To whom shall I offer this book, young and sprightly,Neat, polished, wide-margined, and finished politely?To you, my Cornelius, whose learning pedantic,Has dared to set forth in three volumes giganticThe history of ages—ye gods, what a...

To my father, who told me the stories that matter. To my mother, who taught me to remember them.

This book is dedicated to all good teachers everywhere, most particularly those of the William Levering School and Central High School in Philadelphia, to whom more is owed than can ever be repaid.

For this taboo, retribution would soon knock my doorBut, I still wouldn’t let that hold my feet to move on anymore.