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rd on the night of the first snowfall （though it did so in January； not in April）： the university outlawed the Nude Olympics just before Tom's graduation in 1999。 And Katie's beloved tree； the Mercer Oak that once stood in Princeton Battlefield State Park； collapsed on March 3； 2000； of natural causes。 It can still be seen in the Walter Matthau movie I。Q。
In nearly all other respects； we have tried to remain as faithful as possible to the history of the Italian Renaissance and of Princeton。 We are deeply indebted to those two great settings of the mind。
I。C。 and D。T。
Acknowledgments
We owe many thanks。 The Rule of Four was nearly six years in the making； and for two young men in their twenties it felt like a lifetime。
First to Jennifer Joel…überagent； friend； muse…who believed in us long before anyone else did； and to Susan Kamil； who loved us as her own； and toiled over the manuscript as feverishly as Tom and Paul would have。
Many thanks to the others without whom this wouldn't have been possible： Kate Elton； Margo Lipschultz； Nick Ellison； Alyssa Sheinmel； Barb Burg； Theresa Zoro； Pam Bernstein； Abby Koons； and Jennifer Cayea。
Ian would like to begin by thanking Jonathan Tze。 The idea for Paul's thesis； from which much of this book sprang； is half his。 At Princeton； thanks also go to Anthony Grafton； who suggested a research paper on the Hypnerotomachia ； to Michael Sugrue； whose enthusiasm and encouragement were never in short supply； and； especially； to David Thurn； whose wisdom and friendship made all the difference。 At Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology； Mary O' Brien and Bettie Stegall gave literature and creative writing a voice in the wilderness。 Joshua 〃Ned〃 Gunsher was an inspiration for Tom's clapper misadventure； and also helped to map out the Ivy Club of fact； before we reimagined it in fiction。 For fifteen years； Davin Quinn's writerly panionship has been a fort and a guiding light； with Robert McInturff； Stewart Young； and Karen Palm； he formed part of the model for a book about friendship。 Above all； my mother and father； my sister； Rachel； and my fiancée； Meredith； kept faith when hope seemed lost； not only these past six years； but every time I seemed to be a hopeless case。 Their love makes even the joy of writing seem small。
For their editorial guidance and great friendship； Dusty would first like to thank Samuel Baum； Jose Llana； and Sam Shaw。 Thanks go； too； to those who were there in as many different ways as there are names： Sabah Ashraf； Andy and Karen Barnett； Noel Bejarano； Marjorie Braman； Scott Brown； Sonesh Chainani； Dhruv Chopra； Elena DeCoste； Joe Geraci； Victor and Phyllis Grann； Katy Heiden； Stan Horowitz； the Joel family； David Kanuth； Clint Kisker； Richard Kromka； John Lester； Tobias Nanda； Nathaniel Pastor； Mike Personick； Joe and Spencer Rascoff； Jeff Sahrbeck； Jessica Salins； Joanna Sletten； Nick Simonds； Jon Stein； Emily Stone； Larry Wasserman； and Adam Wolfsdorf。 To my family； Hyacinth and Maxwell Rubin； Bob and Marge Thomason； Lois Rubin； and all the Thomasons； Blounts； Katzs； Cavanaghs； and Nassers； thank you for your unending support。 Most of all； my love to James and Marcia Thomason； and Janet Thomason and Ron Feldman； for whom no words could be enough； and to Heather Jackie； for whom four letters are enough： BTPT。
Finally； we would both like to thank Olivier Delfosse； friend and photographer； who； for better or worse； came closer than anyone to being the third author of The Rule of Four。
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