First, special thanks, as ever, to Harry, who has been a joy to work with, a flawlessly sane collaborator and about as good a friend as you could hope to have. Not so common, I’m told, in the literary collaboration business.
We have had a world of wonderful help on this book, but a handful of people deserve special mention. Again, my list starts with Alexandra Penney, who said from the beginning that Harry and I had to write this book and who gave me the resolve to go forward with it. Laura Yorke and Carol Mann of the Carol Mann Agency have had everything to do with getting this book started, shaped and published. Beyond that, Laura has been informal editor, confidante and close friend, and has pitched in and given major help on the editorial side. But the heavy editorial lifting has, of course, been done by our editor, Susan Bolotin, who had unusually broad and important responsibilities on this book, and she carried them off flawlessly, quickly and kindly. Special thanks, too, to Lynn Strong, our copy editor, and to Megan Nicolay, person-of-all-work at Workman, who, among other things, drew the indispensable “Healthy . . . Dead!” charts.
My thanks again to all the people who were helpful on the first version of this book, and to the following who were particularly helpful on this one: Lois Smith Brady, Bobo Devens, Tina McDermott, Polly Guth, Tukey Kofend, Elena and Michael Patterson, Ranie Pearce, Marni Pillsbury, Mary Ross, Ton Ton Russell, Helen Ward, Woody and Priscilla Woods.
Finally, profound thanks to my wife, Hilary Cooper, who is the virtual coauthor of all my chapters. She has been unflagging in her support, intense in her interest and sound in her judgment. As with my life, she has made all the difference.—C.C.
Chris has my eternal gratitude for having the idea for these books, for talking me into writing them with him, and for becoming one of my closest and dearest friends in the process. His wife, Hilary, has also been a constant source of support and strength in both literary and life matters. Carol Mann has done a superb job as one of our agents, and had the vision and talent to see the potential in this book. Suzie Bolotin is an extraordinary editor, and has been unstinting with both her advice and her time.
Many people have helped along the way, but I owe special thanks to my parents and siblings, who have always been there for me and have my love and respect in every way. To Laura Yorke for being not just my agent but my partner in love and in life, and to my children, Madeleine and Samantha. To my colleagues at the Columbia University Medical Center and New York Physicians, who are the best one could ask for. Ellen Randall and my sister Felicity gave invaluable advice and feedback, and I owe a special debt of gratitude to Ashley Mui and Maria Camacho for coping with all the challenges I gave them with consummate skill, endless patience and good humor.
Finally, as with the first book, I owe the biggest debt of all to my patients, who have enriched my life and taught me the true meaning of courage, compassion, optimism, strength, and, most of all, grace.—H.S.L.
A special note is due from both of us to Workman Publishing. It is a special place, where teamwork is truly celebrated and where the whole is always greater than the parts. Everyone we have come in contact with has been talented, hardworking, dedicated and enthusiastic. We were going to thank them all by name, but then we realized that the success of the book is equally due to the efforts and enthusiasm of the people we don’t see, who pore over the layout until it is just right, tirelessly promote the book in market after market or do all the hundreds of other things that make a book succeed. The bottom line is that we are sharing our remarkable adventure with the entire company, and we appreciate the efforts of every single person there. Thank you all.—Chris and Harry