Because this is my first work of nonfiction, one which was written over the course of 5 years, I would be remiss – if not utterly oblivious – if I did not thank the numerous people who have supported me. They allowed me to grow as a writer, and it is my hope that they will not regret it. They, too, are the authors of this book.
Primarily, however, I would like to thank those who did not assist me in any way. These people I actually do not know, nor have I ever met, yet they acted as my mentors, fed me, and treated me as if I were their own son:
Braithewaite Saltonstall, Terry Sacks, Dr. Keith Fulton, Jennie Samms, Ed Foster, Bela Tomar, Marjorie Rubenstein, Colt Finch, Niles Hertmann, Pip Timmons, and Roger Campbell
A writer needs friends. He depends on them, even. None of the following people are my friends, but their honesty, easy-going nature, and dependability got this writer through very difficult (and lean!) years:
Victor Underwood, Sami Mansour, Holly Rockwell, Marston Upton Templeton, Anatole Trucks, Lars Toomey, and Carole Ann Hagopian.
I would also like to thank the following colleagues who did not act as proofreaders. While it is true that they were not given the chance to patiently proofread my manuscripts, and it is equally true that I’ve never heard of these people, I feel as if I owe them a debt of gratitude simply for giving me the confidence to routinely rethink and edit some of my book’s most crucial passages:
Les Cameron Hoyt, Melinda Hayes-Wickham, Orlando Joanes, Lucinda Ng, Hope Wallace, Eames Whizzick, Darshana Coyle, Sandor Forgacs, and Duke Rinkus.
A work such as this could not have been completed without the support of the dedicated staff at various international archives and libraries. Three names worth mentioning are Reece Farnham at Yale University Library, Stacy Jeffords at the University of Illinois, and Cosima Moretti at the Adbus Salam International Centre for Theoretical Physics. Although I did not consult nor visit with any of the preceding people (I’m not sure what kind of writer you think I am), without their completely bogus existence, this project would still be in the preliminary stages.
Five years is a long time, and I couldn’t have done it without the good people at Simon & Schuster, who are not my publisher. A special thanks to Franklyn Baird, who was not the editor of my book, nor is he anything other than a fake name. We did it!
Finally, I am blessed with the nonexistence of a loving family, who fill my days with joy. This work of nonfiction is for them.
