Gone to the Woods: Surviving a Lost Childhood

by Gary Paulsen

Members	Reviews	Popularity	Average rating	Mentions
196	14	139,061	(4.05)	7
Biography & Autobiography. Family & Relationships. Juvenile Nonfiction. Science. HTML: "Dan Bittner flawlessly narrates this matchless memoir, which captures writer Gary Paulsen's bittersweet life...The sublime narration and satisfying conclusion contribute to a rewarding listening experience." �?? AudioFile Magazine, Earphones Award winner A middle grade memoir from a living literary legend, giving listeners a new perspective on the origins of Gary Paulsen's famed survival stories. His name is synonymous with high-stakes wilderness survival stories. Now, beloved author Gary Paulsen portrays a series of life-altering moments from his turbulent childhood as his own original survival story. If not for his summer escape from a shockingly neglectful Chicago upbringing to a North Woods homestead at age five, there never would have been a Hatchet. Without the encouragement of the librarian who handed him his first book at age thirteen, he may never have become a reader. And without his desperate teenage enlistment in the Army, he would not have discovered his true calling as a storyteller. A moving and enthralling story of grit and growing up, Gone to the Woods is perfect for newcomers to the voice and lifelong fans alike, from the acclaimed author at his rawest and realest. A Macmillan Audio production from Farrar, Straus and Giroux … (more)

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Showing 1-5 of 13 (next | show all)

Wow. Growing up reading Hatchet every year for school, I knew a little of where Gary Paulsen came from (thanks to the 25th-anniversary edition). When I saw a chance to review this book, I jumped right on board.
The first thing that stuck out to me about Gone to the Woods was the writing style. It was quite similar to the one in Hatchet but it was a bit choppy due to fragmented sentences. This got old pretty quick considering the length of this book.
However, the story really drew me in. There was so much that Gary went through as a kid and it was quite moving.
I absolutely loved Gary's reaction of finishing his first book and the library.
This book is marketed as middle-grade, but I do not recommend it to middle-grade readers. It deals with a lot of difficult and mature topics (domestic violence, abuse, violence of war, mentions std's, drinking issues).
Rating: 3.5/5
Language: a**, d***, p***
Violence: see above
Romance: n/a
Spiritual: n/a
*I received a copy of this book from the publisher. All thoughts are my own and a positive review was not required. (

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libraryofemma | Apr 18, 2024 |

I have not read much of Paulsen’s YA books but I have enjoyed his nonfiction. Winterdance was excellent. In this memoir, which he authored at age 80, looks at his early, very-troubled life, growing up with alcoholic, abusive parents. It covers his fondest memory- spending a summer with his aunt and uncle on a farm in northern Minnesota and the brutal years he spent with his parents in the Philippines, during WWII. How this boy survived such a childhood, is a triumph of resilience. Paulsen is such a good writer and even a better storyteller. (

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msf59 | Mar 11, 2024 |

Read this to remember the author. Writing is wonderful but stark. Although not graphic, there is serious content -- neglect, alcoholism, war, violence, and racism. Seems to be YA, rather than middle school. (

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AnnesLibrary | Jan 28, 2024 |

The name Gary Paulsen takes me right back to childhood where I remember seeing his name across the school library, book fairs, and on my teacher’s book shelves! He wrote many beloved adventure/survival stories that sparked the imagination of young kids everywhere.
I listened to the audio of Gone to the Woods, Paulsen’s middle grade memoir, and enjoyed every second! Paulsen’s life was a grand and sorrowful adventure - from a neglected upbringing in Chicago, to a brief stay with his aunt and uncle at their Minnesota homestead at age 5 that changed his entire life, to the years he spent in the Philippines where his father was stationed during WWII and he witnessed first hand the terrifying horrors of war while his parents focused on alcohol and fighting. Once his family returned to the states, Paulsen spent every possible moment in the woods or crossing the country during the summer to work farms for his own money. Eventually, his life would again be changed forever as a teen by a chance encounter with a librarian.
The content here is very heavy and feels more geared toward YA than middle grade, but I certainly think this is a story for everyone to read! (

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KyraLeseberg | Dec 2, 2022 |

This book holds the incredible story of beloved author Gary Paulson and the trauma and triumph of his childhood. Overcoming the obstacles of parents plagued by alcoholism, he finds solace and friendship with the librarian. She inspires him to read and to write down his own story. This is a dynamic read! (

)

rebeccasue15 | Aug 3, 2022 |

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2021-01-12

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Biography & Autobiography. Family & Relationships. Juvenile Nonfiction. Science. HTML:

"Dan Bittner flawlessly narrates this matchless memoir, which captures writer Gary Paulsen's bittersweet life...The sublime narration and satisfying conclusion contribute to a rewarding listening experience." �?? AudioFile Magazine, Earphones Award winner
A middle grade memoir from a living literary legend, giving listeners a new perspective on the origins of Gary Paulsen's famed survival stories.
His name is synonymous with high-stakes wilderness survival stories. Now, beloved author Gary Paulsen portrays a series of life-altering moments from his turbulent childhood as his own original survival story. If not for his summer escape from a shockingly neglectful Chicago upbringing to a North Woods homestead at age five, there never would have been a Hatchet. Without the encouragement of the librarian who handed him his first book at age thirteen, he may never have become a reader. And without his desperate teenage enlistment in the Army, he would not have discovered his true calling as a storyteller.
A moving and enthralling story of grit and growing up, Gone to the Woods is perfect for newcomers to the voice and lifelong fans alike, from the acclaimed author at his rawest and realest.
A Macmillan Audio production from Farrar, Straus and Giroux

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"Born into the middle of World War II, Gary Paulsen's turbulent childhood provided plenty of subject matter for his bestselling novels, and the librarians in his life gave him the inspiration and support to explore the world through books. As a soldier himself, his storytelling technique developed, and for the first time he shares his own"--OCLC.

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