ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Thank you to my wonderful editors Peter Blackstock at Grove, Susan Morrison at the New Yorker, and Chris Monks at McSweeney’s for encouraging me to value (respectively): brevity, maturity, and not making every story about a nine-year-old boy harrowing. Thank you also to Judy Hottensen, Deb Seager, and Morgan Entrekin at Grove, David Remnick and Emma Allen at the New Yorker and Dave Eggers at McSweeney’s for your extraordinary institutions and the honor of being included. Thank you to my tireless agents Simon Green, Michael Kives, Craig Gering, and Olivier Sultan, who ensure that more than just the people on this page read the stories on the other pages. Thank you to Jean Jullien, who is funnier without words than most are with. Thank you also to Lee Gabay, Jim Beggarly, Anna Strout, Gabe Millman, Brian Westmoreland, and Mia Wasikowska. Finally, thank you to my supportive family, who never seem to exercise their veto power even when the joke’s on them.