1. Biography of Gary Paulsen

2. Childhood Ran away from home at age 14 and traveled with a carnival

3. Never a dedicated student when he was young, but developed a passion for reading at a early age.

4. Spent hours in his basement reading alone.

5. Careers Jobs as an construction worker. Ranch hand. Truck driver. Sailor. Two rounds of 1,180-mile Alaskan dog sled race, the Iditarod.

6. Family First marriage ended because of his dependence on alcohol. The failure cost him his son and daughter.

7. Family Second wife Ruth Wright is a artist. She and their son James illustrated a couple of his children books.