I am overwhelmed by the generosity of my colleagues, friends, and family, who have contributed so much of their time and their expertise to this book. These acknowledgments can only hint at the extent of my indebtedness and my appreciation.
My first thanks are extended to Mary Lenn Dixon, editor-in-chief at Texas A&M University Press, and to James P. Pfiffner, series editor and uni- versity professor at George Mason University. Their confidence and their pa- tience were extraordinary. I can only hope to equal them as supportive and reflective mentors.