In October 1984 I arrived at Oxford University, trailing a large steamer trunk containing a couple of changes of clothing and about five dozen textbooks. I had a freshly minted bachelor’s degree in ...

After decades of writing about other people’s renovations, I bought back my great-grandparents’ nearly 120-year-old farmhouse ...

Vendors recognize their frequent customers and set aside items that match their known interests. It’s shopping in the pre-algorithm age—actual humans making connections based on conversations and ...