The Rest is Silence (31 page)

* Corresponding author. Mailing address: Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University Medical College, 1300 York Avenue, New York, NY 10021.

Acknowledgements

All of the characters in our dreams — all the lakes, guns, beasts, and other strange stuff — are aspects of ourselves. We inhabit our dreams in various guises, wearing the cloak of an old girlfriend, a crow flying overhead, or the wood stove that heats our cabin. This book is one such dream.

Books and quotes

The Oppenheimer quote at the beginning is from Joyce Nelson's
The Perfect Machine: TV in the Nuclear Age
, 1987, published by Between the Lines, Toronto.

The Wendell Berry poem is from his
A Timbered Choir: The Sabbath Poems 1979-1997.
Permission to quote granted by
Counterpoint Press.

An Accidental Monk
is a wonderful book by Marylee Mitcham (1976, published by St. Anthony Messenger Press) that buoyed me through a winter in the woods in Nova Scotia. She gave me permission to quote from it. Her blog is at anaccidentalmonk.blogspot.com.

Darkness Visible
is William Styron's memoir chronicling his depression. It helped me realize that the pain of losing a parent at a young age can lead to depression. I knew it was debilitating; I continue to see the myriad ways in which that manifests.

People

I am grateful to my editor, Bethany Gibson, for her diligent assistance. I am especially thankful that she championed my novel to the folks at Goose Lane and convinced them to take a chance on it, and on me. She good-naturedly read draft after draft, never seeming to tire of my questions. Thanks, friend.

Thanks to the many who were willing to read and provide comments on early versions of this book. They include Ben Gallagher, Sarah Selecky, Bill Kowalski, Heather Jessup, Eric Philpott, Greg Georgas, Patrick Murphy, Chai Duncan, Erin Robinsong, Ann Macklem, Julie Paul, Angela Klaassen, Annie Bray, and Mavis Spencer.

I have such gratitude for the generosity of Crane Stockey, who hosted me in his boat house on the Northwest Arm. That time alone to write was luxurious, peaceful, and inspirational.

The Writers' Federation of Nova Scotia is a wonderful organization. It was their Atlantic Writing Competition that gave me a boost when I needed it. Thank you especially to Nate, Sue, and Susan.

I have been in good hands ever since Susanne Alexander and everyone else at the Goose said yes. Thanks for treating me so well and with such enthusiasm.

Thanks to the Wired Monk Writers Group — Dina Desveaux, Chris Benjamin, and Simon Vigneault.

The Nova Scotia Department of Communities, Culture & Heritage has been generous with their support of two Creation Grants during the completion of the manuscript.

For two of the many older men who have mentored me: Con Enright, for teaching me to garden, and Bob Philips, for sharing his stories. The writing of fiction is a way of raising the dead.

Thanks to the owners and baristas of The Trident Booksellers and Café in Halifax, who provided a peaceful respite from city life, pots of Dragon Phoenix Pearl, and an uplifted environment in which to read
The New Yorker
and write. Their efforts to awaken us to the plight of the environment are an inspiration.

Thanks to Helen Brown for the joy, work, and struggle of life in Halifax; on Hornby Island; and, especially, at Forest Garden. Without that, at least half of this story wouldn't be.

To my neighbours on the North Mountain, who were nothing but polite, helpful, and supportive as we hacked, swatted, dug, sawed, and nailed our way onto that piece of land.

To my siblings, John, Jill, and Alexa; to Hazel; thanks for supporting me and caring about me and sharing so much.

To my loving, devoted parents. Despite their flaws, they were and are heroic. It is heroism based in simple things: home-cooked meals, tucking children in nightly, keeping a garden, and month-long camping trips to experience the natural beauty of our continent. The consistency and commitment that good parenting requires are more difficult to maintain than writing a book or probably anything else. They were and are very good at it.

To Annie and Ruth, for keeping me company.