City of Light (60 page)

BOOK: City of Light

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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

I
am beholden to David E. Nye for his two remarkable books on technological development in the United States,
Electrifying America
and
American Technological Sublime
. Daniel M. Dumych’s
Niagara Falls
, Patrick McGreevy’s
Imagining Niagara
, and Paul Gromosiak’s
Soaring Gulls and Bowing Trees
expanded my understanding of the Falls. I am also particularly grateful to Karen Berner Little for her book on Maria M. Love; Lillian S. Williams for her work on Mary Talbert; Ann K. Finkbeiner for
After the Death of a Child;
Margaret Leech for
In the Days of McKinley;
Walter Lord for
The Good Years;
and Michael N. Vogel, Edward J. Patton, and Paul F. Redding for
America’s Crossroads
. My research has been made possible by the dedicated librarians of the Buffalo and Erie County Historical Society; the Buffalo and Erie County Public Library; the Niagara Falls (New York) Public Library; the New-York Historical Society; the New York Public Library; and the New York Society Library. Doris Hampton and the staff of the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation, and Historic Preservation, Niagara Frontier Region, generously provided information. Many Buffalo residents graciously assisted me, among them: Cornelia Lewis Dopkins, Mary Rech Rockwell, Ginny Lohr, Nancy A. Fredrickson at LucasVarity, and Gary Sutton and Kristen Pfaff at the Buffalo Seminary. I enjoyed many walking tours with the Preservation Coalition. In addition to their books on the Pan-American Exposition and on the waterfront, Elizabeth Sholes and Thomas Leary offered their insights and hours of companionship in our mutual excitement for Buffalo’s history. And I am proud to be indebted to the late Austin M. Fox, educator, scholar, and gentleman, who shared not only his encyclopedic knowledge but also his literary acumen.

I have been blessed by an extraordinary editor, Susan Kamil, whose wisdom, commitment, and precision have enriched this book beyond measure. Her steadfast pursuit of every nuance has transformed the way I approach my work, and I will be forever grateful. I must also express my lasting gratitude to my agent, Lisa Bankoff, for her faith in
City of Light
, for her humor, and for her unending encouragement. In addition, I offer my deep appreciation to Irwyn Applebaum for his support. The entire Bantam Dell team generously contributed their multifaceted talents, and a special thanks goes to Jim Plumeri for his vision and artistry. Nita Taublib smoothed every path, and Zoë Rice always knew the perfect word and brightened every day. Many friends sustained me during the six years I worked on
City of Light
, especially Alexandra Isles, Carol L. Shapiro, Elisa Shokoff, Ruth Shokoff, and of course Richard M. Osterweil; their careful readings helped me at every stage. Finally, I thank my husband, whose profound generosity of spirit gave me the time, nurturance, and stability in which to write, and I thank my son, for being himself.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

LAUREN BELFER grew up in Buffalo, New York. She received her M.F.A. in fiction from Columbia University in New York City, where she now lives with her husband and son. She is currently at work on her next novel.

CITY OF LIGHT
A Dial Press Trade Paperback Book

PUBLISHING HISTORY
Dial Press hardcover edition / May 1999
Island Books mass market edition / October 2000
Delta Trade Paperback edition / September 2003
Dial Press Trade Paperback edition / July 2005

Published by
Bantam Dell
A Division of Random House, Inc.
New York, New York

This book is a work of fiction. Although certain historical figures, events, and locales are portrayed, they are used fictitiously to give the story a proper historical context.
All other characters and events, however, are the product of the author’s imagination, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

Library of Congress Catalog Card Number: 98-52917
No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without the written permission of the publisher, except where permitted by law.

The Dial Press and Dial Press Trade Paperbacks are registered trademarks of Random House, Inc., and the colophon is a trademark of Random House, Inc.

eISBN: 978-0-307-76402-7

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