Cryptic Acrostic 1: Off Balance

Question

This is an acrostic puzzle which uses cryptic clues. If you're unfamiliar with either or both of those, click the associated link.

A complete answer should give the quote, author and source, as well as solutions and explanations of the cryptic clues.

Oh, and in case you're too lazy to solve this with actual pencil and paper, I've created an interactive version that will autofill from the grid to the clues and vice versa. Have fun!

_{An accessible version for the visually impaired can be found here.}

Answer 1

It says:

LOOK AT THE WORLD AROUND YOU. IT MAY SEEM LIKE AN IMMOVABLE, IMPLACABLE PLACE. IT IS NOT. WITH THE SLIGHTEST PUSH IN JUST THE RIGHT PLACE, IT CAN BE TIPPED.

This is from

Malcolm Gladwell's "The Tipping Point".

Answers and explanations:

A. GRITTY: initial letters.
B. LAVA: LA + VA.
C. ASKED OUT: anagram of DATE US OK; &lit.
D. DOW JONES: substring.
E. WHITTLE: T(wo) L(arge) in WHITE.
F. EPAULETS: AU in EP + LETS.
G. LUTHER: LUTHIER minus I.
H. LIMBO: LIMB + O.
I. TRASH: RASH with T "at first".
J. ITCHED: I(mage) + anagram of THE CD.
K. PATH: substring.
L. POPEYE: POPE precedes YE.
M. ICICLE: initial letters.
N. NABISCO: NO about AB (at bat) + IS + C(onfusing).
O. GHENT: GENT eats H(og).
P. PALM: double definition.
Q. OPTIMAL: TIM in OPAL.
R. IN THE MAIL: IN (during) + anagram of HAMLET I.
S. NIMBUS: NIM + BUS.
T. TIKE: anagram of KITE.

Credit where due:

I know nothing about sport and Stiv kindly pointed out that AB = at bat.