The Chronicle of Higher Education
POINT OF VIEW

Please Don't E-Mail Me About This Article

By ROB NIXON

It's Saturday morning, and I've sought refuge in my favorite place to write: a café a few blocks from home. Ten years ago, I would have found the infant mewling, the bleats of laughter, the cup clatter, and the chatter way too distracting. But these days, I find them easy to screen out. I relish the mental solitude I can achieve here against a backdrop...

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