Rachel Winchcombe - Encountering Early America

In the course of writing this book I have been lucky enough to have had the support of numerous people, at both a personal and a professional level. I must thank the Arts and Humanities Research Council for funding the initial research for this book. The Huntington Library, the John Rylands Library, John Carter Brown Library, and the British Library have provided essential resources for this project and I thank all the staff at these institutions for sharing their time and expertise with me. Their knowledge and advice have been invaluable.

I could not have successfully completed this book without the support of many colleagues and friends. I have learned a great deal from friends at the University of Manchester including Natalie Zacek, Misha Ewen, Steven Mossman, and Stefan Han, as well as from colleagues at other institutions, including John Morgan and Rebecca Earle. Special thanks go to Jenny Spinks and Sasha Handley. Jenny, your wealth of knowledge and constant encouragement have been critical to the completion of this book, and you continue to provide me with support from the other side of the world! Sasha, youve been the best mentor I could have ever hoped for, as well as a great friend. This book has undoubtedly been enriched by your various insights and unwavering generosity.

I have had a number of opportunities to share my research in various forums and my work has benefitted immeasurably from the feedback I have received at these events. I am grateful to the North West Early Modern Seminar, the Sixteenth Century Society Conference, the Hakluyt Society Conference, the European Early American Studies Association Conference, the Bites Here and There: Literal and Metaphorical Cannibalism Across Disciplines Conference, and the John Rylands Seminar Print and Materiality in the Early Modern World for allowing me to present my research and learn from the research of others.

I would also like to thank my editor Meredith Carroll for her constant guidance throughout the publication process and to the reviewers who commented on the initial draft of the manuscript. Their thoughtful critiques and helpful suggestions not only helped me improve the book, but made the process of publishing much less stressful than it otherwise could have been.

My thanks go to my family and friends, especially my mum and dad, who continue to support me and encourage me in everything I do. My final thanks go to Suraj. I couldnt have written this book without you. You have been with me every step of the way and Im lucky to have you.