Island Practice (39 page)

Sam Telford III, Dean Belanger, Rob Deblinger, Ronnie Conway, James Cardoza, and the members of Nantucket’s tick-borne disease committee, among others, helped educate me about ticks, deer, and associated diseases.

I am extremely indebted to the multifaceted and meaningful conversations I’ve had with Richard Ray, Jim Lentowski, Rhoda Weinman,
Steve Tornovish, Pam Michelsen, Chris Fraker, Peter Swenson, Martina Richards, Robin Rowland, Mariellen Scannell, Tristram Dammin, Paul and Brenda Johnson, David Goodman, Kim Horyn, Peter MacKay, Jeffrey Drazen, John Lochtefeld, Janine Mauldin, Michael Kopko, Steve Meadow, Bruce Watts, Jenny Garneau, and Thomas Shack, among others.

Thank you to Underground Tom, wherever he is, and to Henry, the cookie man, for a strikingly entertaining interview and recipes you’re unlikely to see on Top Chef.

And I am deeply honored that the wonderful Nathaniel Philbrick not only supplied some colorful Tim Lepore stories but offered to write a foreword that poetically blended his vast knowledge of history with humor, sobriety, and a touch of magical realism.

A number of resources were valuable to my reporting. I am a subscriber to the Nantucket
Inquirer and Mirror
, which, under the impressive direction of its editor and publisher, Marianne Stanton, actively covers all things Nantucket. It provided an important avenue for keeping up on island life, and I thank all of the people who contribute to this publication, perhaps especially Jason Graziadei, who seems to regularly write more than half the paper.

Other resources included the
Nantucket Independent
, the
Cape Cod Times
, Plum TV, and a host of blogs including
yackon.com
, Mahon About Town,
DiscoverNantucket.com
, Boating Local, and Wicked Local Nantucket. I gleaned useful information from the
Vineyard Gazette
,
Martha’s Vineyard Magazine
,
The Boston Globe
,
The Washington Post
, and
The New York Times.

The staff of the Nantucket Atheneum, especially Lincoln Thurber, was helpful in providing old newspaper clippings. Other sources included the Nantucket Historical Association, Nantucket District Court, the Cape and Islands District Attorney’s office, the Nantucket Police Department, the Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife, the Massachusetts Department of Health, the Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention, and the Food and Drug Administration. I used a number of medical journals including the
New England Journal of Medicine
, the
Harvard Public Health Review
,
Science
, and the
American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene
. I found several books helpful, including Nathaniel Philbrick’s
Abram’s Eyes
and
Away Off Shore
, Robert F. Mooney’s
Nantucket Only Yesterday
and
The Nantucket Way
, and Robert Desowitz’s
New Guinea Tapeworms and Jewish Grandmothers
.

I owe tremendous gratitude to my employer,
The New York Times
, and to way too many of my colleagues to name here. Special thanks to Bill Keller and Jill Abramson, and to Joe Lelyveld before them, for the remarkable opportunities they have given me, and for their inspiration and the exceptional journalism they have produced. Thanks to the editors on the National desk whose idea it was, in 2007, to have me, as New England bureau chief, write a piece about “someone who is doing something interesting in an interesting place.” Had they picked any of the other ideas on my list—the art gallery owner/pro wrestler in Maine, for instance—this book might never have happened.

Thanks to Jack Kadden for editing that first story and for making me cut only a few of my favorite lines, some of which, he will notice, now see the light of day in this book. Thanks to my colleague Katie Zezima for holding down the fort in Boston while I spent time on Nantucket, and for being an all-around great person to have in the New England bureau. And thanks to Stephen Crowley, who spent several days with me on Nantucket taking photographs and video for that piece. Later, Cary Hazlegrove, a skilled Nantucket photographer, took pictures for a second article I wrote. And Alain Delaqueriere of
The Times
’s research department dug up background information.

My current colleagues on the Science staff of
The Times
embody the ideal combination of intelligence, collegiality, and just enough quirkiness to keep things interesting. The amazing Barbara Strauch, the Science editor, has been extraordinarily supportive and magnanimous during the book writing process. Her admirable predecessor, Laura Chang, also
gave me encouragement. And the excellent health editor, Celia Dugger, has been wonderfully patient in allowing me to take time away from my day job. The terrific David Corcoran, who is a poet in addition to being a crackerjack editor, read many chapters, providing incisive comments and a dose of much-appreciated positive reinforcement.

Other colleagues who kindly gave their time to read portions of the book include Dennis Overbye, Donald G. McNeil Jr., and Cornelia Dean. Many others, including Soo-Jeong Kang, Nancy Donaldson, Todd Heisler, Jennifer Kingson, Michael Mason, Dabrali Jimenez, Thomas Lin, Jill Taylor, Toby Bilanow, Karen Barrow, James Gorman, Gina Kolata, Kenneth Chang, Tara Parker-Pope, Lawrence Altman, James Glanz, and Benedict Carey all provided encouragement in one way or another.

Denise Grady is not only an always-gracious colleague who read part of the book, but she added a dose of fun to some pretty intense days and once even gave me a gigantic piece of chocolate carved to look like two aspirin tablets. And William J. Broad, a true class act, provided invaluable advice about writing books, and became one of my cheerleaders as he listened enthusiastically to several outlandish Tim Lepore stories.

I’d like to thank my colleagues in the Knight Science Journalism Fellowship—Boyce Rensberger, Kathy Boisvert, Molly Seamans, Julie Robotham, Cathy Clabby, Jonathan Fahey, John Mangels, Ivan Semeniuk, Keith Seinfeld, Zarina Khan, Esther Nakkazi, Pere Estupinyà—who not only cheered me on, but took it in stride in Costa Rica when I spent several long, bumpy bus rides and insect-filled nights in the rain forest working away on what would become the Moby-Tick chapter.

And I’m grateful to Anne Bernays and the members of the Neiman writing group for helping launch me on the book-writing path and always believing I could do it.

Someone else who never lost faith is my terrific agent, Michael Carlisle, who spotted my initial article on Tim Lepore and contacted
me about writing this book. Michael’s warmth and his excitement about ideas are infectious, and he assisted me in navigating several challenging decisions along the way. Michael’s affection for this book is part of what carried me through, and his kindness and decency are something to treasure.

I owe thanks to the people who have worked with Michael at Inkwell Management, especially Lauren Smythe and Ethan Bassoff for their responsiveness and guidance. I was also lucky that Jenny Witherell at Inkwell just happens to be a Nantucketer, and her reading of several chapters added valuable perspective and several additional details.

My publisher, PublicAffairs, has provided an excellent home for this book, understanding what it could be and endorsing the writer’s voice and ideas all along the way. I am indebted to Peter Osnos, the founder and editor-at-large; Susan Weinberg, the publisher; Pete Garceau, the jacket designer; Timm Bryson, the text designer; Lindsay Fradkoff in marketing; and Renee Caputo, the proofer. Melissa Raymond, the managing editor, has been organized, patient, and responsive. Beth Wright was a careful and conscientious copyeditor. Emily Lavelle has been an energetic and creative publicist. Thanks also to Jeffrey Miller for his legal advice.

My editor, Clive Priddle, has been (almost) unfailingly understanding of the life of a
New York Times
writer juggling a book and her day job, relocating from one state to another, moving three times while selling and buying houses, and raising two little girls. He fielded phone calls and emails from me while I was on assignment in places like South Korea, Colombia, and Arizona’s Navajo reservation, and while I was jugging parental responsibilities in skating rinks and piano recitals.

He didn’t always say much, but (once he learned how to pronounce the name of our main character) what he said was perceptive and he made several suggestions that were nothing short of wise. You could try to chalk it up to the fact that his British accent makes him sound preternaturally smart. But in truth, he actually is. Just as important for
me, he let me make him laugh or did a good job feigning amusement at my bad puns and silly jokes. This more than made up for his attempts to sneak Britishisms into the text (Americans, Clive, do not “pop round” to visit neighbors).

Once, when I was teasing Clive about his Dickensian name, he pointed out that his namesake was none other than Clive of India, the baron and military officer who established British colonial supremacy in India. This august figure had a campaign slogan—“Clive For Ever, Hurrah!”—and Priddle told me, “If you find yourself flagging, you may shout it with vim.” My response was “Clive For Ever? Perish the thought.” Now, though, when one thinks about the special gift of having an editor who helps a writer’s work become better, that sentiment doesn’t seem like such a bad idea.

I am very grateful to the talented Warren St. John for reading my work, and to Mark Russi, who cast his intelligent eye over several chapters. My wonderful friends Andy Meyers and Chris Leh also read the manuscript, just another way that their humor and wisdom has enriched my life over the years. Other friends provided enthusiastic support, patience with my overbooked schedule, and fountains of laughter and positive feelings that sustained me through this process. They include Deborah Scroggins, Margaret Usdansky, Peter Bass, Beth Haase, Jodi Cahn, Steve Wasserman, Ellen Clegg, and Alicia Anstead.

I have many musical acknowledgments to make because music gives my life unparalleled joy and meaning. The members of my jazz group, Equilibrium—Terry Schwadron, Frederic Gilde, Rich Russo, Dan Silverstone, and Brad Baker—helped me more than they know. So did other musicians, including Matt Buttermann, Kenneth Kuo, Fred Ury, Kevin Foxman, Micah Grand, Alexei Tsiganov, Jamie Stewardson, David Zoffer, Heather Stewart Fishman, and my friend Pete Muller. Natalie Ryshna Maynard, a marvelously dedicated pianist and teacher, was always inquisitive and engaged, and she will be dearly missed.

Thanks to the awesome June Clark for her enthusiasm and for loving our daughters almost as much as we do; to Kathleen Murphy and
Latiesha Gay for helping me make the time to write and report; and to the admirable coaches and parents from the Skyliners Synchronized Skating Team, who never seemed to mind that I was perpetually the mom in the rink with a laptop, tapping away with fingers that sometimes got cold enough to turn Skyliner blue.

It’s impossible to capture the gratitude I feel toward my parents, Frances and Raymond. They are incomparable role models of integrity and earnestness, hard work and commitment, fairness, kindness, and love. They are at the root of all my joys and anything I have managed to accomplish in life.

My brother David has always held a stature for me that justifies every inch of his six-foot-five frame, inspiring me with his intelligence, dedication, achievement, and great generosity. I thank my sister-in-law Jocelyn as well. My brother Joseph is someone I greatly admire and respect, a person who sticks to his principles and has a keen devotion to family and friends. And I am grateful for the caring friendship of my sister-in-law, Laura, with whom I feel a special kinship.

Now for our daughters, Arielle and Jillian, who sparkle with wonder and exuberance; approach all they do with creativity, energy, humor, and imagination; dazzle me with their insights and observations every day; and thrill my heart with the most indescribable love in the world.

And finally to the person with whom I share life and love: my husband Bill. His support and encouragement have been beyond extraordinary. There were quotidian things: computer help and carpooling, lawn mowing and laundry and sending me lunch deliveries at work. There was the way he held things together at home when I traveled or worked way too late or spent what seemed like months hibernating to write and revise.

There was his hands-on assistance with the book: helping me track down phone numbers for sources, sending me multiple copies of the Associated Press style guide, fact-checking small details (who knew that Lipton Cup O’ Noodles stopped using the O’ in 1993?), listening
to one anecdote after another, and reading and offering suggestions for chapter after chapter.

There was the animated and irrepressible way he shared his journalistic talent, his humor, and his honesty. And there was always his unwavering love and belief in me. This has been an amazing journey and Bill has been the most important person with me for every discovery along the way.