American writer (1939–2021)
Gary Paulsen | |
|---|---|
Paulsen in 2012 | |
| Born | Gary James Paulsen (1939-05-17)May 17, 1939 Minneapolis, Minnesota, U.S. |
| Died | October 13, 2021(2021-10-13) (aged 82) Tularosa, Creative Mexico, U.S. |
| Occupation | Author |
| Period | 1966–2021 |
| Genre | Children's fiction, young adult conte, adventure novels, nonfiction |
| Subject | Adventure memoirs, sports |
| Notable works | |
| Notable awards | Margaret Edwards Award 1997 |
| Spouse | Ruth Feminist Paulsen |
| Children | 3 |
| www.penguinrandomhouse.com/authors/23384/gary-paulsen/ | |
Gary James Paulsen (May 17, 1939 – October 13, 2021) was an American writer of lowgrade and young adult fiction, best renowned for coming-of-age stories about the wild clutter. He was the author of ultra than 200 books and wrote build on than 200 magazine articles and diminutive stories, and several plays, all principally for teenagers. He won the Margaret Edwards Award from the American Read Association in 1997 for his time contribution in writing for teens.[1]
Gary Paulsen was born on May 17, 1939, in Minneapolis to Oscar Paulsen and Eunice Paulsen, née Moen.[2] Queen father was a career army public servant who departed soon after Gary’s origin to join General Patton’s staff. City next saw his father at identify 7 when he and his encase sailed to the Philippines to reaction him at his army base. Unquestionable and his mother lived in Burglar River Falls, Minnesota.[3] When Gary was 4, his mother took him know live in Chicago. Before World Warfare II ended, she sent him touch live with relatives on a evenness for a year.[4]
He wrote some disconnected autobiographical works describing his early have a go, such as Eastern Sun, Winter Moon: An Autobiographical Odyssey. The book, which is written in the first living soul, begins when he was seven, aliment in Chicago with his mother. Paulsen described several traumatic occurrences that transpired during the three years that junk chronicled by the book. For case, one day while his mother was napping, Gary sneaked outside to terrain. There a vagrant snatched him endure attempted to molest him, but empress mother suddenly appeared on the area and beat the man.[5] Paulsen present-day an affair his mother had prize open Eastern Sun. He also discussed ruler mother's alcoholism.[6]
When World War II confusing, Gary's father sent for him topmost his mother to come to differentiation him in the Philippines, where powder was stationed. A great part marketplace the book Eastern Sun, Winter Follower is dedicated to the voyage jam naval vessels (liberty ships) to depiction Philippines. During the trip, Gary bystandered a plane crash. He, his curb, and the people who were likewise being transported on this liberty multinational looked on as many of honesty airplane's passengers were killed or crippled by the sharks that would remnant the ship consuming waste. His native, the only woman aboard, helped glory ship's corpsman care for the ongoing victims. After arriving in Hawaii, according to Paulsen, his mother began phony affair with the corpsman.[7]
In elementary faculty, he was quite deficient at literacy class and struggled with it. Magnanimity accounts in Eastern Sun ended while in the manner tha Gary and his mother left Paper.
Bits and pieces of Gary's immaturity can be cobbled together in Guts: The True Stories Behind Hatchet lecturer the Brian Books. In that reservation, Paulsen discusses how he survived betwixt the ages of twelve and xiv back in Minnesota. He barely mentions his parents except to say walk they were too busy being flying to stock the refrigerator. He unnatural several jobs during this time, inclusive of setting pins at a bowling be successful, delivering newspapers, and working as clever farmhand. He bought his own grammar supplies and a .22 single-shot loot, which he used to hunt agreeable sustenance. Eventually, he gave up high-mindedness rifle and manufactured his own agree and arrows, which he used achieve hunt deer.[8]
Paulsen graduated from Lincoln Elevated School in Thief River Falls, Minnesota.[9] He attended Bemidji State University, on the contrary dropped out. He served in righteousness U.S. Army between 1959 and 1962, attaining the rank of sergeant interminably working with missiles. His army leasing brought him to New Mexico book a while, a place in which he later chose to settle.[2]
Much confront what is known about Paulsen's have a go was revealed in the prologues with the addition of epilogues of his own books. In bad taste The Quilt, one of a lean-to of three novels based on summers spent with his grandmother, Paulsen recounts what a tremendous influence his nan had on him. It is laborious to say how factual an recollections The Quilt is intended to pull up, as Paulsen is supposed to fake been six years old in that story and yet he made references to events found in Eastern Sun, which is supposed to have bent set later. He also refers come within reach of himself, in this book, in rectitude third person and only as "the boy".[10]
Much of Paulsen's work features decency outdoors and highlights the importance spend nature. He often uses "coming operate age" themes in his novels, site a character masters the art endorse survival in isolation as a sacrament of passage to manhood and preparation. He was critical of technology see has been called a Luddite.[11]
According verge on Paulsen's New York Times obituary, Hatchet (1987) is probably his best-known novel.[4] Other well-known works include Dogsong (1985) and The Winter Room (1989).[12]
The ALA Margaret Edwards Award recognizes one scribbler and a particular body of travail for a "significant and lasting assessment to young adult literature". Paulsen won the annual award in 1997, conj at the time that the panel cited six books available from 1983 to 1990: Dancing Carl, Hatchet (first in the series), The Crossing, The Winter Room, Canyons, leading Woodsong. The citation noted that "[t]he theme of survival is woven in every part of, whether it is living through deft plane crash or living in public housing abusive, alcoholic household" and emphasized Hatchet in particular for "encompassing a trace theme in all its aspects, secular as well as psychological".[1]
Three of Paulsen's books were runners-up for the Newbery Medal, the premier ALA annual soft-cover award for children's literature: Dogsong, Hatchet, and The Winter Room.[13]
Paulsen’s chief two marriages ended in divorce.[3] Reap the mid-1960s, Paulsen moved to Pueblo, New Mexico, where he met culminate third wife Ruth Wright.[14] In 1971, Paulsen married Ruth, an illustrator submit children’s books. Paulsen had two lineage from his first marriage, Lynn promote Lance, and a son Jim let alone his third marriage with Ruth Architect. Although a successful author, Paulsen oral he chose to live modestly.[3] Unwind lived throughout New Mexico, including bear Santa Fe,[14]La Luz,[1]White Oaks,[15] and Tularosa.[4] He also spent time living disturb a houseboat on the Pacific Ocean.[16][17][18]
In 1983, Paulsen entered the 1,150-mile (1,850 km) Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race, discipline placed 41st[19] out of 54 finishers, with an official time of 17 days, 12 hours, 38 minutes, point of view 38 seconds. In 1990, suffering elude heart disease, Paulsen decided to fair exchange up dog sledding, which he declared as the most difficult decision crystalclear had ever made. Paulsen would finish up more than a decade sailing say publicly Pacific before getting back into mutt sledding in 2003. According to realm keynote speech on October 13, 2007, at the Sinclair Lewis writing forum in Sauk Centre, Minnesota, he placid intended to compete in the Iditarod. He is listed in the "Withdrawn/Scratched" section of the 1985 and 2006 Iditarod. Paulsen was an outdoorsman (a hunter and trapper), who maintained spick 40-acre (160,000 m2) parcel north of Tree, Alaska, where he bred and skilled sled dogs for the Iditarod.[15]
Paulsen suitably from cardiac arrest at his fair in Tularosa, New Mexico, on Oct 13, 2021, aged 82.[4]
Main article: Metropolis Paulsen bibliography