ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Though I enjoy reading current affairs books, it had not occurred to me that I should write one myself. But after the suggestion came up multiple times from different friends and colleagues, I was finally convinced to embark on the journey. Thank you to everyone who encouraged me to put my ideas in writing.
The book wouldn’t have been possible without the countless hours of conversations I had with friends, acquaintances, students, and colleagues during my time in China. I particularly want to thank Gareth Chang, Erh-Cheng Hwa, Michael Pettis, Shi Zulin, Gerard Debenedetto, Joanna Wang, Min Shao, Hu Xuehao, Xinqiao Ping, Li Jing, Simon Zhang, Wu Peng, Jimmy Hexter, and Joyce Man for all their insights, time, and generous hospitality.
On the U.S. side, Ian Bremmer, Charles Kolb, Alan Krueger, Frank Wisner, and Arthur Levitt have been wonderful mentors over the years. Their insider perspectives of Washington helped crystallize many of my views about America’s political economy.
I truly appreciate the support of Lew Daly and David Callahan at Demos who believed in the project from the beginning. The rest of the Demos staff has also been wonderfully supportive.
I owe deep gratitude to Jill Marsal and my editor Neal Maillet for their constructive feedback and support in making this book a reality. They kept going to bat for me even when success seemed out of reach. Thank you, Deanna Zandt, for connecting me to Neal. Jeevan Sivasubramaniam, thanks for enduring my endless anxieties as a first-time author. And thanks to the entire Berrett-Koehler team for their warm welcome and enthusiastic response to my book.
Similarly, I must acknowledge my friends Michele Wucker, Lawrence McDonald, Marc Chandler, Po Bronson, and Nassim Taleb for their help and advice on getting a book published. Thank you so much for sharing your experiences and providing assistance.
Certain individuals unrelated to the writing of this book but who played a positive role in opening doors in the policy world include: Patricia Huntington, Mallory Factor, Steve Sokol, Gerry Ohrstrom, and Vera Jelinek.
My heartfelt thanks goes to my great friends Alex Castaldo, Bill Hunt, George Wozencraft, Russ Meneve, and Whitney Armstrong, and my super wonderful parents who took the time to read through my drafts and provide invaluable comments. My brother John also devoted time to review my initial book proposal. I don’t know how to thank all of you enough.