Maris Kreizman's second book, the conversational essay collection I Want to Burn This Place Down, expresses righteous anger against broken systems--neoliberalism, health care, policing, and more--that perpetuate injustice.
These 10 defiant essays arise from disillusionment. "The more I learn, the more mortified I am by the myths I once accepted as irrefutable facts," Kreizman confesses. She'd always assumed hard work would bring success; instead, she endured low-paying publishing jobs and has health insurance only thanks to the good luck of meeting her husband. She thought her Type 1 diabetes wouldn't define her; in fact, chronic illness leaves her feeling out of control, and climate change exacerbates her condition.
Personal and political matters intertwine here. Growing up in 1980s New Jersey, Kreizman and her twin older brothers loved watching TV shows and movies in which the police were unfailingly the good guys. Corruption and cruelty have shattered her confidence in the police--while, ironically, both brothers became cops. As a teenager, she hailed Bill Clinton as a savior; now, she decries how his corporation-favoring policies and record of unpunished sexual harassment set a precedent for all politicians.
Literary and pop culture references shine. "The Show Must Go On," for instance, recalls her adolescent amateur dramatics and love of musicals. Kreizman also explores the lure of wealth (an ancestor founded the now-bankrupt department store Barneys) and the danger of dieting fads. The essays are as chatty as blog posts--sometimes cursory, but generally satisfying doses of waspish catharsis. --Rebecca Foster, freelance reviewer, proofreader, and blogger at Bookish Beck