Strong personal essays shedding light on the abysmal state of health care, women's rights, and general well-being in the US in this present moment. Author's voice is earnest and authentic and I felt like I learned something, especially the intricacies of navigating a long-term health condition like diabetes in a health system designed to maximize profits.

America, and democracy, are on my mind most days. I was a small child during the Vietnam War and remember gas lines in the early ‘70s, New York City being asked to drop dead, and saw the optimism of my young “counterculture” parents morph into a hard, cruel bitterness. For many, the Reagan years were the beginning of the end. But for families in the white collar suburbs, the American dream was still thrumming along. Maris Kreizman’s I Want to Burn This Place Down is a late Gen-X look at how a generation raised on pop culture, TV, cop shows, and “greed is good” realized, too late, that they, too, had been duped.

Kreizman, raised by adoring parents in a middle class Central New Jersey suburb, believed achieving the American Dream was simply a matter of working hard, playing by the rules, and keeping your eye on the prize. And she was rewarded for her gritty determination—straight As in high school despite debilitating bouts with Type-1 diabetes, college at the University of Pennsylvania (where she rubs shoulders with Donald Trump Jr.), a publishing job in New York City. So far, so good. But Kreizman enters the workforce in the early 2000s, when the world of publishing begins to implode.

Thus begins her journey from a wide-eyed, smart girl from the suburbs to a steely-eyed young woman who begins to realize that she’s been sold a bill of goods. But rather than sinking into despair, Kreizman gets curious about the myths she’s been fed, treating us to essays that take a hard look at neoliberalism, pop culture in the ‘80s and ‘90s, venture capitalism, health care, climate change, gender norms, and the importance of unions. In the process, her eyes—and heart—are opened, and so are ours. I especially loved the reading list and shout-outs to authors who’ve inspired her. I Want to Burn This Place Down is a rich, nuanced look at our nation by someone who has absolute faith that we can right this ship. I can’t wait to read what’s next.

Many thanks to NetGalley for an ARC copy, which was an audiobook (highly recommend the audiobook version).

I found this author-narrated audiobook to be intensely relatable, even the parts where Kreizman had different experiences and ideas. She's so good at explaining what she's feeling and why. It starts with her experiences as a diabetic, and how much effect that had on her entire life. Kreizman is intelligent, relatable and likeable, and I found myself listening to a few parts more than once.
Thanks to NetGalley for letting me listen to this audiobook

I Want to Burn This Place Down is sharp, smart, and often brutally honest. Maris Kreizman doesn’t hold back, and that’s exactly what makes this collection so compelling. Her commentary is fresh and bold, filled with cultural insight and just the right amount of bite.

There were moments that had me nodding along and others that made me stop and really think, especially her reflections on literature, pop culture, and the way women navigate both. Some essays felt stronger than others, but as a whole, this was engaging and incredibly well-written.

The audiobook narration felt personal and intimate, like listening to a friend vent their truths with wit and confidence. It’s the kind of book that lingers, with lines that stick in your mind long after you’ve finished.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC. This review reflects my honest thoughts and opinions as a NetGalley reviewer.

The marketing for this book is doing it a disservice. Based on the title and the description, I expected something revolutionary and with thoughts about how to really change the system and work for improvement (or, to fight the man and, at least metaphorically, burn it down). Instead, what I got was chatty blog posts from a nice white woman. As a nice white woman myself, this was pleasant enough--she has similar lived experiences to me in terms of living through a time of greater realization of privilege, recognition that there are systemic problems with the world, and some nostalgia for the innocence of not knowing these things. And a generalized frustration that the system doesn't feel like it's getting better (and, in current political climate, getting distinctly worse).

But nothing here was revolutionary or especially nuanced or especially new. I don't know anything about the author beyond what she's written in this book. But based on what's here, she seems like a nice, not particularly expert, woman with good intentions, but also someone who's still largely enjoying the privilege she's got and living a reasonably comfortable life. That's fine, just not how the books is marketed. If the book were marketed more as run-of-the-mill author's memoir/blog post compilation, it would get less attention but be a more honest representation of what to expect.

The essay about her experience with diabetes (the first essay in the book) is personal and relatively interesting. Acknowledging the way a chronic condition can permeate all aspects of life and can be a constant drain on mental load and energy is an important perspective that isn't always well understood or articulated. However, the effort to tie it back into availability of health insurance/insulin/supplies wasn't especially nuanced or compelling. The author thinks it's bad that insulin isn't cheap and easily available (true!), but she doesn't demonstrate any insightful understanding of the Affordable Care Act, the insurance industry, or the details of interchange between pharmaceutical companies and providers.

The author narrates this herself, which is fine. It's a fairly chatty personal memoir format, so hearing it in her own voice makes sense.

Thanks to the publisher and netgalley for the audio version to review.

Smart. Interesting. Relatable.

I’m super grateful my ADHD brain was able to get as much out of this one as it did, not an easy feat for me when it comes to nonfiction.

Grateful to NetGalley and the publisher.

I have been a long-time reader of Maris Kreizman's literary and cultural criticism and was thrilled to dive into her new book. The audiobook is beautifully and expertly narrated by the author. The essays are a smart and human blend of cultural criticism, personal memoir, and politics. Particularly strong were the moments Kreizman describes her experiences with chronic illness and the ways it intersects with and reorients her understanding of the world. I appreciated her candor and humor across challenging subjects and I found myself nodding along and chuckling to the audiobook. I love how gently and clearly she sees her younger self. I'm so grateful for this model of reflecting on, questioning, and reimagining the maxims we grew up with.

This was a hard one. As someone with chronic pain, I could hear the stress, and understand so thoroughly the things the author was struggling with. The nuance shown in speaking on all situations in her life (her brothers, systemic issues, family, etc) was so inline with how I feel, that it was also a relief to feel fully seen.

It felt both like church and punishment to hear that I wasn’t the only one, and there are so many of us struggling like this, far beyond the pain directly impacting our own lives.

That said, I would recommend it if you have someone you love struggling, or if you yourself are struggling and need to feel seen.

I enjoy reading essays or memoirs from individuals who are similar in ago to me so that I can see how their perspectives are similar or different than mine. I hadn't read Maris Kreizman before, but the description of the book drew me in. While I cannot connect with living a life in the arts, I can connect with the disillusionment she encountered as she grew older and questioned previously held beliefs.

Kreizman narrates the book herself which is the best way to go about things IMO when writing from one's personal experiences. I quickly but fascinating listen!

Less political than expected... more cultural, more human. Kreizman remembers a time when everything felt perfect... when she was 5. Then it soon became fighting with her own body, waning social optimism, and rising water due to climate change. Her essays are relatable, thoughtful, and contain just enough humor to keep you from crying with nihilistic despair.

I Want to Burn This Place Down is a sharp, angry, and deeply honest collection of essays that takes aim at the myth of the American Dream through the lens of chronic illness and broken systems. Maris Kreizman writes with a mix of vulnerability and biting wit as she reflects on growing up with type one diabetes and navigating a healthcare system that often fails the people who need it most. It’s thought-provoking and personal, with moments that hit hard—especially the idea that doing everything “right” still doesn’t guarantee safety or success. Some essays landed stronger than others, but overall, it’s a compelling and necessary read.

⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 (3.5 stars)
Rated R for language, medical trauma, and adult themes.

The book was good. I enjoyed each of the essays but I was expecting and hoping for a little more rage.

I Want to Burn this Place Down was mostly an enjoyable listen. It's a series of essays on the author's life, particularly how she has been impacted by type 1 diabetes. Growing up, Maris Kreizman believed that if she worked hard, she would live the American dream - a stable income with a nice house, good healthcare, and a promising retirement fund. Now in her forties, she knows the American dream is truly just a dream for many. While I enjoyed her perspective, I think the book would be more impactful if it included a variety of American voices and perspectives, all centered on the same idea that this place needs a major overhaul so that it is truly beneficial to all.

I usually don’t read non fiction, but I found this super interesting! It was such a powerful book. I also enjoyed the narrator.

Growing up, Maris believed that if she worked hard, and played by the rules she was guaranteed a safe and prosperous life in the United States.

Having Type 1 diabetes, she's watched the healthcare system fail her and others with chronic issues. Within her career, she's watched the publishing industry fail their workers and consumers. And now she no longer has faith in the American institution and its false promises leading her to write a series of essays in this book which is fittingly called 'I Want To Burn This Place Down'

I found her navigation of the health care system interesting as in Canada we are so very lucky to have access to free health care. As a self-motivated overachiever I also related to her reflections and how the system praises hard work, insinuating it will lead to a larger payoff but actually functions in a completely different way behind the doors.

An interesting series of essays filled with self- reflection, memories, and criticism against the system where so many will never flourish.

I have followed and read Maris Kreizman's work on books for a while now so was excited when I learned she was publishing this collection of essays. The book is aptly titled for our current state of the world but is a hopeful collection overall, focused on the strength of collective action and mutual aid. Her writing on diabetes and how her chronic illness affects her life is especially strong. I especially recommend the audiobook which Kreizman reads herself. I also loved all of the recommended reading at the end, which has left me with excellent additions to my to be read pile.