I have always looked on the pursuit of knowledge and wisdom as a calling, not simply a profession. To write only what truly interested me was not simply a pleasure or privilege; it was a duty. There is a deep feeling of peace in knowing that, in spite of pressures, I have never compromised this vocation very much or for very long. Not many people in the world are blessed with the privilege of being able to do work that is interesting, original, or significant. I am one of them, and I claim a little bit of credit for this, but also acknowledge a good deal of luck. Enough about the past! Unicorns, gryphins, cynocephali, merpeople, swan maidens, werewolves, sea serpents…—that is the sort of company that I keep right now. I have contracted to write a long book on these and other “imaginary animals” for Reaktion Books in London.