Princeton U.P. Author Proposes Marriage in Book Acknowledgements

By Lynn Andriani -- Publishers Weekly, 3/23/2009 9:36:00 AM

Pirates and economics may not be sexy subjects for a book, but economists tend to see things and do things a bit differently. So it made sense for Peter Leeson, an economist at George Mason University, to propose to his girlfriend in the preface of his forthcoming book, The Invisible Hook: The Hidden Economics of Pirates. He presented the finished book (and a ring) to her on Friday—and she said yes. 

Leeson’s publisher, Princeton University Press, made arrangements for the author to receive the first copy of the book’s printing. Everyone at the press kept the proposal a secret and even went to the trouble of extracting that section of the book—which read, “Ania, I love you; will you marry me?”—from the advance galleys that were mailed out to the press.

“The book, of course, very much reflects my personality, thinking and passions,” said Leeson. “But it also reflects many of the things I love about Ania, such has her incredible brain, her creativity, and her phenomenal support of everything I do, all which I relied on to write the book, and all of which, consequently, became critical ingredients to its progress.” Princeton will publish The Invisible Hook in June.