Acknowledgements

This book started off as a dissertation and therefore my foremost thanks go to my PhD advisor Martin Klepper, whose guidance, expertise, and encouragement helped me endure all the “crises” related to this project. I would also like to express my gratitude to the Department of American Studies at Humboldt University and especially Reinhard Isensee as well Eva Boesenberg and all members of the research colloquium for their valuable insights and suggestions.

While American presidents have come and gone, many colleagues and friends stayed and took the time to proofread and comment on different chapters of this book. In particular, I would like to thank Sarah Bäumchen, Katharina Christ, Anu Koski-Rickmann, and Sabine Kray for their support.

Cynthia Whissell from Laurentian University was kind enough to provide me with a copy of her Dictionary of Affect in Language and Florian Tatzky developed a digital version thereof, which I greatly appreciate. I am also grateful to ANU Press for their image copyrights and the Marshall McLuhan Salon for providing an inspiring work environment. My special thanks go to the wonderful team of reviewers and editors at John Benjamins for helping me publish this book as part of the DAPSAC series.

Finally, I thank my family and friends for always encouraging me to pursue my interests and the one and only Martin Teller for putting up with these jeremiads without lamentation.