The Burn Journals

by Brent Runyon

Book Overview

Brent Runyon was fourteen years old when he set himself on fire, and an intense retelling of that suicide attempt followed by a year of physical and psychological recovery conveys with a terrible... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0375826211
• ISBN13: 9780375826214
• Release Date: September 2004
• Publisher: Alfred A. Knopf Books for Young Readers
• Length: 374 Pages
• Weight: 1.26 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.3" x 5.9" x 8.4"
• Age Range: 14 years and up
• Grade Range: Grade 9 and higher

Customer Reviews

The Burn Journals is one of the best books I have read. It is very good and very relatable.

great book

i think this book is so good! i read it within a week, (good for me because i am a slow reader). i immediately got sucked in at the beginning; will he really do it? will he live? how will his family react if he sets himself on fire and then doesn't live? this book kept me wondering the whole way and wanting to know what will happen next. and i kept thinking; now why would he write that the character did this or that? but then i realize that it's a TRUE STORY! like in that carrie underwood song, "the past can't be rewritten, you get the life you're given..." that made the burn journals all the more touching to me, and i read it from cover to cover. and if i get the chance, i'll read it again soon.

I can relate!

Being a male adolescent myself, I find this book unbelievably easy to relate to. The comicalness Brent describes along the way, the gripping reality, but also the harsh consequences of his actions. I myself have previously attempted suicide, but was saved at literally the last minute. I went through almost the exact same procedures Brent went through. Right from entering the ambulance all the way through to re-entering high school. Visitng many different hospitals, being 'interviewed' by what seemed like a million different doctors and nurses and psychologists etc. Though the story of Brent Runyon takes place in America, the facts and feelings are exactly the same here in the UK. My dad bought me this book after watching an interview with Brent on morning TV. I, like Brent, kept very much to myself, and was so self conscious of what I had said to my parents, doctors etc. My dad read The Burn Journals before me, then recommended it. He found he really connected with Brent's mother and father, trying their best to keep things together. He found out alot about how teenagers think and view the world. He passed on the book to me. I really didn't particularly want to read it, because the prospect of hearing someone else's "cry for attention" sounded very daunting. I decided to atleast give it a go though. Then I couldn't put it down! I very highly recommend this book to everyone. Especially though, Parents: This book describes what a teenager goes through. From the crushes we have on each other, to our opinions of others etc. This isnt a book just about someone who tried to kill themselves. It's a very big insight into how a teenager thinks. Teenagers: If yourself or anyone you know suffers from depression and has thought about killing themselves, stop! Get them to read an account of someone else's experiance. For me, I felt I was the only person who felt the way I did. Sure, their are others but we don't ALL feel the same. But after reading Brent's account and thoughts of what had happened, I realised, actually just how similar we, or atleast me and someone else (Brent) felt. Doctors: Yes, even doctors. Especially psychologists. Teens arn't realing the 'talking' type of people, especially on a subject so personal. No one (adults included) ever understands fully what is going on with other people, as we all have thoughts and opinions we keep to ourselves. Brent's insight shows a very personal and truthful way of thinking though. I think people of the medical profession will find this book very useful, as it gives a very indepth description of feelings, emotions, and thoughts felt during a time of trauma. Hope this has been helpful, Rich - 15 Years-old

Entirely readable--don't be scared off by the subject matter

This is the true story of a 14-year old who set himself on fire in his household bathroom. It came very highly recommended from my mom, a middle school teacher/reviewer of YA books. I will admit that I let it sit for a while because I wasn't sure I could stomach the subject matter. There was no need for my apprehension--the book is completely readable. Brent, the narrator, is straightforward and just as confused about himself as everyone else in the world is. He's refreshingly normal in pretty much every way, except for that fateful day with the gasoline in the shower. I think that's the true strength of the book--it is important to remember that normal middle school students are struggling with these kinds of issues and not sure where they fit into their family and the world. The story is told amazingly well. Runyon does no posturing; he lays everything out just like it happened, with every stupid and uncool thing he said, and all the times he didn't understand himself and the world. He is still very much a 14-year old boy during his year of recovery, trying to figure out how to talk and interact with girls. I think if I wrote my autobiography, I'd be tempted to make myself look cooler than I am. For Runyon, it is his straightforwardness that helps the reader so easily identify with him.

Great VOICE!

An amazing story of an eighth grader who, in the first twenty pages, soaks his favorite black bathrobe in kerosene, steps into the shower, and lights himself on fire. The book is a journey of recovery, both from severe burns, and from depression. What astounded me most about this biography was the excellent way the author captured the voice of an eighth grader: from worries about his `religion' (the Ace of Spades) to concerns about his [...]. The voice, almost nonchalant and not terribly sad, left me wondering: what was the reason for suicide? Brent, as he struggles toward recovery, is often unsure himself.