As he has for many years in the past, Jason Gardner has offered wonderful support, and I deeply appreciate his critical eyes and ears and good humor. Monique Muhlenkamp has been a wonderful publicist, and indeed, everyone else at New World Library — Ami Parkerson, Munro Magruder, Jonathan Wichmann, and Kristen Cashman — has been an absolute pleasure to work with. I smile and cringe when I listen to other writers tell me the horror stories they’ve endured working with other publishers. Not so for me. Jeff Campbell has once again been an awesome copyeditor and has an uncanny ability to read my mind and heart.
Discussions with Jane Goodall, Lori Gruen, Dale Jamieson, Colin Allen, Michael Tobias, Jill Robinson, Sarah Bexell, Camilla Fox, Dan Ramp, Mark Derr, Yan Chun Su, Andy Pruitt, Giulia Buttarelli, Carron Meaney, Bruce Gottlieb, Ingrid Newkirk, and Hope Ferdowsian have always kept my brain alive and kicking, and Valerie Belt always keeps me up to date with the latest and the greatest news. My longtime cycling buddies, Bill (Billy) and Connor Simmons, always have been and continue to be great sounding boards, and since they’re faster than me on the bike, they can always ride away if I get too involved. They rarely do, so thanks for taking it easy on me. Jessica Pierce, my coauthor on Wild Justice: The Moral Lives of Animals and a variety of essays, also remains a wonderful colleague and friend who has also listened to my ideas over the years. Jessica can drop me like a rock, especially on tricky descents on a mountain bike, but she’s been wonderfully patient, so I hope she thinks I’m on to something. A special thanks to all of the people who sent me stories and continue to do so.
I also thank Rod Bennison and his wonderful family for putting me up and for putting up with me on my many trips to Australia. It was in the peaceful environs of their home in Keinbah (near Lovedale, New South Wales) in the wine-laden Hunter Valley where many of my ideas about rewilding came to mind and to fruition. And last but surely not least, Bob Slater helped me set up my office in my mountain home so I could have reliable Internet, much needed in this age of never-ending information coming in at rates too high for my primitive brain to track. If I missed thanking anyone, I deeply apologize, as I’ve met so many wonderful people around the world who have inspired me to keep on going. . .and going.