Brent

Wow.

I just finished reading The Burn Journals by Brent Runyon and, wow.

When I knew Brent, he was nice and funny. He was, if memory serves, my dance partner in Bye Bye Birdie circa 1994, and I liked him because he treated me like a person, not just Vinnie's kid sister. I remember him being gentle and kind, if a little silly, and reading his book was really hard because it completely exposed the dark and troubled side of his youth that I never knew. I'm being really vague, I know, but I don't want to go into more detail or write a review. I don't even really know what to say at all except that I admire his confidence and bravery and his willingness and remarkable ability to tell his story. And I just wish I could give him a big hug. This book had me on the verge of tears for three days. Read it, it's amazing, but be warned.