I Want to Burn This Place Down by Maris Kreizman

I Want to Burn This Place Down

Essays

Maris Kreizman

HarperCollins · Print & ebook · July 1, 2025

A debut essay collection by the inimitable cultural critic Maris Kreizman—an introspective, searing account of the life experiences that have pushed this former “good Democrat” even further to the political left At the heart of this funny, acerbic, and bravely honest book of essays is Maris Kreizman, a former rule follower and ambition monster who once believed the following truths to be self-evident: that working very hard would lead to admission to a good college, which would lead to a good job at a good company, which would then lead to personal fulfillment and a sense of purpose, along with adequate health care and eventual home ownership and plenty of money waiting in a retirement account.

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Who it’s for
For when you want sharp political thinking with a sly, readable edge.
Genres
Essay Collections, Political Writing, Personal Memoirs
Published
HarperCollins, July 1, 2025

About this book

A debut essay collection by the inimitable cultural critic Maris Kreizman—an introspective, searing account of the life experiences that have pushed this former “good Democrat” even further to the political left At the heart of this funny, acerbic, and bravely honest book of essays is Maris Kreizman, a former rule follower and ambition monster who once believed the following truths to be self-evident: that working very hard would lead to admission to a good college, which would lead to a good job at a good company, which would then lead to personal fulfillment and a sense of purpose, along with adequate health care and eventual home ownership and plenty of money waiting in a retirement account.

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Like any good Democrat and feminist, she believed that if she just worked hard and played by the rules, she was guaranteed a safe and comfortable life. Now in her forties, the only thing Maris Kreizman knows for sure is that she no longer has faith in American institutions or any of their hollow promises. Now she knows that the rules are meant to serve some folks better than others; and, actually, they serve no one all that well—not even Kreizman. Disturbed by the depth and scope of the liberal myths in which she once so fervently believed, Kreizman takes readers on an intimate journey that revisits some of her most profound revelations, demonstrating that it’s never too late to become radicalized. With Kreizman’s signature wit and blunt self-reflection, and more than a little transformative rage, I Want to Burn This Place Down is a book for anyone who wishes they could go back in time to give their younger selves the real truth about the fractured country they have inherited—and the encouragement to rebuild something better in its place.

Sharp and Sly

For when you want sharp political thinking with a sly, readable edge.

Come here for

  • playful political essays
  • culture, humor, social friction

Expect

  • layered arguments
  • reference-friendly chunks

Where it sits

Essay Collections56%
Political Writing42%
Personal Memoirs31%

Percentages are BookFrontier’s reading of the book.

Publisher categories

  • Women's Lives
  • Personal Memoirs
  • Essay Collections
  • Feminist Lit Crit
Show all 8 publisher categories
  • Democracy
  • Radical Politics
  • Political Commentary
  • Feminist Theory & Criticism
Authors
Maris Kreizman
Publisher
HarperCollins
Published
July 1, 2025
Format
Print & ebook
Reading lane
Women's Lives