I would also like to acknowledge the support of the Cullman Center at the New York Public Library, where I was a fellow from 2019–20. My thanks are due not only to the wonderful staff there but also to my ‘fellow fellows’， in particular Ken Chen, Justin E.
H. Smith, and Josephine Quinn. Josephine’s 2016 piece on the Bronze Age collapse （‘Your own ships did this!’， LRB） has clearly informed Eileen’s thinking in chapter 16
of this novel （though of course any errors are Eileen’s and mine）。
Finally, to everyone who has worked on the publication, distribution or sale of this book, my warmest thanks.