The Wolf of Wall Street

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Countless thanks to my literary agent, Joel Gotler, who after reading three pages of a very rough manuscript told me to drop everything I was doing and become a full-time writer. He’s been a coach, an advisor, a psychiatrist, and, above all, a true friend. Without him, this book would have never been written. (So, if your name is in it, blame him, not me!)

I’d also like to thank my publisher, Irwyn Applebaum, who believed in me from the very beginning. It was his vote of confidence that made the difference.

Immeasurable thanks to my editor, Danielle Perez, who did the work of three editors—turning a 1,200-page manuscript into a 500-page book. She’s an amazing lady, with a style and grace all her own. Over the last nine months her favorite nine words to me were: “I’d hate to see what your liver looks like!”

Many thanks to Alexandra Milchan, my one-woman army. If every author were lucky enough to have an Alexandra Milchan, there would be a lot less starving authors in the world. She’s tough, kind, brilliant, and as beautiful on the inside as she is on the outside. She’s definitely her father’s daughter.

And many thanks to my good friends Scott Lambert, Kris Mesner, Johnnie Marine, Michael Peragine, Kira Randazzo, Marc Glazier, Faye Greene, Beth Gotler, John Macaluso, and to all the waiters and waitresses at the restaurants and coffeehouses I wrote this book in—the girls at Chaya and Skybar and Coffee Bean, and Joe at Il Boccaccio.

And, lastly, I thank my ex-wife, the Duchess of Bay Ridge, Brooklyn. She’s still the best, despite the fact that she orders me around as if I were still married to her.