“I am an old-fashioned man in a new-fashioned world, which is reason enough to step aside, though, while doing so, to argue for the continuing value and pertinence of much that is old-fashioned, above all the carefully, scrupulously written word.”

 --Jonathan Yardley, a journalist for 50+ years, and a book reviewer for The Washington Post since 1981, in his retirement notice to Post readers. I remain grateful to Yardley for his review of David Shields' “Black Planet: Facing Race During an NBA Season.” I had reviewed it for The Seattle Times—negatively—and there was some sense that I had been too harsh on the man, who was, after all, a University of Washington professor. Then I read Yardley's review, which made mine seem like it was written by Shields' grandmother. I agree with almost everything he says in his retirement notice. It's a classy exit.