"A Gatekeeping Speech Act"

OMG, this got reposted again ... it seems to have pissed some people off, the ones who believe in long acknowledgments.

I, however, think people who say in their prefaces that they couldn't have finished the book without their wives' help, should also explain why they did not list their wives as coauthors.

Stephen Potter suggested a dedication that would pre-empt any possible criticism:

"To little Emily, in the hope that God's glorious gift of sight may one day be restored to her."

Years ago, a friend, now deceased, showed me a classic, lengthy, seemingly straightforward acknowledgment section in which the author thanked various people for acts, which, if the reader was paying attention, could actually be construed as sexual services. When read this way, it was a lovely, snickering send-up of the whole rigmarole. I've wracked my brain trying to remember which book contained it, but alas, cannot. It concluded with the traditional, heartfelt nod toward the spouse -- something like "without whom this book would not exist, but especially for last Thursday night."

Hilarious suggestions! :-) I hope I find that book.

isn't she great?... i just linked another bit of hers today...