I appreciate the help given me in preparation of this book by my children, Drs. Mark and Michael Banov and Lori Banov Kaufmann, as well as my son-in-law Yadin Kaufmann and daughter-in-law Lisa Banov. The suggestions of my sisters, Caren Masem and Linda Stern, and my brother-in-law, Dr. Paul Masem, were helpful. I thank Oprah Winfrey for her suggestion that I write a book in the first place. I am grateful for the advice given me by my classmate Dr. Walter Bonner, who is also an author; my colleague Dr. Curtis Worthington Jr., director of the Waring Historical Library; historian Robert Rosen; author Jack Bass; journalist Sandy Katz; physician/writer Dr. Edward M. Gilbreth; as well as editors Professor Carol Anne Davis and Lynne McNeil and my major editors, Anne Kostick and Stephen Hoffius.
However, a special thank you goes to my daughter Pamela, who because of her mental disability could not read the manuscript and will never be able to do so. But I thank her for teaching us that there is a meaningful life to be lived and enjoyed by every human being. While writing the book I derived my greatest encouragement and strength from the only contribution she could make: the gift of a smile!