Intelligence Squared Michael Rosen on Hope, Happiness and Finding Joy in the Small Things (Part One)
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Dec 24, 2025 Michael Rosen, a beloved author and former Children's Laureate known for classics like 'We’re Going on a Bear Hunt', discusses joy amidst sorrow. He shares insights from his new book, 'Good Days', focusing on finding happiness in small things and offers sparks of inspiration rather than rigid guidelines. Rosen reflects on curiosity's role in education, recounts childhood camping adventures, and explores his parents' activism that shaped his views on solidarity. Through family anecdotes, he highlights cultural memory's influence on his humor and outlook.
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Sparks Not Blueprints
- Michael Rosen frames his book as a collection of sparks, not blueprints, for hope and happiness.
- He intends short, personal prompts to generate ideas rather than prescriptive self-help routines.
Cultivate Our Garden
- Rosen opens with Voltaire's
Rainy Camping That Sparked Curiosity
- Rosen recounts childhood camping trips where rainy walks led to discoveries like tumuli and old church vaulting.
- Those experiences, driven by parental curiosity, taught him to seek wonder and avoid passivity.
