New Memoir ‘The Burn List’ Recounts One Woman’s Story of Abuse and Fallout in Higher Education

In her debut memoir, Julie Cruse recounts an abusive childhood and the personal and professional consequences she says followed her into higher education.

LOS ANGELES, CA, UNITED STATES, March 18, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- “The Burn List: A Memoir of Abuse from Home to Higher Education” by Julie Cruse, published March 17, 2026 by Atmosphere Press, follows Cruse from an abusive childhood in Ohio into years navigating academic environments that, she writes, became increasingly hostile and punitive. In the memoir, Cruse describes experiences she describes as exploitation, retaliation, and violations of her rights, and she recounts how those experiences contributed to her leaving a doctoral program and derailing her career.

To protect privacy and reduce the risk of identifying individuals, the memoir uses pseudonyms for individuals and fictional names for some universities. The memoir reflects Cruse’s experiences and perspective. Through her story, Cruse argues that when when college stakeholders, including mandatory reporters and complaint personnel, prioritize self-preservation over ethical duties of care, people reporting harm can be left isolated and vulnerable to professional consequences. The book is structured in three parts, “Bootstrapping,” “Unstoppable,” and “Unmade,” and pairs personal testimony with a broader reflection on institutional incentives and accountability.

“Raw, detailed, and searingly honest, Julie's memoir lays bare the structures that crush the powerless and the resilience required to keep standing,” writes Maria Caponi, author of “An Accidental Pilgrim.”

Released amid ongoing public debate about accountability in higher education, “The Burn List” examines the psychological and professional control university systems can exert, the costs Cruse says she paid for speaking, and the challenges survivors face when seeking recourse. The memoir calls for external, anonymous reporting pathways designed to reduce retaliation, along with greater transparency when allegations are raised.

Jennifer Bourland, author of “Hidden Shadow,” writes that “‘The Burn List’ exposes consequences of protecting image, power, and money over people, in a world where success is not guaranteed, surrender is inevitable, and the cost of speaking out may be survival itself.”

Cruse’s work extends beyond the page with AcademicAbuse.com, a survivor-led initiative dedicated to documenting misconduct in higher education, aggregating reports, and amplifying survivor voices. “For those who’ve suffered in silence,” Cruse writes, “let this be our rallying cry: silence is violence.”

“The Burn List” will be available March 17, 2026, wherever books are sold.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Julie Cruse is a writer, advocate, instructional designer, and former academic with an MFA and MA. Over two decades, her educational work has served Ivy League, public, and community college settings. Her distinctions include 30+ grants and honors, a National Science Foundation fellowship, and recognition as Outstanding Alumni in Innovation. A first-generation student and creator of VICKiTM (patent-pending), described by Dance Magazine as a “pioneer of computational choreography,” Cruse has turned her story into a call for transparency and survivor solidarity through AcademicAbuse.com.

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To request a copy of “The Burn List,” contact publicist Nanda Dyssou of Coriolis Company.

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