I am grateful to all the wonderful contributors in this collection who have expressed utmost enthusiasm on writing an essay about their notebookkeeping practices. They have been a fabulous group to work with and I applaud all of their efforts.
I would also like to thank Carol Givner and Maggie Lang for their conscientious editorial support and Linda Fogle, Curtis Clark, Bill Adams, and the University of South Carolina Press for believing in this project from the beginning and for their help in bringing it to fruition. Special thanks go to David Starkey, Marcia Meier, Jean Harfenist, Susan Chiavelli, and Susan Gulbranson for their interest in this project and for their friendships.
As always, I am grateful to my family: my mother, Eva Marquise, for buying me my first journal; my husband, Simon; and our children, Rachel, Regine, and Joshua, who’ve supported all of my literary endeavors. I am in awe of your love.