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The Burn Journals (2004)

by Brent Runyon

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8944123,651 (3.8)11
Brent Runyon was fourteen years old when he set himself on fire. In this book he describes that suicide attempt and his recovery over the following year. He takes us into the Burn Unit in a children's hospital and through painful burn care and skin-grafting procedures. Then to a rehabilitation hospital, for intensive physical, occupational, and psychological therapy. And then finally back home, to the frightening prospect of entering high school. But more importantly, Runyon takes us into his own mind. He shares his thoughts and hopes and fears with such unflinching honesty that we understand with a terrible clarity what it means to want to kill yourself and how it feels to struggle back toward normality. Intense, exposed, insightful, The Burn Journals is a deeply personal story with universal reach. It is impossible to look away. Impossible to remain unmoved. This truly riveting memoir is a spectacular debut for a talented new writer.… (more)
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Showing 1-5 of 41 (next | show all)
I was disappointed. The book lacks insight for Brent's behavior; he doesn't even seem curious about why he set himself on fire. He also doesn't seem to have much understanding for the effect his actions had on his parents and his older brother. Instead, the book focuses on his becoming aroused during physical therapy, which nurses might want to have sex with him, and what famous people reached out to him. At fourteen, Brent was obsessed with girls, his own sense of humor, and himself. There does not seem to be any adult perspective in this book, written in adulthood. Instead, Brent seems to think his attempted self-immolation now makes him special. As a therapist, and as a reader, this approach saddens me. ( )
  carlahaunted | Jan 8, 2019 |
Currently nearing the end of my first year as a suicide attempt survivor, I found myself relating to a fair amount of Mr. Runyon's experiences. Thankfully, I didn't have to deal with the burn treatment aspect of things, and therefore did not share the lengthy hospital stays and surgeries, but I did share many of Brent's frustrations of dealing with the awkward questions and mental health care system in the aftermath of the attempt.
I did, at times, find myself thinking that Brent, disfigured by his own doing, was awfully critical of the other patients he came across during his treatment, especially considering that many of them were disabled at birth or injured through accidents at no fault of their own.
Although I felt the book might have benefited from a different format (while I understand the idea, it ends up looking unfinished and a bit like a run-on), I appreciated his open and honest portrayal of life after an attempt and the continued struggles to re-identify yourself among your family, friends, and society.
Not all of our scars are as visible as Mr. Runyon's, but we have them just the same. ( )
  Sarahbel | Sep 1, 2017 |
I thought this book was well written and had an interesting matter-of-fact style, but I would have preferred if at some point it had detoured into a more self-reflective tone. This book looks starkly at the reality of one child's choice to attempt suicide. Most of the book deals with Brent Runyan's recovery process. It describes the day-by-day process of lying in a hospital bed and rebuilding relationships with the people he tried to leave behind.

I only read two thirds of this book. I think this would probably be a fantastic read for a teenager going through similar desolation. The book was originally written as a cathartic experience for the author, who has been featured on This American Life. The prose do not suffer despite the fact that it was not originally written for mass consumption, and I think that most people would enjoy the memoir more than I did ( )
  jcelliot | Jan 30, 2017 |
True story, but written like a novel. ( )
  mtlkch | Jun 21, 2016 |
This book was probably one of the best books that i have read this year. It was well written and I could really relate to Runyon. I myself have thought about suicide and later discovered that its not the answer to my problems. ( )
  welkeral | Mar 20, 2016 |
Showing 1-5 of 41 (next | show all)
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Author nameRoleType of authorWork?Status
Brent Runyonprimary authorall editionscalculated
Welch, Christopher EvanNarratorsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
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"For Christina Egloff. She said I should write everything I could remember and called it The Burn Journals. We spent four years working together on this book. She developed the structure. She shaped the tone, rhythm, and pacing. She pursued perfection in all the details. This book wouldn't exist without her."
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"I'm awake, listening to the radio, and Mom is yelling at me to get out of bed."
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Brent Runyon was fourteen years old when he set himself on fire. In this book he describes that suicide attempt and his recovery over the following year. He takes us into the Burn Unit in a children's hospital and through painful burn care and skin-grafting procedures. Then to a rehabilitation hospital, for intensive physical, occupational, and psychological therapy. And then finally back home, to the frightening prospect of entering high school. But more importantly, Runyon takes us into his own mind. He shares his thoughts and hopes and fears with such unflinching honesty that we understand with a terrible clarity what it means to want to kill yourself and how it feels to struggle back toward normality. Intense, exposed, insightful, The Burn Journals is a deeply personal story with universal reach. It is impossible to look away. Impossible to remain unmoved. This truly riveting memoir is a spectacular debut for a talented new writer.

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Brent Runyon was a depressed kid. He felt at the end of his rope, that he needed to get away from all the bad things in his life. And so he decided to commit suicide by setting himself on fire. This is about where his memoir begins.
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