A Working Theory of Love

by Scott Hutchins

  The book has benefited in untold ways from the sharp eyes of friends. I name them with outsized gratitude: Andrew Altschul, Peter Ho Davies, Skip Horack, Eric Puchner, Glori Simmons, and Jule Treneer.

  A writer in need of stiff bucking up could find no better allies than from his Ann Arbor days. Special thanks go to Charles Baxter, Nicholas and Elena Delbanco. Valerie Laken, Eileen Pollack, and Lynne Raughley.

  Thanks to my father, who never asked what I was going to do with my English major. And to my brother Michael Hutchins for his fiery belief. Thanks, too, to my brothers Joseph and Mark.

  I’m indebted to John McCarthy, the storied researcher and teacher at Stanford, a few of whose innovations I’ve attributed to Henry Livorno. Even toward the end of his life Professor McCarthy was willing to talk on the phone to an unknown writer. Thanks to Hugh Loebner for hosting me as a judge for his annual Turing test, as well as to Rosalind Picard for her wonderful book, Affective Computing.

  Thanks to the Cité Internationale des Arts for time and space.

  Thanks to two of the finest readers and advocates I could hope to know: my agent, Bill Clegg, and my editor, Colin Dickerman. Additional thanks to Ann Godoff, Scott Moyers, Tracey Locke, Sarah Hutson, Mally Anderson, Kaitlyn Flynn, and everyone else at The Penguin Press. Special thanks as well to Shaun Dolan, Raffaella De Angelis, Tracy Fisher, Cathryn Summerhayes, and Anna DeRoy at William Morris Endeavor.

  To Eli and Gaby Loots, Gawain Lavers, and Brandon and Amie Tyler for storing my stuff. Only the best of friends would.

  Finally, to Shikha Hutchins, my first and last reader, who came into my life when I least expected such good fortune. Thanks for the belief, the happiness, the love. Thanks for saying yes.