Radical (35 page)

A
CKNOWLEDGMENTS

This book would not have been possible without the help of the key people who made it happen. Firstly, I would like to thank my agent and friend Neil Blair and his colleague Zoe King at The Blair Partnership. Neil, despite us initially meeting for an entirely unrelated purpose, you immediately saw the importance of my work and supported me above and beyond the call of duty. Thank you. Thanks also go to Jonathan Blair for suggesting that I abandon the large, corporate US agencies and consider instead his twin brother. It worked. I am indebted to the UK publishing director of the Virgin and WH Allen imprints at Ebury, Ed Faulkner, a visionary who saw me on the TED stage and instantly became enthused about the need to get my story out there. I'd also like to thank Yvonne Jacob at Ebury for being so proactive in spotting my story in the first instance, and Caroline Newbury, Sarah Bennie, and the entire publishing team for their support and backing. From the US publishing team at the Lyons Press imprint of Globe Pequot Press, I would like to particularly thank Jon Sternfeld. Jon, who would have guessed that you would go from being my prospective agent to my publisher! I should also mention Sharon Kunz, Meredith Dias, and the rest of the sterling team at Globe Pequot. Thanks to my co-writer, Tom Bromley, for the hours spent conducting interviews, transcribing my words, and picking my brain so that he could provide the structure I could build upon for this book. Thank you to Faye Husain, wife of Ed Husain, for fearlessly telling me to get more emotionally engaged with my rather stoic first draft, despite her husband's belief that “It would do.” Thanks to Fatima Mullick for reading through my words so diligently, and putting me in my place when I was sounding too grandiose. Thanks to my son Ammar for reading the prologue and telling me it sounded really “cool.” Ammar, now you can read on. Thank you to my family for being so patient while I worked endlessly on this book. A special mention for my mum, who ensured that the facts about my family history were correct, and for my little niece Nusaybah, whom I didn't see enough of while I was busy writing, but at least you have now been joined by your little brother Burhaan.

This story would not be complete were it not for my many early supporters: Iqbal Wahhab, Jemima Khan, Ruth Turner, Evelyn Rothschild, Hazel Blears, Dougie Smith, Dean Godson, Catherine Fieschi, Jonty Feldman, Michael Gove, and Yonca Brunini, and my main man, Rich. From the United States, I would particularly like to thank Michael Davidson, Bailey Cuzner and the GenNext team, Darren Henderson, Courtney La Bau, Frank K, Chad Sweet, Farah Pandith, Juan Zarate, Jared Cohen, Dan Sutherland, Tim C, Paul D'Agostino, Truman Anderson, Mauro Lorenzo, and Michael Murray.

My thanks to the tireless staff at Quilliam, especially Noman, Harriet, and Milly, who expertly handled things for me while I was away compiling this story, and the brave team at Khudi Pakistan: Imran, Ali, Shabbir, Rab Nawaz, and Umair, for building the dream. Finally, to Rachel I send my love.