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Acknowledgments At various moments in the course ofcomposing this book, both Sacvan Bercovitch and Stanley Cavell were asked to undertake the delicate and disconcerting task of reading drafts of a manuscript pertaining very directly and personally to their own lives as well as to their work. Their responses could hardly have been more gracious, generous, or encouraging; I wish to express my heartfelt gratitude to them for this, as for so much else. Among the people who read the finished product and helped to get it placed and published, I wish to mention, in particular, Sander Gilman who is fully deserving ofhis reputation as one ofthe most helpful and encouraging senior scholars in the field; my thanks in this regard go also to Emily Budick, Richard Feldstein, Henry Sussman, and the editors at SUNY Press. The book ought perhaps to have been read more widely in the preliminary stages; perhaps my self-investment in the enterprise kept me from seeking the opinions of scholars with whom I lacked closer, more personal connections. So the dedication and commitment of my most trusted academic and scholarly friends has proved especially necessary and valuable. They have lavished more than their share of time, attention, and care on the text, dispensing the large doses of faith in the project required to quell my doubts, along with sufficient critical commentary to call me on my deficiencies and recall me from my excesses. Here I would single out the contributions of Frances Restuccia, Jacob Meskin, and Jim Mendelsohn. Three other friends-David Myers, Brian Duchin, and Jonathan Palmer-brought assistance of a different, non-academic order, lending the lessons of their own experience as Jewish sons and fathers, and providing their own indispensable brands oflove and support. xvii xviii Acknowledgments Finally, without George Fishman, everything would have been different: the dreams paler, the interpretations paltry, and, while there might still have been transfer to America, there would have been no transference. Indeed, without him there would very likely have been no book at all. ...

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