ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

I’d like to give thanks to : the pueblo dominicano. And to Those Who Watch Over Us. Mi querido abuelo Osterman Sanchez. Mi madre, Virtudes Diaz, and mis tías Irma and Mercedes. Mr. and Mrs. EI Hamaway (who bought me my first dictionary and signed me up for the Science Fiction Book Club). Santo Domingo, Villa Juana, Azua, Parlin, Old Bridge, Perth Amboy, Ithaca, Syracuse, Brooklyn, Hunts Point, Harlem, el Distrito Federal de Mexico, Washington Heights, Shimokitazawa, Boston, Cambridge, Roxbury. Every teacher who gave me kindness, every librarian who gave me books. My students. Anita Desai (who helped land me the MIT gig: I never thanked you enough, Anita); Julie Grau (whose faith and perseverance brought forth this book); and Nicole Aragi (who in eleven years never once gave up on me, even when I did).

The John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation, the Lila Wallace-Reader’s Digest Fund, the Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study at Harvard University.

Jaime Manrique (for being the first writer to take me serious), David Mura (the jedi master who showed me the way), Francisco Goldman, the Infamous Frankie G (for bringing me to Mexico and being there when it started), Edwidge Danticat, (for being mi querida hermana).

Deb Chasman, Eric Gansworth, Juleyka Lantigua, Dr. Janet Lindgren, Ana María Menendez, Sandra Shagat, and Leonie Zapata (for reading it).

Alejandra Frausto, Xanita, Alicia Gonzalez (for Mexico).

Oliver Bidel, Harold del Pino, Victor Diaz, Victoria Lola, Chris ABaní, Juana Barrios, Tony Capellan, Coco Fusco, Silvio Torres-Saillant, Michele Oshima, Soledad Vera, Fabiana Wallis, Ellis Cose, Lee LlamBelis, Elisa Cose, Patricia Engel (for Miami), Shreerekha Pillai (for spinning dark girls beautiful), Lily Oei (for kicking ass), Sean McDonald (for finishing it).

Manny Perez, Alfredo de Villa, Alexis Pella, Farhad Ashgar, Ani Ashgar, Marisol Alcantara, Andrea Greene, Andrew Simpson, Diem Jones, Denise Bell, Francisco Espinosa, Chad Milner, Tony Davis, and AnYbóny (for building me shelter).

MIT. Riverhead Books. The New Yorker. All the schools and institutions that supported me.

The Family: Dana, Maritza, Clifton, and Daniel.

The Hernandez Clan: Rada, Soleil, Debbie, and Reebee.

The Moyer Clan: Peter and Gricel. And Manuel del Villa (Rest in Peace, Son of the Bronx, Son of Brookline, True Hero).

The Benzan Clan: Milagros, Jason, Javier, Tanya, and the twins Mateo y India.

The Sanchez Clan: Ana (for always being there for Eli) and Michael and Kiara (for having her back).

The Pilla Clan: Nivia Pifia y mi ahijado Sebastian Pifia. And for Merengue.

The Ohno Clan: Doctor Tsuneya Ohno, Mrs. Makiko Ohno, Shinya Ohno, and of course Peichen.

Amelia Burns (Brookline and Vineyard Haven), Nefertiti Jaquez (Providence), Fabiano Maisonnave (Campo Grande and Sao Paulo), and Homero del Pino (who first brought me to Paterson).

The Rodriguez Clan: Luis, Sandra, and my goddaughters Camila and Dalia (I love you both).

The Batista Clan: Pedro, Cesarina, Junior, Elijah y mi ahijada Alondra.

The Bernard-de León Clan: Dona Rosa (mi otra madre), Celines de León (true friend), Rosemary, Kelvin and Kayla, Marvin, Rafael (a.k.a. Rafy), Ariel, and my boy Ramon.

Bertrand Wang, Michiyuki Ohno, Shuya Ohno, Brian O’Halloran, Hisham El Hamaway, for being my brothers at the beginning.

Dennis Benzan, Benny Benzan, Peter Moyer, Hector Pina: for being my brothers at the end.

And Elizabeth de León: for leading me out of great darkness, and giving me the gift of light.