Читать книгу Life on the Rocks - Peg O'Connor - Страница 9

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

THE IMAGE OF AN AUTHOR SCRIBBLING AWAY IN SOLITUDE DOESN’T fit me; writing this book has been a very social and fun enterprise. My friends and family have provided enormous emotional support, intellectual challenge, and gales of laughter. I am evidence of a central theme in this book—the right friends make us better people.

A few friends deserve special mention because I would often bounce ideas off them, and they would happily play along. Mary Beth, Cathy, Sheri, Patty, and Mary are my recovery posse. They would dive into a pig pile to rescue me. In fact, they would do it in great style.

My racquet-wielding friends were especially patient with me when I’d be distracted by a philosophical problem while we were already in the second set. Thanks to VB, Patty, David, Bob, and Will for letting me pound out philosophical confusions on the tennis court even as I swung at volleys. Often after a match, I had an answer to the problem that had distracted me.

I owe my mother more than I could ever calculate, never mind repay. I cherish the conversations we’ve had while writing this book. The same is true of my brother John, my sister Anne, and my favorite aunt, Lynn. Thanks to Lisa for helping me grow as a philosopher.

Special thanks to philosophy major, Sean Kehren, Gustavus Adolphus College, for his work on the references. Off he marched with the manuscript and a big box of books. Back he came with meticulous endnotes.

Some of the pieces presented here appeared in shorter form on my Psychology Today blog, “Philosophy Stirred, Not Shaken,” and earlier versions of three chapters were originally published in The New York Times. These have been wonderful venues for test-driving my ideas and concepts.

Eliza Tutellier of Central Recovery Press pushed me in all the right ways, which resulted in a much better book. Every writer should have such an editor.