Abstract
This book has emerged over a period of years marked and marred by stress and distress. Yet it is a hopeful book. Ironically, it began life as a response to the well-documented challenges faced by those entering the academy, in which stress, precarity and mental health issues go hand in hand. In its final form, it offers the reader multiple pathways into the worlds of both early career and seasoned researchers working in the humanities. The stories collected here offer a wide range of accounts of journeys taken, challenges faced, surprises and about faces, determination and, finally, of course, as the title states: Passion and Purpose. Accompanying the stories are also letters from experienced researchers that bring another layer of voice and experience to this work. Like most edited books, you are invited to dip into it to find specific chapters or letters that speak to a very specific need, yet it can also be read from beginning to end as the chapters and letters have been ordered to take the reader on a larger journey in which we encounter voices from different academic and language cultures. Being mindful that all academics are busy people, I have included a 'How to use this book' section below, to aid readers in getting the most out of this book.