I would like to thank the Museo Casa de Leon Trotsky in Mexico City and the Hoover Institution at Stanford University for access to their Trotsky archives. In Mexico City, one of the great urban mazes layered with history, I remain grateful to Pedro de Aguinaga and Víctor Nava for their hospitality and guidance.
Many friends and former colleagues read drafts of this novel. In Austin, Laura Furman deserves special thanks. A remarkable writer and editor, she became so familiar with the story and characters that she was able to put her finger on just the right title. Generous with time, encouragement, and wisdom, she always helped me see the next step.
The late Wendy Weil, faithful and unswerving, proved to be the perfect agent. I was lucky to have Wendy take on the novel and that Emma Patterson has seen the project to completion.
At Delphinium, I’m grateful to both Carl Lennertz and Joseph Olshan for their support and enthusiasm. I could not have asked for a better editor than Joseph Olshan, who at every turn challenged and inspired me.