Frank H. T. Rhodes - Origins: The Search for Our Prehistoric Past

I am greatly indebted to a number of colleagues who have very kindly reviewed sections of my manuscript and given me the benefit of their comments and advice. These include Warren Allmon (chapters 15, 15), John Cisne (chapters 9, 10, 12, 13), William Crepet (chapters 7 and 11), the late Kenneth Kennedy (chapter 14), Amy McCune (chapter 6), William Schopf (chapter 3), and Keith Thomson (chapters 6, 8, and 16).

They are not responsible, of course, for whatever mistakes may remain.

I am also deeply grateful for the help and support of two other people. My executive assistant, M. Joy Wagner, has helped me at every turn, given me endless technical help and support, and encouraged and helped me to complete the manuscript.

Rachel Parks Rochefort, lawyer, dedicated environmentalist, and public policy exponent, typed and retyped the manuscript with endless patience, skill, and goodwill. She unearthed references, checked dates, organized figures, clarified my descriptions, and, at every stage, played the role of constructive critic and patient enabler. My debt to her is great, and I am profoundly grateful for the countless ways she has helped, encouraged, and supported my writing.

At Cornell University Press I warmly thank Kitty Liu, Emily Powers, and Dina Dineva for their contributions. I am especially grateful for the generous help of Ange Romeo-Hall, managing editor, and for her consummate editorial skills.

A small portion of chapter 17 is drawn from a paper I read before the Geologists Association, and I offer my kind thanks to the association for its appearance here.

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