BURN THE PLACE A Memoir

This memoir often sounds as if narrator Eileen Stevens has pulled up a chair at a farm's kitchen table to tell stories. Her familiar tone and conversational cadence work. Though chef Iliana Regan's story is fraught with bouts of alcoholism and self-destructive behavior, including sexual adventurism and tragic loss, her remarkable focus, drive, and farm-girl pluck win out. Her Indiana farm roots never leave her. There's a remarkable chapter on hunting frogs and an ongoing celebration of farm cooking. This audiobook divulges an extraordinary life story as the narrative zigzags through the highs and lows of Regan's rise to chef/owner of the Michelin one-star restaurant Elizabeth's in Chicago. This coming-of-age story is also a self-portrait of overcoming addiction and embracing LGBTQ sexuality. BURN THE PLACE shows a survivor who prevails. A.D.M. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2019, Portland, Maine [Published: DECEMBER 2019]