WRITING HAS THE REPUTATION OF being a solitary endeavour, but this book was pure team sport. The biggest thanks go to Head Coach and publisher Jamie Bada Byng, a man with enough energy to power all of West London and who most of the time seems to be actually doing so. He is the first and last word in passion, insight and encouragement, a door opener without equal and the man to call if you ever want chicken wings for breakfast.
My soothsaying agent Tony Topping was a consistent source of erudite advice and wise counsel. And was plain speaking enough to remind me of the basics of writing a book, not least that I would have to actually write it.
A big thank you to Sophie Sutcliffe, who, while heavily preggers, worked the phone lines and the inboxes and got us some great participants. And thanks to little Poppy for allowing her mum to do so.
Francesca Zampi, my erstwhile partner in crime and fellow hustler, was super encouraging from the get-go and opened her address book to me. Likewise Kim Chappell, who was an absolute tour de force of contacts, good vibes and emails, and a lovely person to drink tea with. Lucy McIntyre was a star in every sense and opened up New York, and Lizzie Ball, Nick Clegg and Alain de Botton were super kind and helpful in getting me in front of people as remarkable as themselves.
The team at Canongate have been an unfailingly professional, fun and smart group of people to work with and have made all of it a pleasure, with special thanks to Jo Dingley, who patiently guided the ship and kept it all together, Rafi Romaya for her artistic eye, Anna Frame and Jenny Fry for the fame generation, Lara Gardellini for the support and Jenny Todd for coming in and sorting it all out just when we needed it most.
Sam Kerr, as you will have seen with your own eyes, is a brilliant artist whose portraits have totally been the making of the book.
Behind the scenes there have been some people I may never meet but remain forever grateful to: the transcribers, especially our number one, Callum Crowe, and the delightful open-all-hours Debs Warner as copy editor in chief.
I am, of course, super grateful to each participant who lent their time, story and, most importantly, advice to the project.
And in terms of the gushy bits, an unconditional thank you to my mum and dad who to this day and, despite the many remarkably wise people I have met, continue to be the source of the best advice I have ever had, and to Nadia and Bay Rose, the result of listening to that advice and the people I have been waiting my whole life to meet.