The Burn Journals

Wonderful book, must read!

The Burn Journals by Brent Runyon was an incredible book. All 325 pages of the book were so important, they were bits of his life. This book is unique, I feel like it gives people an inside to what people with depression go through and how they deal with it. I really enjoyed that the author told it as it is, he didn't try and cover it with frosting. He told the true story and that takes a lot of courage. I don't think the author did anything to stray from the subject. I liked this book a lot, it opened up my eyes to I guess something that most people judge on, and I think it made me understand and be more open minded. I would say this book is appropriate for reading to people who are mature, it's not a light matter and you have to be ready for that. Parts of the book get a bit gruesome, so be prepared for that, but overall it's great!

3 out of 3 people found this review helpful.

This is an incredible book! You have to read it!!!!!

The Burn Journals
By Brent Runyon

My Book Rating: B-

When Brent Runyon, a fourteen year old boy, sets himself on fire for a reason he cannot even remember, his whole life is changed forever. He must go through many different kinds of hospitals in order to attempt to get his life back. Although Brent knows he will never be the same mentally, he must believe that he can restore himself physically. Through Brent's long and painful journey, he finally realizes that he is and had always been loved and needed by his family and friends.

In The Burn Journal, Brent Runyon is able to write an incredibly true story about the most painful point in his life. He wrote about his suicide attempt and how he overcame it. Brent's purpose for writing this book is to help show and explain how horrible and pointless suicide is. He wants his readers to know and understand that the people in their life love and care for them.

The author, Brent Runyon, has a very important goal for this book and himself. He hoped that by writing this book he could explain, even if only to himself, how and why his depression and recovery worked the way they did. He wanted to finally put it all at rest and to never have to worry and stress about it again.

The Burn Journals is extremely different compared to others on the subject. The Burn Journals is much more detailed than many other books on the same topic. Many times books about suicide do not go into too much detail because they do not want to scare their audience. The Burn Journals is different because it is so well revealed and the story is so well written that the reader feels as if they were actually witnessing the story live. The Burn Journals allows for it's audience to feel the pain Brent had to go through and understand the reasoning behind it.

I rated this book a B- because although it teaches a major lesson, it is also a little strange at certain parts. For example, Brent uses a lot of foul language in his vocabulary. Usually I can take a little curse words in the books I read, but The Burn Journals just has way too many. Other than that, the book is a very interesting read. I definitely enjoyed reading The Burn Journals.

The Burn Journals is an incredible book that everyone should read. It teaches the reader so much, which should always be an author's goal. When the reader puts down the book, they will walk away full of useful knowledge. I would definitely recommend this book to someone else because of the immense power and strength that radiates off the book. The Burn Journals is an extremely powerful novel that teaches some of the most important things about life.

1 out of 3 people found this review helpful.

great book

if anyone is struggling with their self confidence just reading this book made me realize how everyhing we live for is more than meets the eye. this great book covered every aspect and was a true eyeopener

1 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

LOVE!!

The Burn Journals is an amazing read. Brent takes you through every emotion from extreme sadness and depression, and the desire to just be loved. The Burn Journals is heart wrenching,true,funny,and amazingly written!

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

A Must-Read!

I love this book! The Burn Journals is a very moving story about Brent, a fourteen year-old who tries to commit suicide by setting himself on fire. The book reveals what he was feeling before, during and after the incident. It also describes his recovery for the following year. Some of the details make me cringe, but they are important to the story because they help me understand what Brent had to endure. This story is fascinating because it is written from Brent¿s point of view. His comments make you realize that it could happen to almost anybody. Before the fire, nobody suspected that Brent was unhappy. He seemed like a completely normal teenager. This is why teachers and parents need to read this book: You can never know for sure how a person is feeling. Teenagers will love this book because it is a moving story about someone just like them.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

My favorite book no

Sad and funny

Francisco

This book is an amazing read mostly for the teens tht have those thoughts

Omg

Amazing book!

"A Red-Hot Read"

The Burn Journals by Brent Runyon is an exceptionally well-written re4ad about his attempted suicide. As an eighth grader, Brent decides to make the gut-wrenching decision to set him self on fire. Thankfully his attempt was not successful and he was able to live through the scarring event. Thought the topic of his story is a difficult read, he makes it easier to handle with his awkward sense of humor. Runyon’s style of writing makes it difficult to put the book down. With his novel, he manages to create a masterpiece that touches the heart of any age of reader.

The Burn Journals is by no means an easy read, nor should it by read by the faint-hearted. He tends to use very detailed passages to help the reader understand exactly what he was going through and how he felt during this point of his life. He takes you into the world of a teenage troublemaker who is unable to control his occasional suicidal intentions. Afer narrowly escaping the wrath of his school’s principal, Runyon shows us how he was so afraid of disappointing people and landing himself in trouble he convinced himself that death would be the best and only possible choice for him. As an author, he seems to paint a beautiful tone for the rest of the story within the first few pages of this book. The memoir is clearly written from a fourteen year old boy’s perspective and makes it simple enough for a person of any age to read.

Runyon’s story is down to earth a true; readers can’t help to do anything but love it. You somehow get lost in the world he paints for you that is ultimately realistic. It’s hard to put this book down. He chooses a very controversial topic to write about, and shares his side freely. Most people are able to feel for and relate to Brent’s feelings. Even though who have never had any form of suicidal thoughts have no problem understanding the difficult decisions he was forced to make. No worries, though. A lot of good laughs are uttered along the way. Not only is his story a good read, but it also has a valuable moral. He give his readers a deeper meaning of the clichéd moral of thinking before you act. He makes it clear he never expected to hurt so many people, nor did he expect to come out of the traumatizing event so mentally and physically scarred yet so stable. Brent Runyon’s story really makes the readers ask themselves what is really worth the worry in life.

Inspiring

The burn journals was one of the most moving books i have ever read. The story takes you into a fourteen year old boys mind after he sets himself on fire. The story plays with your emotions and pulls you into the book. I could not put it down. I would recommend this to anyone.

The Burning Memoir

In this thought-provoking memoir by Brent Runyon a true story is told through grim details and the mindset of a fourteen-year-old boy. The Burn Journals is written in the first-person view of Brent, as he struggles to recover from an attempted suicide, after he sets himself on fire in 1991. He endures a long journey of rehabilitation physically and mentally. Along the way, every little triumph is a huge victory in his battle. His struggle ends with hope and a new beginning. Brent Runyon’s story is written in a way that is moving to anyone who may come across it.

One of the most important aspects of the book is the unique way it is written. Even though Brent does not write about his tragedy until he is much older, he rebuilds his thoughts from when he was fourteen. There is some missing information because of this. However, it really allows the reader to understand Brent’s feelings and reasoning. Unfortunately, we are unable to see the author’s current feelings while writing the book. We are also most likely missing certain details from his memory at the time. But these things are blocked out by the strange feeling that occurs when you read this book. It is almost like you are Brent. Another important feature in The Burn Journals is that Brent does not censor his feelings in his writing. This allows for a more emotional and moving story. Every time he feels pain, sorrow, happiness, or confusion, the reader will know. Brent Runyon makes his emotions clear in The Burn Journals.

In conclusion, The Burn Journals shows the consequences of suicide and desolation like no other book does. Brent Runyon’s story of survival shows strength and courage. It is also a good read for teens because they can relate to Brent’s fourteen-year-old thoughts. If someone were looking for a truly moving memoir, I would certainly recommend The Burn Journals because of its unique style of writing, intense emotional experience, and informative portrayal of suicide. B+

Taking Survival to a Whole New Level

Have you ever cheated death before? Brent Runyon author of The Burn Journals knows exactly what it is like. The main issue that Brent is presenting in this book is that Brent attempts to commit suicide by lighting himself on fire because he has so many school and personal problems. Miraculously, he survives. His book is showing his experience by emotionally and physically overcoming his conditions.
This book is written as a memoir and the style is written almost like a journal (hence the title). Brent’s purpose for writing this is not to make the reader feel sad or sorry for him but to show you can overcome anything, even death. Brent is approaching this topic as a journalist writing as much detail as he can about his experience. Teens that are enduring hardships is the audience for this book. As a reader, I see the author relate to a struggling teen very well.
Details and feelings are clearly shown in this book. He is making you feel like you are dealing with this tragedy. The author achieves his goal by improving emotionally and physically, but also performing a normal life again. On page sixteen Brent is proving how easy it is to let life slip away from just a few bumps on the road. “I have this guilt feeling all over me, like oil on one of those birds in Alaska.” Brent is proving that he learning his lesson slowly. Compared to other books this particular one has a very deep and complex feeling to it. I love the detail and how the author reaches the reader heart-to-heart. However, I do not like how the author includes unnecessary thoughts that have nothing to do with the main point.
I noticed that while I was reading the afterword of the book he talks about his life now as an adult and how he still has minor depression from time to time. He says that he has thought about suicide again which proves that even with all the counselors and medical treatment, he still has not fully recovered mentally. The theme in the afterword and throughout the book is to look before you fall which means to think about what you’re doing before you do because it could change and impact your entire life. It also shows how powerful the mind is when you go through an experience like this and has the ability to haunt you and stay by you forever no matter how much help you get.

In conclusion, I believe this dark; in depth book will leave you feeling heartbroken but at the same time, strong because you have seen, based on evidence, that you can achieve anything with just a little hope and faith. I encourage everyone to read this book when it seems as if you have lost everything or you are going through a tough phase or depression. It will make you realize that you are not alone and there is a better path to choose than killing yourself and taking yourself from the world, because it is not your life to take. God has given you a gift of life and your gift back to Him is the choices you make on how you live it.

Great Book!!!

In Brent Runyon’s memoir The Burn Journals he tells his true recollection of the faithless afternoon he ignites himself into flames, the only true escape. He has burned most of his body and Runyon shares the pain and suffering he went through to recover from his mistake. Also he shares what it is like to actually want to kill yourself and what happens once you decide to do it.
This truly is an inspiring book of one boy’s mistake and the many challenges he faces to fix it. It is one I will never forget, an uprising recollection of the will to live and the effects suicide can have on himself, friends, family and peers around him.
The part of the book I liked the best was the message and emotion behind it all, along with the recount of a boy’s will to live and recovery. The part of the book I liked the least was the reaction of the characters and the main character’s (Runyon) emotions toward other people. I feel that even if this was a true story that there must have been more emotions and feelings that occurred in the real situation then he actually cared to share in his book. Also while reading I found many of his actions to be quite distasteful and I do not understand why he chose to do such things. For example in the hospital during recovery, he did many things that were not needed. He cares only for whether he looks okay or that he can still do this with a girl, he uses foul language every chance he gets, and shared some very personal actions that I do not think the rest of the world needed to hear. Many of the things he did focused on the demands of the male gender and were not appropriate for a younger audience. Why wouldn’t he be focused on his recovery? Instead he focused on disgusting things/actions that should have not mattered to him at the time.
Brent Runyon was able to capture an amazing recount of a true story that occurred to him so many years ago of a recovered suicide. I hope to see other stories from this fulfilling author.

Holy cow!!!

This book is one of the best books i have honestly ever picked up i sat there for hours reading this book!!!!!

Burn jouranls

It was so-so

0 out of 3 people found this review helpful.

Anonomous

I litterally got ALL my friends to read this at school :)

Sad but good

Just as its geting boring it gets good and you just cant stop reading

Amazing!

I really enjoyed reading this book. It had everything I liked in it, a lot of great dialogue and great suspense. Every time I turned the page there was always something new happening to the main character or something with his family. But what I like the best about the book is that at the beginning of the book it grabs your attention with the characters dialogue and actions. Overall it was a great read and I would recommend this book to juniors and seniors in high school.

: )

It s a really good book a must read

0 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

My friends and i read the sample

Not my age group

0 out of 3 people found this review helpful.