Acknowledgments

It is a wonder this book exists; the fact that it does is due to the efforts and encouragement of many people.

Throughout the long process of writing, Lori Evans and TJ Stankus provided early feedback on every chapter. They live in Durham, NC, and thus could not escape me, but this fact does nothing to lessen my appreciation for their help.

Midway through the book, after it became impossible to deny that its writing would take approximately twice as long as originally estimated, Mike Dalessio and Gregory Brown read drafts and gave invaluable feedback and support. Their encouragement and enthusiasm kept the project alive during dark days.

As it neared completion, Steve Klabnik, Desi McAdam, and Seth Wax reviewed the book and thus acted as gracious stand-ins for you, the gentle reader. Their impressions and suggestions caused changes that will benefit all who follow.

Late drafts were given careful, thorough readings by Katrina Owen, Avdi Grimm, and Rebecca Wirfs-Brock, and the book is much improved by their kind and thoughtful feedback. Before they pitched in, Katrina, Avdi, and Rebecca were strangers to me; I am grateful for their involvement and humbled by their generosity. If you find this book useful, thank them when you next see them.

I am also grateful for the Gotham Ruby Group and for everyone who expressed their appreciation for the design talks I gave at GoRuCo 2009 and 2011. The folks at GoRuCo took a chance on an unknown and gave me a forum in which to express these ideas; this book started there. Ian McFarland and Brian Ford watched those talks and their immediate and ongoing enthusiasm for this project was both infectious and convincing.

The process of writing was greatly aided by Michael Thurston of Pearson Education, who was like an ocean liner of calmness and organization chugging through the chaotic sea of my opposing rogue writing waves. You can, I expect, see the problem he faced. He insisted, with endless patience and grace, that the writing be arranged in a readable structure. I believe his efforts have paid off and hope you will agree.

My thanks also to Debra Williams Cauley, my editor at Addison-Wesley, who overheard an ill-timed hallway rant in 2006 at the first Ruby on Rails conference in Chicago and launched the campaign that eventually resulted in this book. Despite my best efforts, she would not take no for an answer. She cleverly moved from one argument to the next until she finally found the one that convinced; this accurately reflects her persistence and dedication.

I owe a debt to the entire object-oriented design community. I did not make up the ideas in this book, I am merely a translator, and I stand on the shoulders of giants. It goes without saying that while all credit for these ideas belongs to others—failures of translation are mine alone.

And finally, this book owes its existence to my partner Amy Germuth. Before this project started I could not imagine writing a book; her view of the world as a place where people did such things made doing so seem possible. The book in your hands is a tribute to her boundless patience and endless support.

Thank you, each and every one.