ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

My experience at Skyhorse Publishing again brought home to me how vital editors are to the literary craft. Hence my gratitude to Mark Gompertz, Elena Silverberg, Susan Barnett, Kirsten Dalley, and Mona Lin. They took my offbeat proposal seriously, reined me in when I bit off too much, and piloted nebulous drafts into an actual book.

At earlier stages, I had invaluable and expert assistance from Sydney Beveridge and Ann Gower. This is my seventh book with Robin Straus, who is far more than an agent. A cherished friend, she cheered me on through Downfall’s longer-than-usual gestation.

And, of course, my family. That’s them in the Dedication.

When friends, colleagues, and acquaintances learned about the subject of this book, it often commandeered the conversation. Their questions, comments, even angst and disbelief, helped me at every stage. So my appreciation to:

Jorge Alves, Philip Anderson, Stewart Berger, John Bowman, Julia Cass, Robin Chotzinoff, Alyson Cole, Cory Dean, Eric Dexheimer, Joel Dreyfuss, Susana Duncan, Kathy Eden, Gwen Engelhard, Edward Jay Epstein, Ziva Flamhaft, Ellen Frell, Ester Fuchs, Julie George, Bill Goldstein, Ellen Gould, Timothy Gower, Lewis Gould Vartan Gregorian, David Helfand, Kenneth Hollander, Harvey Jay, Joseph Kanon, Andrew Katzenstein, Ethel Klein, Michael Krasner, Edward Krugman, Jon Landsman, Charles Lesage, Julia Lesage, Richard Levy, Peter Liberman, Sara Liberman, Judith Kimerling, Kenna Lipsitz, Karen Litzy, Ian Lustbader, Alda Muyskens, Jim Muyskens, Anne Nelson, Donald Newhouse, Nancy Newhouse, Dennis Overbye, Veronica Polland, Eduardo Porter, Patricia Rachal, FrancoisPierre-Louis, Alex Reichl, Sam Roberts, Ann Rolett, Rod Rolet, Joe Rollins, Daniel Rose, Don Rose, Joanna Rose, Rich Sandomir, Anya Schiffrin, Joan Silvers, Debora Spar, Joseph Stiglitz, Judith Summerfield, Yan Sun, Owan Tulloch, Daniel Victor, Diane Wachtell, Shelley Wanger, Nancy Wartik, Blake West, and Hratch Zadoian.