Q. Once again, the New York Public Library system kept close track of the most checked-out books over the past 12 months. Which books were New Yorkers borrowing most over 2024? Did any of these books feature in your reading pile? . A. Looking across the city’s three main public

Q. Merry Christmas! What are some striking paintings associated with Christmas? . A. Jean Hey. The Annunciation. 1490-05 . Leonardo da Vinci. Annunciation. 1472 . Philippe de Champaigne. The Dream of St. Joseph. 1642-43 . José Campeche y Jordán. La Natividad. 1799 . Ridolfo Ghirlandaio. The Nativity with Saints. 1514

Q. No pressure. The countdown is on. Just a few beats until we reach the big song in the beloved musical. Will the singer deliver? Will the audience be as moved as they are hoping? “Elphaba, why couldn’t you have stayed calm for once?Instead of flying off the handle! I

Q. It’s remarkable to see the impact that certain high profile artists have on the places they live. As he set off from his home town of Antwerp as a young man, Peter Paul Rubens (1577-1640) could not have predicted the artistic gravity of his Belgian homecoming. How did it

Q. It’s always so interesting to see artists depict other artists at work. And what more beautiful artistry to capture on canvas than dance? What are some examples of different types of dancing captured by visual artists? . A. A dancerly sampling… Pierre Bruegel the Elder. The Wedding Dance. 1566

Q. The post-nuptials first dance is a big deal these days. It’s not unusual to find painstakingly chosen songs, dance lessons, choreographers … Which songs are we most likely to hear during this high-stakes first dance? . A. Last year, The Knot surveyed 10,000 married couples around what they see

Q. The freedom of your own wheels – for a day, for a weekend, for real. How have artists over the decades captured car life? . A. Do any of these renowned paintings remind you of your own car experiences, in youth and beyond? . . Ramon Casas. Ramon Casas

Q. In Luke 1:26 we find the moment when ‘the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth’ to tell Mary that she has found favour with God … ‘And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call

Q. Flash nostalgia is a curious thing. Suddenly, out of nowhere, the mind is abuzz: “remember when we used to…” Today’s random nostalgic nudge: the world of ‘Dial A.’  How many of us remember sneaking to the phone as kids to test out the much advertised Dial A services? Dial

Q. If band class battles are any indication, we should all have triangles and glockenspiels in our music nooks. Which instruments are young people most excited to take home and play? . A. In 2022, London’s Royal Philharmonic Orchestra surveyed 1,000 students from the ages of 6 to 18. Did