Six decades on, in my mind’s eye I can still walk around those rooms and hear my parents’ voicesIn our end of year series, writers and public figures remember the place or time when they felt most at homeIt’s odd – and revealing – that 62 years after leaving the north London flat where I was brought up, I still think of it as home. I can still remember the telephone number: Pinner 1826.I can walk round the flat in my mind, running my hand over the “distemper” on the lavatory wall, Paris wallpaper on another. I can hear the “geyser” spluttering hot water into the bath, smell the dying cat on my bed with its red “hospital” blanket, see the man peeing on the moon on an inn sign, in Bruegel’s painting, Netherlandish Proverbs, on our front-room wall.Michael Rosen is a writer and broadcaster who has produced many books for children and a few for adults, tooDo you have an opinion on the issues raised in this article? If you would like to submit a response of up to 300 words by email to be ...
The main conceptual idea of the text is that the feeling of "home" is deeply personal and often transcends physical location. Despite the fact that Michael Rosen left the North London flat he grew up in over 60 years ago, it still holds a powerful sense of home for him. He vividly remembers the space and its details, showcasing how strong emotional attachments can shape our perceptions of "home." The text suggests that home is not just about the place itself, but about the memories, emotions, and experiences associated with it. Even though his father disliked certain aspects of the flat, it remains a symbol of Rosen's childhood and family, making it his "home" in a way that transcends those external factors.
