Acknowledgments

• Author: Constance Backhouse
• Pages: 9-11

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Ihavetheirownidiosyncraticpreferencesforseing

I prefer to write while looking through a window. I roll my computer right

uptothebestwindowIcanndandroottheresurroundedbyboxesand

books This book has been w rien in front of many wonderful windows

ItbeganinPerthWesternAustraliainfromalibrarywindowinan

artistscoagethatlookedoutonoweringhedgessurroundedbyraucous

birdsItmovedintoawindowinOawawhichlookedontoanup

per wooden balcony with squirrels, crows, and pine cones, facing south

overthebeautifulRideauRiverIttookavemonthsojourninMontréalin

whereitlookedoutfromagarretaboveathreestoriedmetalstairrail

ingFortherstfewmonthslayersoffrostandiceimpededallviewWith

spring, the window magically opened to the bu stle of St. Urbain St reet in the

ethnicmosaicofthePlateaubelowInthewritingprojectmovedforsix

months to the medieval town of Lunel in the south of France. There I looked

downfromthecenturiesoldstonebalconyofaformerécurie, onto a private

courtyardwithtoweringlaurelandbambootreesMygazewouldwander

to the fountain with a gargoyle frequented by white doves. Each window has

added its distinctive cachet to the migrating m ixture that became this book.

Many people have also contributed enormously to this book. First and

foremost, the creative and brilliant research assistants whose work has

helped to unearth much of the detail sur rounding these cases: Monda Halp

ernKristenClarkPascalHugoPlourdeMarieJoséeBlaisIsabelleLeBreux

AlkaTandenBelindaPeresRosemaryMorrisseeRozykRaquelChisholm

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