A volume like this one requires cooperation and expertise from many. Responsible for the substance of the book, the authors stand at the head of the line of those I wish to thank – both for their essays and for their efforts to ensure the accuracy of them. From the outset Emma Bennett was open to the special nature of this Companion and offered pragmatic advice on how some of its unorthodox contents might fit into the Concise Companion series. Her patience has been appreciated.
The Wiley-Blackwell personnel have been invaluable throughout. I wish to thank above all Ben Thatcher, Bridget Jennings, and Nivedha Gopathy for their assistance with numerous challenges that came up along the way. In addition, Kathleen McCully proved an insightful copyeditor, and Caroline Hensman helped out with details regarding the cover.
Closer to home, the trusted eyes of Paul Klemp once again found much that escaped me. His willingness to read the entire manuscript speaks to the ongoing generosity he has shown me throughout my career.
Thanks are also in order for the English Department at Oklahoma State University for providing travel funds for the research informing my essay in this collection. Two of its graduate students deserve special mention: David Vaughan (for reading the entire script) and Kyndra Spaulding (for creating the index). Finally, I am most grateful to Elizabeth Lohrman whose forbearance allowed me to press on. Without her felt presence and the aforementioned efforts of others, this book never appears.