My Beloved World Part 28

I am truly grateful for the contributions of my editor at Alfred A. Knopf, George Andreou, in helping make my stories come alive. George's deft editorial touch added much, but he also expertly guided me through the publishing process. I am enormously grateful as well to Sonny Mehta, the publisher of Knopf, who has treated me with much kindness and attention. Everyone at Knopf with whom I have met and worked, and everyone at Random House, Inc., Knopf's parent, has extended a.s.sistance with professional skill and grace. I am appreciative of all of your efforts.

Research related to Puerto Rico, help in reviewing the ma.n.u.script, and translation of this book from English to Spanish were particularly important. I am especially indebted to three people for their tireless efforts in this part of the book's development. I can never catalogue all of the work they have volunteered in helping me with this book or the many gifts of love they have given me through the years. I can only say thank you to Xavier Romeu-Matta, a brilliant lawyer who was my law clerk during my first year as a federal district court judge; his wife, the accomplished writer Lyn Di Iorio, professor of English (and unofficial language and literature in Spanish expert) at the City College of New York and CUNY Graduate Center; and Emerida Rivera, who has traveled repeatedly throughout Puerto Rico to help in my research and proven by example that saintly hearts and souls still exist in the world. The Hunter College Center for Puerto Rican Studies also provided invaluable background materials. Thanks are due also to Ligia Pesquera and angel Rivera, whose kind hospitality supported our research in Puerto Rico; to Sylvia Gutierrez, who a.s.sisted with travels; and to Lourdes Perez, who provided background on Puerto Rican poetry.

I am grateful to Amanda Tong, Colin Wright, and Kate Beddall for their help in transcribing and translating interviews, and for the reflections they offered.

Another gift in the process of producing this book has been working with and befriending my book agent, Peter Bernstein, and his wife, Amy Bernstein, of the Bernstein Literary Agency. You both have shepherded this book with consummate professional skill, sage advice, and caring. I thank John S. Siffert of Lankler Siffert & Wohl LLP, and his wife, Goldie Alfasi, for introducing me to Peter and Amy and for being such supportive friends during this process. I also thank John for introducing me to Richard Hofstetter and Mark A. Merriman of Frankfurt Kurnit Klein & Selz, PC, and for their legal and professional advice. John, I am especially grateful for the wise legal counsel you gave me in drafting the book proposal, overseeing the contract negotiations, and reviewing this book. I have three brothers: my birth brother, you, and Robert A. Katzmann. All three of you have supported me through my recent life experiences in ways that cannot be acknowledged here but are inscribed in my heart.

Some friends who are not named in the text shared memories that appear in the book or reviewed the ma.n.u.script to offer advice. Each of you is special to me and I acknowledge you here in chronological order of your appearance in my life: Peter Kougasian, with whom I shared experiences at Princeton University, Yale Law School, and the New York County District Attorney's Office; Paula DiPerna, a journalist and author whose book Juries on Trial: Faces of American Justice provides an account of the child p.o.r.nography trial; Cynthia Fischer, the second female partner at Pavia & Harcourt, and David Gla.s.ser, an a.s.sociate then at the firm; Nicole Gordon, founding Executive Director of the New York City Campaign Finance Board; Mari Carmen Aponte, now United States amba.s.sador to El Salvador and then member of the Puerto Rican Legal Defense and Education Fund (now Latino Justice); Robert Sack, a former colleague on the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit Court; and Jennifer Callahan, doc.u.mentary film producer and writer.

Lee Llambelis and Ellis Cose, you encouraged me to write this book and guided me in the initial process of thinking about having it published. I give special thanks also to Sue Anderson and Kitty Reese: you pitched in each time I needed help to get things done while I worked on the book. You are all incredible friends. Thank you.

Finally, I thank Ricki Seidman, whom I worked with during my Supreme Court confirmation process and who has become a precious friend. Ricki tirelessly reviewed multiple revisions of this book and offered thoughtful suggestions that have improved it immeasurably.

A life filled with loving and caring family and friends such as mine is truly blessed.

Glossary

abuelita: grandma

aguinaldo: here, Christmas folk song

aji: pepper; hot pepper

arroz con gandules: rice and pigeon peas

Bendicion, Abuelita: Bless me, Grandma; blessing

bisabuela: great-grandmother

brujeria: witchcraft

burla: mockery

cafe con leche: coffee with milk

chiflado: literally, crazy, a looney, and used to translate for "stooge" in the t.i.tle and show The Three Stooges

china: orange, as in the fruit

chuletas: pork chops

como una maldicion: like a curse

Dame un cigarrillo: Give me a cigarette

despedida: farewell

Dios te salve, Maria, llena eres de gracia: El Senor es contigo. Bendito tu eres entre todas las mujeres y bendito es el fruto de tu vientre: Jesus. Santa Maria, Madre de Dios, ruega por nosotros pecadores, ahora y en la hora de nuestra muerte ...

Hail Mary, full of grace: The Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among all women and blessed is the fruit of your womb: Jesus. Holy Mary, mother of G.o.d, pray for us sinners, now and in the hour of our death ...

(from the Roman Catholic "Hail Mary" prayer)

el jurutungo viejo: the boondocks; the end of the world

el luto: mourning

embusteros: liars

"En Mi Viejo San Juan": "In My Old San Juan." A bolero written by Puerto Rican composer Noel Estrada in 1943. It is considered by many Puerto Ricans to be a kind of unofficial anthem. It enshrines the narrator's desire to go back to his longed-for city by the sea, and the melancholy realization that this will never happen.

Es el precio de hacer negocios: It's the price of doing business

espera: wait

espiritismo: Spiritism

Estas loca!: You're crazy!