of Knowing about Birth: Mothers, Midwives, Medicine, and Birth Activism

“Enjoyable to read and meticulously researched, Sidelined offers profound insights into the unique challenges women face as they handle their healthcare. Salenger includes personal narratives and mines the rich fields of psychology, sociology, anthropology, medical history, and current medical research to think deeply about what women need to know to take the most effective care of themselves. This is definitely a book every woman (and every doctor) should read!”

—Jill Warburton, PsyD, Berkeley, CA

“I absolutely loved reading Susan Salenger’s Sidelined: How Women Manage & Mismanage Their Health. I found it extremely fascinating as well as informative, giving insights into the imbalance of medical treatment when it comes to gender and age. This is not only a book for women but men as well opening up the understanding of the female psyche in conjunction with understanding ourselves and our relationship with medical care. It’s a great read it is filled with fascinating research, history, and an incredible resource directory. I was so embraced in by it I read it in one sitting. I highly recommend this book and its author.”

—Nancy Lombardo, host of What’s the BuzzNY Blog Talk Radio

“Sidelined is a book I immediately asked my wife to read because it is so beautifully written and well-researched. The essence of this book is succinctly captured in the sub-title — how women manage and mismanage their health. Readers will understand why women easily make the wrong choices when it comes to healthcare decisions and the social context in which such choices are made. They will understand that playing nice at times or putting others first may often do them a disservice. Sidelined teaches women a unique skill — the ability to take care of themselves properly so they can stay strong by their families. Most importantly, Salenger provides compelling insights and writes in a voice that is compassionate, and authoritative, and in prose that is simply gorgeous. Sidelined is the best gift anyone can give a woman.”

—Romuald Dzemo, Book Commentary

“Sidelined is a thought-provoking and informative guide for women. The book describes how women manage the health of their families while simultaneously mismanage their personal health. The book also goes into what women can do to take charge of their health and medical issues. Sidelined is an important book for women everywhere. It could also be a wake-up call or the motivation and inspiration that some women need to make sure they are heard at their next doctor's appointment. Women are often more concerned over the health of their children, going to as many doctors as needed and asking tons of questions until they get answers, but often they don't take that same care with their own health. This book might be just what the doctor ordered to take charge of our health once and for all.”

— Readers’ Favorite

Susan explores how women, typically the medical gatekeepers for their families, tend to be extremely conscientious about taking care of themselves, yet at the same time inadvertently undermine their own care.  Born and raised in Los Angeles, Susan attended UCLA to study English. After graduation, she worked alongside her husband Fred for 25 years at their production company, Salenger Films, which produced corporate training and development films distributed worldwide.    

Today, at age 79, Susan lives in Northern California to be near her incredible family which includes her two daughters, four grandchildren, a cat named Max and a dog named JD (Salenger). When she is not speaking about her book or spending time with family and friends, you will find Susan power lifting to stay in shape.