Episode 10 | Nov 3, 2021
With empathy comes connection.
Mick Sullivan
Mick Sullivan wears many hats and has many passions. He is the creator and host of The Past and The Curious, a delightful and well known history podcast for kids and families. He is also the Curator of Guest Experience at The Frazier History Museum and the chair of Kids Listen, an international children’s audio education advocacy group. But if you ask him, he is first and foremost a musician, having played in several successful jazz and folk bands. This life of music mixed with his deep appreciation for history is at the foundation of the conversation and the sense that so much of the disconnect in modern life can be “bridged” through empathy.
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Mick Sullivan created his wildly popular podcast “The Past and the Curious” in 2016. Since then the show has been downloaded over two-million times. You can read features in The New York Times, Time For Kids Magazine, Common Sense Media, and on the front page of Apple Podcasts. Mick is the author of the hysterical...
More About the Guest:
Mick Sullivan created his wildly popular podcast “The Past and the Curious” in 2016. Since then the show has been downloaded over two-million times. You can read features in The New York Times, Time For Kids Magazine, Common Sense Media, and on the front page of Apple Podcasts. Mick is the author of the hysterical and mostly true story The Meatshower, published by Early Works Press in 2018. He is also a founding board member of Starduck Charities, a group who has served the residents of St. Joseph’s Children’s home for over 10 years. If you would like to listen to his music, search for Squeeze-bot on Spotify.
More About The Conversation:
David and Mick begin with a discussion about history and storytelling in general — and how important it is to establish context when we explore those realms. Mick talks about the balance between what we can establish as fact and particular narratives that we may not be able to historically validate. These narratives often get repeated because we love the stories. He shares what his process for finding this balance looks like. Mick explores this love of story further in his own biography and his love of music and musicians. David notes Mick’s use of the word “bridge” and they both explore the different meanings of the word: within music, architecture, and making connections. This image of a bridge leads them to agree on the most powerful connector there is: empathy.
About the Story:
When David asks, “What do you think children need to hear right now?” Mick begins with an image of connection: history can show us how much we all have in common. Furthermore, every story can be a bridge of connection. They further explore the “bridge” when Mick expands on the time when guitarist Django Reinhardt nearly died in a fire. This was a painful and transformative time in the famous Romani musician’s life. David and Mick begin to imagine parts of the story that have no historical documentation. They discover a golden thread of love and empathy. It overcomes not only the domination and oppression that Romani people have experienced, but also the competition within the music world. The story they find shows a moment of connection and that results in a healing transformation.
Explore more from the episode:
Listen to Mick’s episode on Django Reinhardt.
Read more about Sybil Ludington, or hear Mick’s episode of the Past and Curious.
Find Mick’s book, The Meat Shower.
Check out the Frazier History Museum.
This episode was recorded on July 27, 2021.
To learn more about Mick Sullivan and his podcast, visit The Past and the Curious website.
Episode 10 | Nov 3, 2021
With empathy comes connection.
Mick Sullivan
Mick Sullivan wears many hats and has many passions. He is the creator and host of The Past and The Curious, a delightful and well known history podcast for kids and families. He is also the Curator of Guest Experience at The Frazier History Museum and the chair of Kids Listen, an international children’s audio education advocacy group. But if you ask him, he is first and foremost a musician, having played in several successful jazz and folk bands. This life of music mixed with his deep appreciation for history is at the foundation of the conversation and the sense that so much of the disconnect in modern life can be “bridged” through empathy.
Stream Now:
Share:
Transcript:
To learn more about Mick Sullivan and his podcast, visit The Past and the Curious website.
- Read More
- Read Less
Mick Sullivan created his wildly popular podcast “The Past and the Curious” in 2016. Since then the show has been downloaded over two-million times. You can read features in The...
More About the Guest:
Mick Sullivan created his wildly popular podcast “The Past and the Curious” in 2016. Since then the show has been downloaded over two-million times. You can read features in The New York Times, Time For Kids Magazine, Common Sense Media, and on the front page of Apple Podcasts. Mick is the author of the hysterical and mostly true story The Meatshower, published by Early Works Press in 2018. He is also a founding board member of Starduck Charities, a group who has served the residents of St. Joseph’s Children’s home for over 10 years. If you would like to listen to his music, search for Squeeze-bot on Spotify.
More About The Conversation:
David and Mick begin with a discussion about history and storytelling in general — and how important it is to establish context when we explore those realms. Mick talks about the balance between what we can establish as fact and particular narratives that we may not be able to historically validate. These narratives often get repeated because we love the stories. He shares what his process for finding this balance looks like. Mick explores this love of story further in his own biography and his love of music and musicians. David notes Mick’s use of the word “bridge” and they both explore the different meanings of the word: within music, architecture, and making connections. This image of a bridge leads them to agree on the most powerful connector there is: empathy.
About the Story:
When David asks, “What do you think children need to hear right now?” Mick begins with an image of connection: history can show us how much we all have in common. Furthermore, every story can be a bridge of connection. They further explore the “bridge” when Mick expands on the time when guitarist Django Reinhardt nearly died in a fire. This was a painful and transformative time in the famous Romani musician’s life. David and Mick begin to imagine parts of the story that have no historical documentation. They discover a golden thread of love and empathy. It overcomes not only the domination and oppression that Romani people have experienced, but also the competition within the music world. The story they find shows a moment of connection and that results in a healing transformation.
Explore more from the episode:
Listen to Mick’s episode on Django Reinhardt.
Read more about Sybil Ludington, or hear Mick’s episode of the Past and Curious.
Find Mick’s book, The Meat Shower.
Check out the Frazier History Museum.
This episode was recorded on July 27, 2021.