Gary Paulsen, Beloved Hatchet series author dies at 82

Gary Paulsen, author and wilderness advocate best known for authoring young adult books such as the Hatchet novel series, has died. Paulsen died in the morning of Wednesday, October 13, according to Publisher's Weekly. He was 82 years old. "Three-time Newbery Honor author Gary Paulsen, famed for his outdoor adventure tales for youngsters including 'Hatchet,' died this morning at age 82," they noted in a tweet. There were no further information released about Paulsen's death. His wife, Ruth Wright Paulsen, and three children, Michael Paulsen, Paulette Paulsen, and Bill Paulsen, are his survivors.

This year, Paulsen isn't the only author who has passed on to the other side. Norton Juster, the author of "The Phantom Tollbooth," died in March at the age of 91. Janet Malcolm, a journalist and author, died of lung cancer in June. Enid Blyton, a popular children's novelist, was labelled "racist and xenophobic" by English Heritage in June, generating a big uproar.

While many authors of the time courted controversy, Paulsen wanted to stay out of the spotlight. His 'Hatchet' series focuses more on nature and the outdoors, which have become an important aspect of many people's life throughout time. Paulsen preferred to avoid the press himself, living in relative seclusion in Alaska, New Mexico, and on a houseboat in the Pacific.

How did Gary Paulsen die?

We don't know what caused Paulsen's death because the details of his death aren't public. "Three-time Newbery Honor novelist Gary Paulsen, famed for his outdoor adventure stories for youngsters such as 'Hatchet,' died this morning at age 82," the magazine simply tweeted. There were no more details offered.

We couldn't uncover any accounts of Paulsen suffering from serious disease or battling any big ailments because he lived primarily out of the spotlight, therefore the cause of his death remains unknown. He also doesn't have his own website or social media accounts, making it impossible to verify what transpired. His sole documented health issue occurred in the 1990s, when he developed a cardiac condition that led to his road trip from New Mexico to Alaska, which was chronicled in the book 'Zero To Sixty.'

'He impacted so many lives with his incredible stories

His death was shortly announced, and tributes poured in on social media. Someone said on Twitter, "Many mushers, including myself, first became interested in mushing after hearing Gary Paulsen's stories about his sled dogs. He had a profound impact on people's lives; he wrote with great ease about wildness, animals, fear, and awe. A fantastic writer. Rest in peace, he was a good man." Another person said, "Gary Paulsen, rest in peace. Thank you for making a difference in my life."

"So sad to hear about the passing of Gary Paulsen. He impacted so many lives with his incredible stories. It was an honor to meet him many years ago. He will be dearly missed," one person tweeted. Another remembered, "reread The Car at the beginning of the pandemic, and it was just as good as I remembered. what an incredible writer. RIP Gary Paulsen." Another commented, "damn, rip to a legend i read so much gary paulsen as a kid."

Paulsen, who was born in Minneapolis, spent a lot of time in the woods, hunting deer for food. He also served in the army and worked in a variety of different fields before discovering his true calling in writing. His debut book, 'Some Birds Don't Fly,' was published in 1967, and it would be the first of over 150.