So much thanks to Gary Nelson, for support, sustenance, space (a lot of the work was done at his house), love, for everything (I can’t thank him enough); to Anne Scott and Nancy Berman, editors extraordinaire; my family and my colleagues at the University of Mary Washington, for all their support; to the UMW Office of Academic Affairs, for the precious gift of a sabbatical and thus the time to finish up the book; to my generous readers, Mark Fleming, Sylvia Kelso, and Ellen McQueen, for all that you said, suggested, called me on, and what you saw that I didn’t see. And to Ellen, my oldest friend, who has always been there and listens so well and so actively. To all the writers I’ve read and loved, from whom I have learned so much, especially J.R.R. Tolkien, C.S. Lewis (when I read The Chro
