Acknowledgments

1The American Historical Association's award of a 2003 Gutenberg-e Prize greatly facilitated my completion of this work. Its earlier stages were supported by a Bordin-Gillette Researcher Travel Fellowship, Bentley Historical Library, University of Michigan, and a Dissertation Research Fellowship, Associated Students, Arizona State University. Librarians of the Bentley Library at the University of Michigan, the California Historical Society, the San Francisco Public Library, Special Collections at the University of Southern Indiana, Arizona State University, and Duke University gave generously of their time and expertise, helping me to return home with a full net. Subsequently, a Mellon Fellows Research Grant from Duke University allowed me a second visit to California for further archival research. Thanks also to the Center for Communal Studies, Evansville, Indiana, for recognizing and supporting my research.

2The consummate professionals at Columbia University Press have labored long and hard to make it possible for us Gutenberg-e authors to focus on our research, secure in the knowledge that we were in good hands. I owe a special thanks to Nathaniel Herz for his editorial suggestions and to Ann Miller for her meticulous, thoughtful suggestions for improving the manuscript.

3Electronic publication offers virtually unlimited space for the inclusion of photographs and other forms of visual evidence, but my efforts to obtain such evidence have met with mixed results. On the one hand, the family of Irwin Klein generously granted me use of the title-page photograph, "Alan and Mickey in Meadow, Carson National Forest," no. NM-13 in Irwin Klein's fascinating series, "The New Settlers of New Mexico." I encourage readers to explore all of Irwin Klein's work, at the "Settlers" site and in print. I thank both Alan and Ben Klein for their encouragement of my work. The Bill Graham Archives permitted me use of several striking photographs by Gene Anthony of Digger street theater and the Haight-Ashbury countercultural milieu. On the other hand, I regret that legal ownership of photographs relating to the Farm is uncertain, and so I was unable to include any in part 2. Still, current residents of The Farm welcomed me warmly during the Farm Experience Weekend of April 2004. Albert Bates, longtime resident and legal counsel to the community, has attended many annual meetings of the Communal Studies Association, and during one such, graciously corrected what would have been embarrassing errors on my part and encouraged me to continue this project.

4During 2005, I conducted about a dozen oral history interviews with former residents of The Farm, many of whom invited me into their homes. Although the book had to be completed before most of these very busy people could finalize the transcripts of their interviews, their warmth and generosity continue to inspire and sustain me. Former members of the Free Families have been disappointed by many a disrespectful interviewer and would-be author, and were thus, on the whole, understandably skeptical of yet another scholar's professions of interest in their story. Yet the participants in the Digger Archives discussion forum accepted my presence, Nichole Wills granted me an interview, and Eileen Ewing's generously detailed correspondence greatly enhanced my understanding of the communes in which she was a member.

5I have been fortunate to find so many good friends, stalwart colleagues, dedicated mentors, and talented, energetic students during my sojourns in academia. Many thanks to the members of the Communal Studies Association who have so encouraged me in the long process of writing this book: Deborah Altus, Harvey Baker, Elizabeth DeWolfe, Peter Hoehnle, Don Janzen, Rod Janzen, Marlyn Klee, Chuck LeWarne, Susan Love Brown, Timothy Miller, Donald E. Pitzer, and Gina Walker. At Arizona State University, Vicki L. Ruiz, Edward J. Escobar, and Susan E. Gray commented extensively on this work in its earlier form as a dissertation, and they, along with Asunción Lavrin and other members of the Women's History Reading Group continue to support my search for a place in academe. My time as a visiting professor at St. Thomas University (Fredericton, New Brunswick) was too short, but I was honored to work with Sheila Andrew, Rusty Bitterman, John Jennings, Karen Robert, and Julia Torrie. Brad Cross, who was on leave that year, nevertheless extended both warm hospitality and invaluable suggestions on teaching U.S. history in Canada. Courtney Hare, Stephen MacPherson, and Stephanie Waugh, to name only three, rewarded my efforts with their passionate intellectual engagement with my courses. During my three years in the Duke University First-Year Writing Program, I enjoyed the pleasurable collegiality of Ben Albers, Greta Boers, Herb Childress, John Gilbert, Jennifer Halloran, Van Hillard, Felicia Kornbluh, Carter Mathes, Tamera Marko, Marcia Rego, and Michele Strano. Teaching is, for the teacher, the unsurpassed form of instruction in what he or she really thinks, and from the students in my seminars there I gained invaluable perspective on the art of writing and the art of thinking critically about the 1960s. I hope that I haven't forgotten to mention anyone whose name belongs here; those whom I have mentioned should not be blamed for any omissions or wayward interpretations found in the text.

6Other friends and family contributed in ways that they may not fully appreciate, but I am glad for the opportunity to say that I do. Kris Hoover and Lou Ann Matossian opened many doors for me; through them, I discovered the possibility of socially engaged scholarship. Amy Fong, Jean Reynolds, Juanita Villamil, and Leigh Ann Wheeler may live afar, but they have never been distant these many years. Angelina Rock and Mike, Pam, Paul, and Sue Hodgdon, in typical Maine-iac fashion, sometimes warned me that their comments would amount to little, but as usual, I only half-listened.

7Phyllis Hodgdon did not live to witness the completion of this work. Would that—to paraphrase Bernice Johnson Reagon—the world had been at least as willing as she was able.

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