Product Description

A LIFE AS EXCITING AS FICTION

Gary Paulsen, three-time Newbery Honor author, is no stranger to adventure. He has flown off the back of a dogsled and down a frozen waterfall to near disaster, and waited for a giant bear to seal his fate with one slap of a claw. He has led a team of sled dogs toward the Alaskan Mountain Range in an Iditarod -- the grueling, 1,180-mile dogsled race -- hallucinating from lack of sleep, but he determined to finish.

Here, in vivid detail, Paulsen recounts several of the remarkable experiences that shaped his life and inspired his award-winning writing.

A School Library Journal Best Book

A Booklist Editors' Choice

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #71342 in Books
• Published on: 2007-05-08
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 144 pages

From Publishers Weekly
According to PW , this "autobiographical celebration of Paulsen's longtime love of dogsledding and sled dogs . . . blends deep introspection with fast-paced action and succeeds admirably on both levels." Ages 12-up.
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal
Grade 6 Up?Natural phenomena, chilling experiences, and exhilarating adventure are all part of Paulsen's personal recollections of his induction into sled-dog training and racing. Fluent, spare memoirs of one man's initiation, education, and unabashed awe of the wilderness and its inhabitants.
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Ingram
The three-time Newbery Honor-winning author of Hatchet, Dog Song and The Winter Room tells--in a memoir as compelling as his novels--the story of his intimate relationship with Minnesota's north woods and the dog team he trained for the Iditarod sled race. ALA Notable Book; ALA Best Book for Young Adults.

Customer Reviews

For those who have ever loved dogs!
This is a classic tale for anyone who has ever loved dogs, or, to be more specific, any particular dog. I can say that this is also an icy tale that will actually take your breath away as Paulsen describes some of the conditions he's been in with his sled dogs. This is the true story of how he survives in the Minnesota wilderness, and then takes on the bigtime, The Iditarod in Alaska!

When you read this, there are times when you will probably feel different things. Like the feeling some people have had (I have personally) of losing a pet. Or at times, you laugh at the hilarity of some of the things that pets will indeed do that leave you laughing so hard that it almost brings you to tears. Paulsen brings this to life only in the way that he has always used to tell a story. I love it how he describes his, and every man's greatest fear when in The Iditarod, is to scratch. When Paulsen describes this, he compares it to being a leper! He loves his dogs, and talks about how they are practically insane to run. He slightly haunts us with stories of hallucinations as a result of sleep deprivation! Yet, he also describes his most human side throughout the race, describing a cup of hot chocolate given to him by a beautiful blonde. Or how children from the Shageluk school made a pot of Moose chili especially for the mushers, and how he ate 19 bowls because it tasted so great, and then suffered the wonderful indigestion as a result. It is those stories and more, that make this an easy classic, and a read that you find hard to put down!

I first read this about 10 years ago. It still is easy to pick up, and enjoy it from page 1. Awesome work!

The book woodsong
In woodsong by gary paulsen there were many interasting points.The book woodsong is about a man and his name is manie.
He loves dogs he started falling apart.He gave dogs dry food he would do things wrong.Then he found out that he had a spell on him.When it was time to race in the middle of it he herd his wife screem.He stoped the race and was happy his wife broke the spell.I would recomand it for ages 6-12 because woodsong is a good book that is good for kids to read.And it is good and kids will enjoy that book.

woodsong
In woodsong by gary paulsen ther were many interesting points I really like the dog race I also liked when hide and go peak I would recomend this book to kid everywere.