Pipe smoking isn’t an art; it’s a habit. It has died for a number of good reasons, including the fact that many people can’t abide the smell—even cigarette and cigar smokers. It’s also time-consuming, fairly dirty and no doubt rather unhealthy. I have found pipe smoking often attracts annoying, pretentious people (although I’m sure you’re not one of them). Pipes and their gear (and there’s a lot of it) can be picturesque and involve a lot of lore, but so do electric trains. The place to smoke your pipe is in your study. I have no idea what tobacco is best for you, but my macrobiotic health-nut friends swear that black tobacco of the sort found in Gauloises and Gitanes is good. Very yang, apparently.