OCTOBER 19: That's the day my book Leaving the Left will appear in bookstores. Readers of the essay that preceded the book will recall that the left's refusal to celebrate the January 2005 Iraqi elections was the tipping point: the moment I came to terms with the fact that, over a period of many years, I had been leaving the left in small but significant steps toward something better. My book chronicles these many steps, as the subtitle makes rather clear: "Moments in the News That Made Me Ashamed to Be a Liberal." The obvious question: How can you get your hands on one of the first copies? Well, given that gas prices may be even higher by October, I cannot in good conscience urge you to drive to your local bookstore and buy a copy of the book at that time. Consider ordering online so the book can be delivered to your doorstep. Am I suggesting that by ordering an advance copy today you will be playing a crucial role in saving the planet from further warming and eventual widespread flooding? Not exactly, but...