Two high schoolers are testing their fledgling relationship with a day on the town, a classic start to a screen romance. But on Tuesday's "This Is Us," the carefree date in Philadelphia belongs to a...

Michaela Anne, "Desert Dove" (Yep Roc) The new album by Michaela Anne is a spirited collection by a singer with big-time talent, though it suffers a little from too much radio-play...

The "Downton Abbey " movie isn't exactly a movie. It's more like another season of the popular "Masterpiece Classic" show that's been condensed to 90 minutes instead of 8 hours. Written by series...

"Curious Toys," Little, Brown and Co., by Elizabeth Hand An amusement park with its odd corners, dark mysterious rides, nefarious-looking characters and garish lighting makes for a deliciously...

Jacky Terrasson, "53" (Blue Note) Jazz tunes are like baseball games — few fans complain about them being too short. But on Jacky Terrasson's album "53" (yes, the one-time twentysomething...

Brad Pitt made the first move with James Gray. In 1995, he saw Gray's debut "Little Odessa" and decided to call up the young filmmaker behind the grim Brooklyn crime drama. They've been talking...

"The Giver of Stars: a Novel" (Pamela Dorman Books), by Jojo Moyes At the outset of Jojo Moyes' "The Giver of Stars," Alice Van Cleve has gone from the frying pan into the fire. An outspoken...

Pauline Dingli, author of a new publication on the history of salt making in Malta said that today Maltese salt should be exploited both for the culinary use and cultural tourism...

Billy Strings, "Home" (Rounder) The lightning fast fingers of Billy Strings have tapped him as the future of bluegrass music for a few years now. But it is his creative musical storytelling,...

Everything is beautiful in John Crowley's adaptation of "The Goldfinch ," even the grilled cheese sandwich that a kind stranger makes for a boy who has just lost his mother. It's easy to get swept up...