Acknowledgments

Thanks to those who read this book early:

Moses Cardona, Rafique Keshavjee, Betty Levin, and

William Reiss. Their advice was always helpful.

Any imperfections that remain in the book are mine.

I should also like to thank Judith Regan,

Matt Roshkow, David Groff, and Pamela Goddard for

their enthusiastic reception of Wicked.

Finally, a word of gratitude to the friends with whom I

nattered on about evil over the past couple of years: They are

too numerous to be named in their entirety, but

they include Linda Cavanagh, Debbie Kirsch, Roger and

Martha Mock, Katie O’Brien, and Maureen Vecchione; the

gang in Edgartown, Massachusetts; and my brother,

Joseph Maguire, a few of whose ideas I have borrowed.

Please don’t sue me.