Ring Lardner was born in Niles, Mich., on March 6, 1885, became a
reporter in South Bend, Ind., twenty years later, and almost
immediately began a career as a sports writer, chiefly for Chicago
newspapers, which has never entirely terminated, although
crisscrossed in recent years by a couple of other careers. The more
widely known of these is Lardner's career as a humorist; but in
addition he has now become famous as a satirist of no mean powers.
For particulars see "Champion" in his book, _How to Write Short
Stories_.
"Zone of Quiet," which is, I think, a humorous story, but which is
also certainly something else again, is from Mr. Lardner's latest
collection, _The Love Nest_.