ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

To my incredible wife, Rachael Shah, who is my biggest cheerleader and has always pushed me to follow my heart. To Danny Donachie, who planted the seed of this idea a decade ago, sitting on a roof terrace with a cup of tea. To Lesley O’Mara, Jo Stansall and the team at Michael O’Mara Books for supporting and guiding me through this process; to Joel Cohen and Hayley Olsen, who have edited, corrected and reviewed my interviews since 2007; and to Luke Bainbridge, whose journalistic eye helped to refine so much of this work.

To every single interviewee who has given up the most precious commodity they have – time – to speak to me.

Thank you.