Eastern Sun, Winter Moon: An Autobiographical Odyssey [Hardcover]

Gary Paulsen (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 1993

Revealing war's horrors through a child's eyes, this autobiography by an award-winning author recounts his life in the ravaged Philippines of World War II, discussing his alcoholic mother, his absent father, and his burgeoning sexuality. 20,000 first printing.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Paulsen's notable adult trade debut, Clabbered Dirt, Sweet Grass , and 16 award-winning YA novels precede this gripping memoir of a tumultuous childhood. "My mother and I spent the war years in Chicago," he begins, explaining that after his birth in 1939 his father left the home to serve as a member of Patton's staff. The unglossed and indelible accounts that follow center on Paulsen's pretty, tough mother. As a toddler he watched her slay a man who had tried to molest him; later, he was all too aware of her sexual indulgences. He was seven when they sailed aboard a troop ship for Manila to reunite with his father. The voyage, however, occasioned still more horrors. With the helpless crew, he watched as passengers from a downed plane were eaten or torn apart by sharks, a scene he details here in all its brutality. In the Philippines, he was to undergo newly shattering experiences, which he relates with candor and feeling. Author tour.
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal

In 1945, at age seven, author Paulsen and his mother traveled to battle-scarred Manila to join his father, a military officer who had been absent from Paulsen's life since before World War II. Here, Paulsen vividly chronicles the high adventure of a boy's journey by car from Chicago to San Francisco, his voyage across the Pacific, and his arrival in the Philippines, a feat accomplished in large part by his mother's willing and serviceable promiscuity. Although Paulsen's memory is so vivid that credibility is sometimes strained, his memoir is wonderfully readable. The book is also an interesting portrait of adults as viewed by a child from whom little of the adult world is hidden. Paulsen's prose, usually exercised in novels for young adults, is colorful but unadorned; his story is overfull of drama. Recommended for popular collections.
- Tim Zindel, Sacramento, Cal.
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 244 pages
• Publisher: Harcourt; 1st edition (March 1993)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0151272603
• ISBN-13: 978-0151272600
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.2 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,362,779 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Gary Paulsen is one of the most honored writers of contemporary literature for young readers. He has written more than one hundred book for adults and young readers, and is the author of three Newberry Honor titles: Dogsong, Hatchet, and The Winter Room. He divides his time among Alaska, New Mexico, Minnesota, and the Pacific.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Well developed account of Paulsen's childhood., January 16, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Eastern Sun, Winter Moon: An Autobiographical Odyssey (Hardcover)

Eastern Sun, Winter Moon by Gary Paulsen is a well-written,detailed account of Paulsen's childhood. Set in post World War II times, Gary Paulsen delivers astonishing and often vividly dramatic stories from his life. From his early exposure to sex to biting his tongue off or witnessing a shark attack after a plane crash, Paulsen's early life is filled with plenty of experiences to keep any reader interested. This book has a great deal of adult material and would be suggested for mature readers.

6 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Compelling and moving, September 14, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Eastern Sun, Winter Moon: An Autobiographical Odyssey (Paperback)

This is one of the most remarkable pieces of non-fiction I have ever read. It turned me into a real Gary Paulsen fan, despite the fact that most of his stuff is written for teenagers. If you are an adult, find his other non-fiction. It is all powerful and very worthwhile.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Couldn't put it down!, June 21, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Eastern Sun, Winter Moon: An Autobiographical Odyssey (Hardcover)

Gary Paulsen is truly a rare talent. Your right there where ever he is, smelling the sea, the jungle, he draws you in and keeps you right along side him!