The Burn Journals

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.