When you're out with friends, put your cell phone away, advises New York Times advice columnist Philip Galanes. iStockphoto.com hide caption
Tracey Thorn, famous for her work in Everything but the Girl, has a new solo album of seasonal tunes called Tinsel and Lights. Edward Bishop/Courtesy of the artist hide caption
Denzel Washington stars in Flight, the latest film from writer-producer-director Robert Zemeckis. Robert Zuckerman/Paramount Pictures hide caption
Joe Hill Louis, B.B. King and Rufus Thomas appear on a new multi-disc compilation of electric blues, Plug It In! Turn It Up! Bear Family Records hide caption
After a week of recent fighting between Israel and Hamas, an Israeli soldier stands on top of a mobile artillery unit in a position near the Israel Gaza border. Ariel Schalit/Getty Images hide caption
Musicians and friends Buddy Miller and Jim Lauderdale team up on a new album of country duets called Buddy and Jim. Michael Wilson photo/Paul Moore design/Courtesy of the artist hide caption
On her new album, opera star Cecilia Bartoli tackles the work of Baroque composer Agostino Steffani. Uli Weber/Decca hide caption
Hilary Mantel's Wolf Hall won both the Man Booker Prize and the National Book Critics Circle Award. The sequel, Bring Up the Bodies, won this year's Man Booker Prize. Francesco Guidicini/ hide caption
Burning Bridge personnel, left to right: Jason Kao Hwang (violin), Wang Guowei (erhu), Sun Li (pipa), Ken Filiano (string bass), Andrew Drury (drum set), Joseph Daley (tuba), Steve Swell (trombone), Taylor Ho Bynum (cornet/flugelhorn). Scott Friedlander/Courtesy of the artist hide caption