New Mexico author recalls boyhood in new book
Beth Nieman
“New Mexico author Gary Paulsen’s new book, “Gone to the Woods,” is the story in novel form of Paulsen’s own boyhood. He opens with a long journey north he undertakes alone as a boy of five. Wearing a tag pinned to his jacket in Chicago by his hard-drinking mother, he rides a train filled with war-wounded WW II soldiers heading home.
His mother has sent him without food, but here and there someone shares something. He’s so small he gets stuck in the toilet, unable to get out until another passenger needs it and helps him. As the train travels through dense woods past a lake, he sees a wonderful bear looking at the train, and it helps him pass the long hours making up stories about the bear and its life next to the train track. (The opposing forces of danger and beauty in nature are a recurring theme in Paulsen’s writing.)
If youâre an Animal Planet fan like me and enjoy seeing manâs best friend perform athletic feats, then Iâll see you at the Dock Dogs diving competition in Monroe this weekend.
My husband and I plan to bring our 1-year-old Jack Russell/Labrador retriever mix, Luna, with us. Weâve only seen this type of competition on TV and would like to introduce our amateur canine gymnast to the sport.
My dog is slender, muscled and quick. She needs regular walks and lots of ball time in the backyard each day.
Weâre also trying to expose Luna to other dogs and people, to help with her socialization skills. We adopted her as a puppy in October 2019, so much of her first year was spent in pandemic mode. She helped us through a trying time by just being her energetic, affectionate tail-wagging self. When thereâs nowhere to go, you stay home. And take the dog for lots of walks. And make lots of visits to the empty neighborhood dog park. And take your dog on hikes at stat
Jan. 8, 2021 11:42 am ET
In Gary Paulsenâs acclaimed 1986 novel, âHatchet,â a boy gets stranded alone in the Canadian wilderness after a plane crash. Equipped only with his wits and a small hatchet, the boy, Brian Robeson, struggles to find sustenance, make fire, and build a shelter while contending with wild animals and the implacable elements. Necessity compels the boy to focus on what is immediate, those moment-to-moment decisions that will determine whether he lives or starves; only rarely can he step back and contemplate the raw beauty of his surroundings. It all feels authentic. As with Jack London, another chronicler of persistence in harsh environments, we can tell with Gary Paulsen that he writes from experienceâthat he has faced hardships and has had to be resourceful.