This is the week of the upfronts, when all the major networks unveil their fall schedules for the 2005-6 season. Tomorrow is the WB’s turn, so we’ll find out whether “Jack & Bobby” will be renewed. It’s currently the lowest-rated show in its time slot and in danger of cancellation, but I’d be sad to see it go. The show’s writers seem prepared for bad news, because last week’s season finale sure seemed like a final episode.

Today it was NBC’s turn, and I’m most interested to see that “The West Wing” is moving to Sunday nights at 8:00, after six years of Wednesday nights at 9. It’ll probably be the show’s last season. Also, the lame “Joey” will be back (lame, but we watch it anyway), while the latest “Law & Order” spinoff will not be.

I have sent the following question to The Ethicist:

There’s this book I want to read. I decided to order it from Amazon.com, because not only is it cheaper that way but I have an Amazon.com gift certificate with lots of money left on it. The problem is that the book will not arrive for several days, and I want to start reading it now.

Is it OK for me to go to Barnes & Noble or Borders, buy the book at full price, start reading it, and then return it to the store once my copy arrives from Amazon.com? I could even give the store whichever of the two copies is in better condition. What do you think?

What do you think?

Steve Leveen says that we should allow ourselves to give up on reading a book if we’re just not feeling it after, say, 50 pages (via). I’ve written about this before – it’s one of the tenets of the Reader’s Bill of Rights. Leveen asks:

Most of us give up on people faster than books. Imagine you’re at a cocktail party and the first person you chat with turns out to be a stupendous bore. Do you keep talking to him for the next hour because you started with him?

Well, the difference is that you haven’t paid to chat with that person. By contrast, most people have bought the book they’re reading, and they’re loath to give up on that investment. That’s why libraries can be so liberating – if you don’t like a book you’ve borrowed, you can return it, and you haven’t lost anything.

Also, Leveen has recently written this book, which looks very intriguing.