A Farewell to the Annual

I became editor of The Annual of Psychoanalysis in 1992. At that time, The Annual was entering its third decade, and I committed the publication to continued excellence rather than allegiance to any school of psychoanalytic thought. I like to think that the major psychoanalytic journals have come to share this perspective in that pluralism is a term that seems far more common these days than mainstream and revisionism. In looking over the 16 volumes I have edited, I am pleased that although we included fine papers from the Chicago psychoanalytic community, we also showcased contributions from many of the most outstanding psychoanalytic authors, both nationally and internationally.

Beginning in 2001, two important changes occurred. We decided that The Annual could serve our readers better and reach broader readership if each year's book were devoted to a single theme. Contributions were solicited but subjected to vigorous peer review. In the years that followed, editions of The Annual focused psychoanalytic attention on Freud's impact on our world, on the homosexualities, history, women, architecture, and, in our most recent volume, spirituality and religion. According to the feedback we have received in published reviews, each of these volumes has been one of the foremost works on its particular theme. The current volume takes up the critical area of the psychoanalytic understanding and treatment of children. It was also in 2001 that Jim Anderson came aboard as associate editor. His industry, judgment, and dedication have been invaluable. I am pleased that he has agreed to succeed me as editor, and I am confident that in his capable hands the publication's scope, quality, and stature will continue to grow. From the beginning of my time as editor, editorial assistant Chris Susman has been the sine qua non of the book's existence. For the past six years, Dick Grinker's wisdom and financial support for our publication have been indispensable. Paul Stepansky and The Anal