Acknowledgments

This book was a long time in the writing and encompasses the research of two careers deeply involved with the empirical study of poetry reading, writing, and pedagogy. As such, many more people than can be mentioned by name should be acknowledged. Broadly the authors thank all the students, colleagues, research assistants, journal editors, and reviewers who over the years have provided feedback and support for the various projects that went into this volume. Both authors would like to thank our editors, Sonia Zyngier and Joanna Gavins, for their critical commentary, hard work, and patience in helping to bring this book to completion.

More specifically I (Joan) would like to thank Keith Oatley and David Olson for enlightening discussions and for their thoughtful reading and reviewing of a draft of this work. I’m also grateful to Carl Bereiter who encouraged my exploration of the development of expertise. Thank you to my graduate students over the years for their enthusiasm and for contributing valuable ideas about creative writing. Not only people but organizations have facilitated my research endeavors, in particular the National Academy of Education/Spencer Foundation and the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada. Finally, I am grateful for the endless hours of fascination and joy I have experienced as I observed the cognitive development and language play of my young grandchildren: Gabrielle, Danielle, Alexis, Maya, Jakob, Coby, Sienna, and Oliver. My ardent hope is that many of them will live “A Life with Poetry.”

Beyond the people already mentioned I (David) would like to thank by name several people who have worked closely with me over the years in trying to understand and explore poetry: Justin Nicholes, Atsushi Iida, Kyung Min Kim, Gloria Park, Paul Sopcak, Don Kuiken, Winfried Menninghaus, and Willie van Peer. I also thank the many students at Indiana University of Pennsylvania who have written and studied aspects of poetry with me over the 20 years I have worked there. On a more personal level, this book was finished under difficult circumstances. I am extremely grateful to my life partner, Dafna, for her support, for deepening my understanding and appreciation of life, art, emotion, and love and for helping me in my health struggles. Poetry would not mean the same to me without you. I am indebted to my children Taya, Tom and Kimi for their constant insight into poetry and for making my life so much richer and worthwhile.

Finally, we both acknowledge you the reader for your interest in poetry reading and writing. It is our belief that poetry has the capacity to enrich every reader at every different stage of life. That in a way is what this book is all about.