"Jonathan Jansen doesn't regard the achievements he has made in academia and his contributions to public intellectual life as his own - rather, he sees these accomplishments as a product of the hard work and sacrifices of family, friends, teachers, colleagues and mentors around him. Jansen recounts, in his indomitable way, how the people in his life invested love, direction, encouragement (and even money) to make his journey possible - in the hope that his story may give inspiration and direction to generations of young people taking their first steps in adult life."--Publisher's description.