Earth In The Balance, Book 2 -- and a movie, too! Did I miss something? Has the world been crying out for a follow-up to Al Gore's 1992 book Earth in the Balance: Ecology and the Human Spirit? That was the book in which the then-senator and soon-to-be-vice-president argued that the planet was headed for an environmental apocalypse, and that modern technology and the American way of life were to blame. Gore's book has been widely discredited (and is very difficult to read). It is often described as a best-seller, although it reportedly sold no more than 300,000 copies (which is not considered "best-selling" by most standards).

Well, if you (like the Unabomber) are one of the book's admirers, I have great news for you. Gore's follow-up book is coming in May. It is titled An Inconvenient Truth, published by Rodale Books. Wait, there's more! Davis Guggenheim (Elisabeth Shue's husband) has directed an accompanying documentary film of the same name, featuring our beloved former vice president. It will be released May 26th by Paramount Pictures' new specialty division. It premiered (appropriately enough) at the Sundance Film Festival last month. According to the Hollywood Reporter, it "weaves the science behind the issue of global warming with the former vice president's personal history and longtime commitment to communicating the pressing need to reverse the effects of global climate change." Paramount specialty division president John Lesher calls the film "a visually mesmerizing and shocking look at the serious and dire state of our planet." He adds:

"We are very proud to help Al Gore expose the urgency of global warming to the widest possible audience."

I wouldn't count on the audience being all that wide. The only people who will be interested in this book and movie will be the fringe left. Through both media, Gore will simply be preaching to his choir.