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Eastern Sun, Winter Moon: An Autobiographical Odyssey
In this memoir of a World War II childhood, Paulsen paints a haunting self-portrait of a young boy drawn helplessly into the physical and emotional violence of the adult world. “An indelible account...hallmarked by Paulsen’s sinewy writing” (Kirkus Reviews).
244 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1993
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236 people want to read
About the author
Gary Paulsen
413 books4,005 followersGary James Paulsen was an American writer of children's and young adult fiction, best known for coming-of-age stories about the wilderness. He was the author of more than 200 books and wrote more than 200 magazine articles and short stories, and several plays, all primarily for teenagers. He won the Margaret Edwards Award from the American Library Association in 1997 for his lifetime contribution in writing for teens.
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Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews
August 21, 2013
A photo in sepia right at the bottom right hand portion of the book's cover immediately caught my attention as it suggested it may have a Philippine setting.
A couple on a table, caucasians, having beer and right at the background are the familiar sliding window panels made of wood and capiz shells. We have the same type of window in our ancestral house in the province.
I was right. Gary Paulsen (I often see his books but do not buy or read them) spent a few years in the Philippines as a young boy when his father, a military man, was assigned there immediately after the second world war. The man and the woman in the picture were his parents.
Inside the copy of the book which I bought second had is a note from a girl named Sarah Leonard, addressed to a boy named Tim, saying:
"Hi Tim --
"This was a Great Read!
"A little intense but from a kid's view point were tolerable some how --
"Thanks for lending it -
"Sarah"
Gary Paulsen's mother was an attractive woman. Here he claims to have watched his mother getting fucked by other men.
While in the Philippines they had a housemaid in her twenties and it is hinted that she had been made a sex slave by the Japanese. Yet one time, she seduced Gary Paulsen and had sex with him. He was only about 8 years old then.
I try to recall what had happened to me when I was his age, from 6 to 9 years old, and imagine if I could write a 242-page memoir like this. I cannot. Nothing much I can remember.
So most of the things here were probably just made up. There are even some glaring inaccuracies which a simple cross-checking could have been avoided. Like when he referred to Fort Santiago (a Spanish fortress used by the Japanese as a prison) as "Sandiago Prison"; Baguio, the summer capital of the Philippines, as "Bagiou Mountains." He narrated that while in Baguio he saw--
"The mountains (which) were beautiful. The cottage looked out over the ocean and we were so high we could see down into the crater of another volcanic mountain island some miles away. It was possible to see a lake down inside the crater and villages around the lake."
Trouble is, Baguio is in the middle of Luzon and one cannot see any ocean or any big body of water from there. From this description it would seem they were in Tagaytay, near the Taal Volcano, where there is this massive old cauldron which had turned into a lake and in the middle of this is a smaller crater with water also in the middle. However, from the author's narration they met Igorots (aborigines) along the way and this could happen only on the way to Baguio, not Tagaytay. And anybody who knows "balut" and how it is made will find amusement reading the author's recollection of this native delicacy:
"I had even learned to love baloots. They were a food that made Mother ill thinking of them--a baby duck killed inside the egg just before it hatched and then allowed to sit in hot sand and rot inside until it became almost a liquid-jelly combination...."
A couple on a table, caucasians, having beer and right at the background are the familiar sliding window panels made of wood and capiz shells. We have the same type of window in our ancestral house in the province.
I was right. Gary Paulsen (I often see his books but do not buy or read them) spent a few years in the Philippines as a young boy when his father, a military man, was assigned there immediately after the second world war. The man and the woman in the picture were his parents.
Inside the copy of the book which I bought second had is a note from a girl named Sarah Leonard, addressed to a boy named Tim, saying:
"Hi Tim --
"This was a Great Read!
"A little intense but from a kid's view point were tolerable some how --
"Thanks for lending it -
"Sarah"
Gary Paulsen's mother was an attractive woman. Here he claims to have watched his mother getting fucked by other men.
While in the Philippines they had a housemaid in her twenties and it is hinted that she had been made a sex slave by the Japanese. Yet one time, she seduced Gary Paulsen and had sex with him. He was only about 8 years old then.
I try to recall what had happened to me when I was his age, from 6 to 9 years old, and imagine if I could write a 242-page memoir like this. I cannot. Nothing much I can remember.
So most of the things here were probably just made up. There are even some glaring inaccuracies which a simple cross-checking could have been avoided. Like when he referred to Fort Santiago (a Spanish fortress used by the Japanese as a prison) as "Sandiago Prison"; Baguio, the summer capital of the Philippines, as "Bagiou Mountains." He narrated that while in Baguio he saw--
"The mountains (which) were beautiful. The cottage looked out over the ocean and we were so high we could see down into the crater of another volcanic mountain island some miles away. It was possible to see a lake down inside the crater and villages around the lake."
Trouble is, Baguio is in the middle of Luzon and one cannot see any ocean or any big body of water from there. From this description it would seem they were in Tagaytay, near the Taal Volcano, where there is this massive old cauldron which had turned into a lake and in the middle of this is a smaller crater with water also in the middle. However, from the author's narration they met Igorots (aborigines) along the way and this could happen only on the way to Baguio, not Tagaytay. And anybody who knows "balut" and how it is made will find amusement reading the author's recollection of this native delicacy:
"I had even learned to love baloots. They were a food that made Mother ill thinking of them--a baby duck killed inside the egg just before it hatched and then allowed to sit in hot sand and rot inside until it became almost a liquid-jelly combination...."
October 8, 2015
It’s hard to imagine how Paulsen remembers all the details he shares in this amazing and brutally honest memoir. Then again, the individual stories are shocking enough to burn their way into anyone’s brain. The story focuses on his family’s time on a military base in the Philippines, in the late 1940s, when Gary was seven years old.
The crazy begins even before Gary and his mom leave Chicago to reunite with dad. He establishes Mom’s protective credentials by explaining how she catches a child molester with Gary in a back alley, and then she beats the guy to death.
Mom is much less protective of herself. Gary walks in on her with her lover in their Stateside home. And this establishes several patterns. Mom is a beautiful target. And Gary can never look away from anything. The men on their troop transport buy her favors by bringing candy bars and Coca-Cola to Gary. He loves the attention, and the military life. Soon he’s steering the ship from the bridge, joining the craps games, swearing like a sailor, and surprising his mom in lots of compromising positions. And when a plane crash lands in the Pacific, and sharks swarm amongst the survivors, Gary once again can’t look away. Not only that, nobody else seems to want him to look away. Well, except maybe me. Different time and place, I guess.
The trauma continues once they’re back on dry land. More affairs, more sexual abuse, more violence, more sickening emergencies. Once again it’s all incredibly powerful, and tough to take.
And it’s tough to process the main contradiction here. Paulsen is an unbelievably street-smart child. But he’s still a child, prone to crying and dangerously innocent questions and adventures that turn into panicky disasters. Sure, the memoir provides Paulsen with the opportunity to look back upon his life. But it’s more than that. Any child who can chastise his mom by telling her, “You were f___ing Ryland” is something more than a child.
Maybe Paulsen is embellishing, or maybe he’s giving his memory more credit for detail than it deserves. Then again, maybe this is exactly what was going on in Paulsen’s life. He’s a straight talker now, and there's a good chance he was a straight talker back in the day. Thank goodness I don’t have much in the way of experience to connect with days like that.
The crazy begins even before Gary and his mom leave Chicago to reunite with dad. He establishes Mom’s protective credentials by explaining how she catches a child molester with Gary in a back alley, and then she beats the guy to death.
Mom is much less protective of herself. Gary walks in on her with her lover in their Stateside home. And this establishes several patterns. Mom is a beautiful target. And Gary can never look away from anything. The men on their troop transport buy her favors by bringing candy bars and Coca-Cola to Gary. He loves the attention, and the military life. Soon he’s steering the ship from the bridge, joining the craps games, swearing like a sailor, and surprising his mom in lots of compromising positions. And when a plane crash lands in the Pacific, and sharks swarm amongst the survivors, Gary once again can’t look away. Not only that, nobody else seems to want him to look away. Well, except maybe me. Different time and place, I guess.
The trauma continues once they’re back on dry land. More affairs, more sexual abuse, more violence, more sickening emergencies. Once again it’s all incredibly powerful, and tough to take.
And it’s tough to process the main contradiction here. Paulsen is an unbelievably street-smart child. But he’s still a child, prone to crying and dangerously innocent questions and adventures that turn into panicky disasters. Sure, the memoir provides Paulsen with the opportunity to look back upon his life. But it’s more than that. Any child who can chastise his mom by telling her, “You were f___ing Ryland” is something more than a child.
Maybe Paulsen is embellishing, or maybe he’s giving his memory more credit for detail than it deserves. Then again, maybe this is exactly what was going on in Paulsen’s life. He’s a straight talker now, and there's a good chance he was a straight talker back in the day. Thank goodness I don’t have much in the way of experience to connect with days like that.
April 15, 2019
A fantastic Memoir by my one of Favorite Authors! Tina Fey for president Gary Paulsen for Vice President! This book is entertaining and parts are shocking. What a cool guy! I loved Eastern Sun Winter Moon!
October 7, 2007
The autobiography of Gary Paulsen, Eastern Sun, Winter Moon is the chronicle of of a remarkable childhood. Born during WWII, young Gary lives with his mother in Chicago while his father is away in Europe, fighting in the war. Mother works in a munitians factory and Gary stays home with a neighbor that drinks red wine and talks to the radio. When Mother comes home, she washes of the grime and becomes another woman-a movie star type beauty that draws all the men's eyes. When Father has a "friend" in France, Mother also gets a "friend", which disturbs Gary and sets the stage for future indiscretions.
When the war ends, Mother and Gary go to live with Father in the Philippines. After a cross country drive, a bout of chicken pox and a long boat ride with stops in Hawaii and Japan, Gary finally gets to meet his father. At 7 years old, Gary does not feel very connected to his father, but does feel that his mother should be faithful to him no matter what. From the soldiers and sailors Gary has learned to swear, how to "shoot a crap" and what sex is all about. From his parents he learns that he hates drinking and what it does to people and from his parents servants he learns about the Philippine lifestyle and eventually goes "native."
I greatly enjoyed this book. Gary Paulsen is an imaginative author and this definitely shows up in this autobiography. The imagery is so vivid that you feel as if you are standing next to him on the deck of the ship and feel his shock when he bites off his tongue in a childhood game. It does feel, after the fact, that some of this might have been imbellished or made up, but the times were very different than they are now.
Gary Paulsen is the author of many teen books; probably most well know are Hatchet, The River and Brian's Winter.
When the war ends, Mother and Gary go to live with Father in the Philippines. After a cross country drive, a bout of chicken pox and a long boat ride with stops in Hawaii and Japan, Gary finally gets to meet his father. At 7 years old, Gary does not feel very connected to his father, but does feel that his mother should be faithful to him no matter what. From the soldiers and sailors Gary has learned to swear, how to "shoot a crap" and what sex is all about. From his parents he learns that he hates drinking and what it does to people and from his parents servants he learns about the Philippine lifestyle and eventually goes "native."
I greatly enjoyed this book. Gary Paulsen is an imaginative author and this definitely shows up in this autobiography. The imagery is so vivid that you feel as if you are standing next to him on the deck of the ship and feel his shock when he bites off his tongue in a childhood game. It does feel, after the fact, that some of this might have been imbellished or made up, but the times were very different than they are now.
Gary Paulsen is the author of many teen books; probably most well know are Hatchet, The River and Brian's Winter.
December 21, 2014
I began revisiting Paulsen books as part of my job as a special education teacher. Many of the children I work with seem to enjoy Paulsen's books better than others. I remember the way "Hatchet" sparked my imagination when I was a child, so Paulsen's work was a natural go to for me when I encountered middle school children who were reluctant readers. I read "The Cookcamp" with a young man and from there just kept going. Some of my older students needed a biography type book and I pulled "My Life in Dog Years" for a 9th grade student and then read it myself. "Dog Years" led to "Woodsong" and then I was fascinated by Paulsen. A co-worker told me he had written an autobiography for adults and that "it was pretty dirty". This sparked my imagination and I found myself wanting to know more about Paulsen's story. This book was more than dirty. It felt honest and gritty and gruesome and sad. Not an easy read - I wanted to snatch the boy away and hug him close. It left me wondering about broken people, and how brokenness sometimes passes from person to person without our intending it and without anyone deserving it. Also, about how we can be broken and deluded about one area of our lives and have clarity in others. Fascinating book. Not for children.
July 5, 2012
Very good memoir but I don't see how he could remember all of it so well at the age of 7, nevertheless, maybe he did. His life was quite traumatic so maybe it's easier to remember than forget. Surprising how one can hate alcoholism as a child and still fall into it as an adult. One would think it would be easier to be a tea-totaler than an alcoholic. Having had an alcoholic parent, I really did not have anything much to do with alcohol although I did drink in moderation at certain times of my life. But, I think I settled on being more of a chocoholic - still, it's an addiction. I feel sorry for his parents - what an awful way to live a life. And I'm glad Gary could finally escape from that addiction and go on to better things.
July 26, 2013
A very vivid well-written account that is definitely not for sensitive readers. I read it in two evenings. The writing had that immature fascination with certain events that would fit a child's interpretation.
Reading lists for children that include "any book by Gary Paulsen" may want to start being a little more specific.
Sensitive readers:
As with most memoirs it is hard to review this. Some of us remember events in our childhood better than others. As far as the rating, I didn't 'really liked it', the four stars is more of an acknowledgement the book is really well written.
Reading lists for children that include "any book by Gary Paulsen" may want to start being a little more specific.
Sensitive readers:
As with most memoirs it is hard to review this. Some of us remember events in our childhood better than others. As far as the rating, I didn't 'really liked it', the four stars is more of an acknowledgement the book is really well written.
August 30, 2025
Well, my goodness this was quite the read! Very grim in so many ways.
The saddest part of this book -- and believe me, there is lots of sadness in this book -- is about his dog, Snowball. If you ever read Paulsen's book "My Life In Dog Years," you'll remember that the first chapter is about Snowball. That is a book written for children. This book was written for adults and the part about Snowball broke my heart.
Mr. Paulsen is dead now, God rest him. I hope that the writing of this book brought him peace. And I hope that when he passed, that Snowball was there to meet him.
Snowball.
The saddest part of this book -- and believe me, there is lots of sadness in this book -- is about his dog, Snowball. If you ever read Paulsen's book "My Life In Dog Years," you'll remember that the first chapter is about Snowball. That is a book written for children. This book was written for adults and the part about Snowball broke my heart.
Mr. Paulsen is dead now, God rest him. I hope that the writing of this book brought him peace. And I hope that when he passed, that Snowball was there to meet him.
Snowball.
December 3, 2018
*possible spoilers*
Good, but I found it a bit hard to read. Only due to subject matter. It was really interesting to read about Gary and his mother's cruise via navy ship to the Philippines from SF. Reading about his mother's sexcapades and his own abuse, not so pleasant. Overall, he definitely had a unique time in the Philippines and it absolutely sounds like their population was devastated by the aftereffects and effects of WWII. War is all hell, and don't you forget it.
Good, but I found it a bit hard to read. Only due to subject matter. It was really interesting to read about Gary and his mother's cruise via navy ship to the Philippines from SF. Reading about his mother's sexcapades and his own abuse, not so pleasant. Overall, he definitely had a unique time in the Philippines and it absolutely sounds like their population was devastated by the aftereffects and effects of WWII. War is all hell, and don't you forget it.
June 4, 2019
The five stars stand whether it's all true or not. Paulsen crafts an absorbing tale of a childhood that you can't help but admire and cringe at in equal parts. Beautiful short tales that are a breeze to absorb, but like Pringles they are hard to stop once you pop.
October 30, 2021
Paulsen's childhood was very, very dark. Surprising he was able to mature into a very successful adult.
November 11, 2021
I really enjoy Gary Paulsen’s books, but this one was dark. And gory. That poor man suffered a lot of trauma as a child.
August 13, 2022
A bit hard to swallow, that a 6 yr old would remember all of the details included in this book
Read
January 25, 2024Not what I was expecting and definitely not going into my school's library. What a crazy childhood.
March 20, 2024
Incredible autobiography. Crazy-difficult story of becoming
October 27, 2025
I am rating and reviewing this book solely to drop its *egregiously* high rating. I picked this book up at the ripe age of 13 from my middle school library after finishing Hatchet, loving it, and wanting to learn more about the author. It preceded to be the most traumatizing literary experience of my life to this day.
Have you ever wanted to descend through Dante's nine circles of hell in the form of a white man's memoir? From sexual assault and pedophilia, to the most graphic and visceral description of a dog being slowly run over by a truck while army men laugh and jeer, this book truly has it all. Mr. Paulson burned my poor child retinas so permanently that more than a decade later, I can still recall passages with complete clarity.
If this book crosses your path in any way, I need you to throw it out the nearest window - if not for you, then for me.
Have you ever wanted to descend through Dante's nine circles of hell in the form of a white man's memoir? From sexual assault and pedophilia, to the most graphic and visceral description of a dog being slowly run over by a truck while army men laugh and jeer, this book truly has it all. Mr. Paulson burned my poor child retinas so permanently that more than a decade later, I can still recall passages with complete clarity.
If this book crosses your path in any way, I need you to throw it out the nearest window - if not for you, then for me.
January 4, 2010
This was a very interesting book and a fast read. I couldn't recommend it to everyone because it has some distrubing content. This is a biography about 2 years in the life of Gary Paulsen when he was 7. He lived thru more life in those 2 years than I ever will - I wouldn't have wanted some of his experiences. Now I want to know more about Gary, I know he is a very popular YA author. He must be very gook at relating to troubled youth.
October 19, 2015
Bought this book in a used shop, recalling many fond hours of reading, as an adult the author's Hatchet series. This is an autobiography. It is very raw with a lot of incredibly descriptive horrors the author witnessed and experienced as a young boy during and right after WWII. It sometimes seems to be over the top in how many extremely difficult experiences he has. It will be awhile before I forget many of the well described experiences fade from my memory, and most are not pleasant.
June 26, 2025
This book is the single nastiest memoir I've ever read, and that includes Holocaust memoirs. The book starts with Paulsen's mother kicking a man to death and continues on with more pointless violence and death until you reach utter despair at the nihilism of life. Sartre and Camus have nothing on Paulsen.
September 17, 2009
This is a fascinating autobiography by one of my favorite writers. Paulsen is a manly man writer, but very skillful and psychologically well tuned. His early life is truly amazing; here he recounts traveling with his mother from Chicago to the Philippines at the end of WWII, and the adventures they had. Makes my life seem so....uneventful.
September 11, 2011
Very difficult to rate this book, but I had to give it 5 stars because Paulsen's writing is excellent. His prose is raw, spare, scrupulously honest. That being said, I did not enjoy reading the book. It was too painful but I was compelled to keep reading.
I do not think I could write an autobiography and write those things about my parents. I hope it was cathartic for Gary Paulsen.
I do not think I could write an autobiography and write those things about my parents. I hope it was cathartic for Gary Paulsen.
May 13, 2012
This is an autobiographical account of Gary Paulsen's childhood. It chronicles his first eight years. I enjoyed this book thororughly, although I am not sure how accurate it is. If it is as accurate as is claimed , he lived more in the first 7 years of his life(good or bad) than many of us do in a lifetime...
July 31, 2007
FASCINATING memoir of Paulsen's childhood travels with his strong, promiscuous mother, to reunite with his father in the Philippines after WWII.
August 7, 2012
Wonderful autobiography told in youth voice. Really enjoy Gary Paulsen's writing.
April 23, 2013
This book was such a thrill to my young mind and ignited my love for escaping to adventures in the written word.
January 28, 2015
What a year in the childhood of this author...so unprotected from the violence and craziness of the adult world! A fast and riveting read.
Read
July 20, 2012Each book I read by Gary Paulsen is better than the last. I plan to read them all.
March 26, 2013
Very interesting childhood experiences.
Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews