Freedom to Differ. Diane Helene Miller

       ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

      The occasion of completing a book provides one of the rare moments in life in which one is compelled to cease one’s ongoing work, at least momentarily, and take stock of one’s emotional and intellectual debts: to give thanks where thanks are due. Doing so dispels the myth of the isolated writer, for while the process of writing can be a lonely one, a truer representation of scholarly work is one that casts a wider net to encompass a community of others who have influenced, directly or indirectly, that scholar’s work.

      To begin at the beginning, I wish to thank my parents, Jay and Lois Miller, for instilling in me at an early age a love of learning, an understanding of the value of an education, and a strong work ethic to help me achieve it. They have endowed me with the intellectual and financial means, as well as the self-discipline, to pursue an excellent and extensive education. I am grateful for their generosity and the freedom and privilege they have given me to pursue my chosen career path. I also thank my sister, Elaine Miller; my brother, Ira Miller; and my sister-in-law, Ann Kowel Miller, for their love and support.

      I am fortunate to be a feminist scholar at a time and in a place where my role models have been feminist women. My awakening as both a scholar and a feminist began at Trinity University as a student of Vicki Aarons, professor of English, who is without question the finest teacher I have ever known. She introduced me to the excitement of the life of the mind and to the importance and joys of feminist scholarship. My admiration for her, the knowledge and skills I acquired in her classroom, and the guidance she provided shaped my undergraduate years as well as my future career. Trinity itself will always be a second home to me, and so much of who I am has been influenced by the people and ideas I first encountered there.

      My feminist education has been furthered by other strong women who have been my teachers, either formally or unofficially. In the former group, Cindy Jenefsky, Celeste Condit, Ramona Liera-Schwichtenberg, and Evelyn Fox Keller taught me much of what I know about feminist theory and criticism, for which I am deeply grateful. In the latter group, Coleen Grissom, Peg Layton, and Ann Knoebel have inspired me with their intellect, wisdom, and humor. Their faith in my abilities has encouraged me to greater belief in myself.

      Many individuals have helped me along the way since this project began. This book is based on a dissertation I completed at the University of Georgia. Several faculty members were particularly supportive during my search to find a topic that would be meaningful to me and to shape a research agenda that would have an impact on a wider community. For their support and guidance I thank, again, Celeste and Cindy. I am grateful to Tricia Lootens, whose enthusiastic response to my project inspired me during moments of doubt. Her thoughtful insights and suggestions considerably improved the final version of this book. I also express my gratitude to Cal Logue, not only for his assistance on this project but also for the innumerable things I have learned from him through our collaborative work. Our association has been in all ways a joy to me.

      I thank my editor at New York University Press, Jennifer