Michael Rosen

Many people use religion to guide them and instill a set of principles that they can follow in life. However, not everyone chooses to go down this path. Those who don't believe in things like god or destiny might subscribe to humanism, or the philosophy that humans are independent and in control of their own lives without a higher power to help them along. Using this insightful guide, readers will be well-equipped to navigate the world on their own...

Everyone has a moral compass that guides them in determining good from bad or right from wrong. Those judgments can sometimes be flawed, however, a result of individuals being shaped by the people, laws, ideas, and environment around them. This accessible resource will assist readers as they develop a personal value system that can direct them through life. Not everything in the world can be absolutely certain, but what's important is making the best...

The incredible story of Émile Zola's escape to London in the aftermath of the scandalous Dreyfus Affair. It is the evening of July 18, 1898 and the world-renowned novelist Émile Zola is on the run. His crime? Taking on the highest powers in the land with his open letter "J'accuse"-and losing. Forced to leave Paris with nothing but the clothes he is standing in and a nightshirt wrapped in newspaper, Zola flees to England with no idea when he will...

Unlike our knees and hips, our brains improve with age. This dialogue includes: neuroplasticity, how improving our brain power can prevent Alzheimer's and other forms of dementia, why optimism is good for the brain and enhances resilience, the benefits of challenging the brain to do something new, the benefits of meditation on the brain.

A collection of political tales-first published in British workers' magazines-selected and introduced by acclaimed critic and author Michael RosenIn the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, unique tales inspired by traditional literary forms appeared frequently in socialist-leaning British periodicals, such as the Clarion, Labor Leader, and Social Democrat. Based on familiar genres-the fairy tale, fable, allegory, parable, and moral tale-and...

With a tramp and a roll and a swat, Great Big Elephant, Great Big Hippo, and Great Big Tiger try to capture Tiny Little Fly as he teases each one in turn.

A fish that walks on land, a frog that makes its own sunscreen, and an insect that can become invisible? These are just a few examples of how Earth's creatures have evolved some outrageous features and tricks to ensure survival.

Leaping from the Eiffel Tower in a wingsuit. Scaling Shanghai Tower, one of the world's tallest buildings. Camping on the roof of Philadelphia's abandoned Eastern State Penitentiary. These scenarios are real examples of explorations, adventures, and infiltrations of the built environment. Thousands of people around the globe engage in the recreational activity of place hacking: climbing, wading, jumping, or even ironing their way into prohibited or...

James Thurber spent most of his career at the New Yorker magazine, drawing cartoons and writing essays and stories. Collecting Himself is a one-of-a-kind compilation of James Thurber's vintage writings, featuring previously unanthologized articles, essays, interviews, reviews, cartoons, parodies, as well as Thurber's reflections on his work in theater and at the New Yorker. An eclectic body of work that offers a glimpse into Thurber the man, the philosopher,...

A salvo of hilarity from that loose cannon of American humor that Mirth of a Nation editor Michael J. Rosen has culled from some 1200 pages of brilliantly original works by our best contemporary humorists. This action-packed compilation of highlights includes Bobbie Ann Mason's stint at the La Bamba hotline, David Rakoff's insights on families, Andy Borowitz's memoir of Emily Dickinson (basically, she was a drunken jerk), and Michael Feldman's helpful...