Gary paulsen biography facts record

KNOXVILLE — Award-winning, adventure-loving author Gary Paulsen will visit the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, on March 2 to discuss his life and his newest book, “Wood’s Runner.”

Sponsored by UT’s Center for Children’s and Young Adult Literature and the Knox County Public Library with support from Friends of the Knox County Public Library, the event begins at 7 p.m. in the University Center Auditorium, 1502 Cumberland Ave. It is free and open to the public. Paulsen will be available to sign books after the talk.

Paulsen is a three-time recipient of the John Newbery Medal, a literary award given by the Association for Library Service to Children, a division of the American Library Association. The award is given to the author of the most distinguished contribution to American literature for children.

Born in 1939, Paulsen is one of America’s most popular writers for young people. With more than 200 books and as many articles and short stories to his name, his own experiences form the basis for many of his stories. He got the bug for adventure at an early age. At 14, Paulsen ran away from home to join a traveling carnival. He has dabbled in farm and ranch life, worked as an engineer and a construction worker, and has crossed the country as a truck driver. While sailing around the world and racing the sled dogs across Alaska, he also manages to write award-winning children’s books. Three of his novels — “Hatchet,” “Dogsong” and “The Winter Room” — were Newbery Honor Books. His books frequently appear on the best books lists of the American Library Association and, in 1997, Paulsen was awarded the Margaret A. Edwards Award for lifetime achievement.

“We are extremely delighted to bring Gary Paulsen to Knoxville,” said Miranda Clark, director of the Center for Children’s and Young Adult Literature at the University of Tennessee’s School of

Personal

Born May 17, 1939, in Minneapolis, MN; son of Oscar (an army officer) and Eunice Paulsen; married third wife, Ruth Ellen Wright (an artist), May 5, 1971; children: (first marriage) two; (third marriage) James Wright. Education: Attended Bemidji College, 1957-58, and University of Colorado, 1976. Politics: "As Russian author Alexander Solzhenitsyn has said, ‘If we limit ourselves to political structures we are not artists.’" Religion: "I believe in spiritual progress."

Addresses

Home—La Luz, NM; Willow, AK. Agent—Jennifer Flannery, 34-34 28th St., No. 5, Long Island City, NY 11106.

Career

Writer, beginning 1960s. Has also worked as a teacher, field engineer, editor, actor, director, farmer, rancher, truck driver, trapper, professional archer, migrant farm worker, singer, and sailor. Participant in Iditarods, 1983, 1985. Military service: U.S. Army, 1959-62; attained rank of sergeant.

Awards, Honors

Society of Midland Authors Book Award, 1985, for Tracker; Parents' Choice Award, Parents' Choice Foundation, 1985, Newbery Honor Book citation, 1986, and Children's Book of the Year Award, Child Study Association of America, 1986, all for Dogsong; Newbery Honor Book citation, 1988, and Dorothy Canfield Fisher Children's Book Award, 1989, both for Hatchet; Parenting magazine Reading Magic Award, Teachers' Choice Award, International Reading Association (IRA), and Best Books of the Year citation, Learning magazine, all 1990, all for The Voyage of the Frog; Newbery Honor Book citation, Judy Lopez Memorial Award, and Parenting Best Book of the Year citation, all 1990, all for The Winter Room; Parents' Choice Award, 1991, for The Boy Who Owned the School; ALAN Award, 1991; Society of Midland Authors Book Award, and Spur Award from Western Writers of America, both 1991, both for Woodsong; Spur Award, 1993, for The Haymeadow; Booklist Books for Youth Top of the List citation, 1993, for Harris and Me; Child

American writer (1939–2021)

Gary James Paulsen (May 17, 1939 – October 13, 2021) was an American writer of children's and young adult fiction, best known for coming-of-age stories about the wilderness. He was the author of more than 200 books and wrote more than 200 magazine articles and short stories, and several plays, all primarily for teenagers. He won the Margaret Edwards Award from the American Library Association in 1997 for his lifetime contribution in writing for teens.

Early life

Gary Paulsen was born on May 17, 1939, in Minneapolis to Oscar Paulsen and Eunice Paulsen, née Moen. His father was a career army officer who departed soon after Gary’s birth to join General Patton’s staff. Gary next saw his father at age 7 when he and his mother sailed to the Philippines to join him at his army base. He and his mother lived in Thief River Falls, Minnesota. When Gary was 4, his mother took him to live in Chicago. Before World War II ended, she sent him to live with relatives on a farm for a year.

He wrote some fragmented autobiographical works describing his early life, such as Eastern Sun, Winter Moon: An Autobiographical Odyssey. The book, which is written in the first person, begins when he was seven, living in Chicago with his mother. Paulsen described several traumatic occurrences that transpired during the three years that are chronicled by the boo