Читать книгу Starved - Anne McTiernan - Страница 8

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

In training to be a doctor, you learn that without the wisdom, teaching, and support of others, you will fail, and your patients will suffer. This book exists thanks to so many people who have taught and helped me over the years.

First, I thank my husband Martin, who encouraged me throughout the development of this book, edited several versions, and said “it’s great” every time. He has guided me on a route through life with meaningful destinations, exhilarating vistas, exciting side trips, and safe landings. I thank also our two beautiful daughters, Rachel and Cassandra, and their wonderful families for tolerating my life-baring narrative. They keep me grounded in the present when I stray into agonizing about the past or worrying about the future.

I am so grateful to my wise agent, Anne Devlin, for her encouragement and support. I give special thanks to Janet Ottenweller at Central Recovery Press for shaping and improving the book. Thanks also to Eliza Tutellier, Nancy Schenck, Valerie Killeen, and Patrick Hughes for believing in the book and including me in the Central Recovery Press family. And thanks to Marisa Jackson for the beautiful and meaningful cover and interior designs.

“See one, do one, teach one” is a half serious pun on learning to perform medical procedures. In contrast, writing creative nonfiction takes years of education and practice. This book would not have been possible without the outstanding teaching of Theo Nestor, from whom I learned the art and science of memoir. As she helped me with overall book design, Claire Dederer taught me to think first about the reader, which is eerily similar to another medical education truism, “the patient comes first.” Jennifer D. Munro taught me how to see the patterns and content of a manuscript. She saw what I was saying before I realized it and used brilliant surgical technique as she performed her editing operation. Jennifer Worick and Kerry Colburn taught me critical nuts and bolts of the writing business.

The women in my writing group—Rosemary Gregory, Margot Page, Joyce Tomlinson—are all expert writers who generously shared their knowledge and experience with me. They honored me by accepting me into their group; I was the straggler to their strides.

I thank the many family members, friends, and colleagues who have asked at some regularity about the progress of this memoir and were mollified with my meager responses. Finally, I am grateful to Deborah, Frank, Jack, and Marcia for restoring my sanity of sorts, without which I could not have written about my difficult beginnings.