Considering how much time one spends alone in writing a book, it’s always remarkable to realize how many people contribute to it.
In this case, I start with the idea itself, which came to me from my editor, Yaniv Soha, who put a seed in my head that blossomed instantly into a vision of an entire book. The finished project may not be as perfect as the one I saw in that astonishing moment, but that diminishes by not one watt the brilliance of Yaniv’s idea.
As ever, I worked at and with a number of hallowed institutions: the Multnomah County Library (the Central and Hillsdale branches and the indispensable interlibrary loan department); the Central Library of the Los Angeles Public Library; the Pasadena Public Library; the Billy Rose Theatre Division of the New York Public Library; the Margaret Herrick Library of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences; and, though not technically libraries, Photofest in New York and Movie Madness and Powell’s City of Books in Portland. I’m indebted to staff and management at all of them.
I was also afforded the kindness of individuals who shared memories, pointed to resources, offered insights, and generally supported me and my work in spirit and deed: Tim Appelo, Karin and Margo Brettauer, Mickey Cottrell, David Cress, Jennifer and Jason Freeland, Allan Glaser, Ari Gold, Herbert Gold, Tab Hunter, Alejandro Jodorowsky, John Krasinski, Harley Lond, Kim Morgan, Dewey Nicks, Danna Schaefer, Paul Schrader, Jeffrey Schwartz, Allyson Seeger, Tom Shales, Missy Stewart, Gus Van Sant, Willy Vlautin, Bruce Wagner, Marc Wanamaker, and Carrie White, as well as several others who expressed a desire to stay nameless.
At Doubleday, I thank, of course, Yaniv, as well as Cara Reilly and Bill Thomas, who first took a chance on me in 1992 and whose faith and enthusiasm I’ve never forgotten. And I am grateful to Ingrid Sterner for a lifesaving (and face-saving) job of copyediting.
At InkWell Management, I thank Eliza Rothstein and, perennially, Richard Pine, who has been with me since very nearly the outset of this unlikely career. Thanks—or, in this case, a dedication—don’t begin to pay my debt.
At home Paula, Anthony, and Vincent Levy provide all the reasons for all the things.
And Shannon Brazil has been pretty dang much everything I could want, need, or ask for in a partner. Thank you so much, baby.