And here’s the thing: most American subdivisions are about the size—in population and area—of those little villages so many of us pine for. If I could change one thing about American subdivisions, I’d require them all to have a café, a little grocer selling local produce and baked goods, a coffeehouse, and (because I love hobbits) a village pub. If I couldn’t get all of the above, I’d settle for the pub. Or a used bookstore. Or both. Who wouldn’t want to go for an evening stroll and have a slice of pie at the local baker’s, where you might bump into a neighbor or two whom you haven’t seen for
...more
