This non-fiction selection by Gary Paulsen is a great addition to a library that wants to attract male readers, based on the connection to fishing and the outdoors. For me, hearing his discussions about fishing and hunting made me think about my own experiences with these activities. It definitely promoted reflection for me, however, I definitely think these short stories are more well suited for a male reader who maybe partakes in these outdoors activities more frequently. Topics aside, Paulsen is such a great writer when it comes to creating imagery and details. His words really put a beautiful picture in your head and have you feeling like you are really there. Back to my point on reflection, I often thought about The Hunger Games in "Working in the Ditches" when he was describing the challenges of shooting with a bow and arrow. Also, the detailed description in "The Ninth Street Bridge" showed the thought process and detail in going fishing and when to drop your line. There was even comedy intertwined in "Running the River" when so much time spent on planning is wasted when their boat sinks. Again with the reflections, I instantly thought of one of my family's camping trips. We all went, set up huge tents, my cousins and I played while the parents worked, they got a fire started... and then rain. Lots and lots of rain, which resulted in everyone sleeping in their cars. Sometimes, no matter how much you think it through or plan it out, it just isn't going to turn out the way you had dreamed. But in my case, it turned out even better, because I now have such brilliant memories of running around in the rain without a care in the world. Paulsen's words really brought back so many memories of spending time outdoors for me, and for that reason alone, I did enjoy this collection of short stories.
Lesson Learned:
There is so much beauty in nature, that sometimes you just need to stop, look around, and see what has been created without answers, and appreciate it for the beauty that it truly is.
This was my favorite of all of your blog posts so far. You have made connections between your life and the stories portrayed by the author. Nice going. You are correct............Paulsen is a magnificent descriptive writer. This is what I am looking for.
ReplyDeleteHow would you use this book in your class or would you not use it at all?
Paulsen is a prolific writer and has written many, many outdoor adventure books that both males and females enjoy. You should take time to read some of them......most are short. Glad you enjoyed these.
Dr. Ries