Gone To the Woods: Surviving a Lost Childhood
Gary Paulsen

In this heart-wrenching memoir, the late Gary Paulsen describes his childhood as a time of poverty, abuse, and neglect. Living with alcoholic parents, he was often left to fend for himself. Given his horrific background, one might wonder how Paulsen grew up to be a successful and popular author. In a childhood dominated by hardship, there were positive experiences that he credits with shaping his future. Time spent in the North Woods with his Aunt Edy and Uncle Sid as a five-year-old taught him to appreciate nature and that some adults could be loved and trusted. Later, Paulsen credits his discovery of the local library and its librarian, introducing him to books and filling his life with stories and information. When he was flunking out of high school, a counselor steered him toward vocational school, where he learned about television repair and electronics. Time in the military was a learning experience and opened up opportunities for Paulsen. Without these experiences, Gary Paulsen may never have written the over two-hundred books read and enjoyed by so many young readers.

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