‘Hatchet’ Author Gary Paulsen Dies at 82
Born in 1939, Paulsen wrote more than 200 books in all, winning the prestigious Newbery Medal three times. He advised young people to “read like a wolf eats.”
Wikimedia Commons/Russell Ernst
Author Gary Paulsen died Wednesday at age 82, according to his publisher Penguin Random House. He was a well-loved writer of novels for children and teenagers that featured protagonists coming of age through survival and adventure in the wilderness. His works, among them the popular novels Hatchet, Dogsong, and The Winter Room, gripped young audiences across the world, sold more than 35 million copies, and won him three Newbery Medals, the highest honor in children’s books. Born in 1939 in Minnesota, Paulsen ran away from home at 14 to travel with a carnival. He went on to write more than 200 books in all as well as short stories and plays. The American Library Association honored him with a lifetime achievement award in 1997.
Penguin shared a quote from Paulsen as a remembrance: “The most, MOST important thing is to read. Read all the time; read when they tell you not to read, what they tell you not to read, read with a flashlight under the covers, read on the bus, standing on a corner, waiting for a friend, in the dentist’s waiting room. Read every minute you can. Read like a wolf eats. Read.”
See more of our coverage in your search results.
Got a tip? Send it to The Daily Beast here.
Register below to read this article for free or subscribe
to unlock unlimited access to The Daily Beast.
Monthly
$1
First month then $5.99/month
Annual
$35
First year then $59.99/year
Premium
$79
First year then $119.99/year
*Substack access provided by the next business day, using your subscription email. Choosing the Premium plan constitutes your permission to share your subscription email with Substack and your agreement to Substack’s Privacy Policy.
Already have an account? Sign In
Looks like you already have a subscription!
You're all set!
Thanks for subscribing.