ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

The Wisdom of the Shire would never have been published without the supreme efforts of my agent, Adam Chromy, and the faith and guidance of my editor, Peter Joseph, at Thomas Dunne Books.

I would also like to offer my gratitude to foreign rights maven Heather Baror-Shapiro; to my Hobbit uncles, Richard and Bart; to my childhood Tolkien brethren, Benjamin and Daniel Thompson; and to my encouraging friends David Wheeler, Murat Armbruster, and Peter S. Beagle.

Finally, an eternal thank you to my mom, Linda, and my wife, Kendra—my morning and evening stars.