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"And, at the center of it all, am I actually nice or am I just performing a role I think I'm expected to play?" Mia Mercado is a razor-sharp cultural critic and essayist known for her witty and hilarious dissections of the uncomfortable truths that rule our lives. In this thought-provoking collection of new essays, Mercado examines what it means to be "polite," "agreeable," and "nice." She covers topics from the subtleties of the "Bad Bitch" and why women dominate the ASMR market, to what makes her dog an adorable little freak and how you know if you're shy. This is a book about the unspoken trick mirror of our "good" intentions: the inherent performance of the social media apology, celebrating men when they do the bare minimum, and why we trust a Midwesterner to watch our stuff when we go pee.
Throughout, she ponders her identity as an Asian woman and asks what "nice" even means—and why anyone would want to be it. With writing that is as precise as it is profound, and cultural references that range from trash reality television to the New York Times Sunday-morning crossword puzzle, Mercado uncovers weird, long-overdue truths about our frailties and failings. In the end, she sees them not as a source of shame but as a cause for celebration. Filled with revelations that range from the silly to the serious,
She's Nice Though offers a mind-bending glimpse into the illusions and delusions of contemporary life—and reveals who we *really* are when no one is watching.
AN NPR BOOK-OF-THE-DAY
A PUBLISHERS WEEKLY STAFF PICK
A NYLON MUST-READ
A FORTUNE NEW BOOK TO READ IN AUGUST
"And, at the center of it all, am I actually nice or am I just performing a role I think I'm expected to play?" Mia Mercado is a razor-sharp cultural critic and essayist known for her witty and hilarious dissections of the uncomfortable truths that rule our lives. In this thought-provoking collection of new essays, Mercado examines what it means to be "polite," "agreeable," and "nice." She covers topics from the subtleties of the "Bad Bitch" and why women dominate the ASMR market, to what makes her dog an adorable little freak and how you know if you're shy. This is a book about the unspoken trick mirror of our "good" intentions: the inherent performance of the social media apology, celebrating men when they do the bare minimum, and why we trust a Midwesterner to watch our stuff when we go pee.
Throughout, she ponders her identity as an Asian woman and asks what "nice" even means—and why anyone would want to be it. With writing that is as precise as it is profound, and cultural references that range from trash reality television to the New York Times Sunday-morning crossword puzzle, Mercado uncovers weird, long-overdue truths about our frailties and failings. In the end, she sees them not as a source of shame but as a cause for celebration. Filled with revelations that range from the silly to the serious,
She's Nice Though offers a mind-bending glimpse into the illusions and delusions of contemporary life—and reveals who we *really* are when no one is watching.
Due to publisher restrictions the library cannot purchase additional copies of this title, and we apologize if there is a long waiting list. Be sure to check for other copies, because there may be other editions available.
Due to publisher restrictions the library cannot purchase additional copies of this title, and we apologize if there is a long waiting list. Be sure to check for other copies, because there may be other editions available.
About the Author-
Mia Mercado is the author of Weird But Normal and a contributor to The Cut. Her work has also been featured in The New Yorker, the New York Times, the Washington Post's The Lily, Bustle, McSweeney's, Reductress, Bust, the American Bystander, Gizmodo, and The Hairpin, and other media outlets. She lives in Kansas City, Missouri.
Reviews-
June 13, 2022 Mercado (Weird but Normal), a blogger for The Cut, returns with another collection of humorous essays exploring her experience as an Asian woman from the Midwest. She reflects on the performativity of niceness, the dangers of agreeability, and the power dynamics of race and gender, in essays both snarky and sharp. “How to Be Nice” is a guide to kindness that advises such strategies as “giving a wedgie to everyone who asks you questions like, ‘So, where are you really from’,” while “Bad Answers to Good Questions and Vice Versa,” collects sardonic responses to matchmaking questions from the New York Times (“I’d wish for more wishes”). “Kill Them with Kindness and Other Imagined Crime Podcasts” features a list of tongue-in-cheek podcasts pitches including “How to Get Away with Murder: A series on how to turn your side hustle (murder) into a full-time gig (more murders),” and “Apologies for Men” imagines an infomercial for a product that helps men cope with messing up. Mercado maintains her self-deprecating humor while offering serious reflections on American culture, and the mix hits home, notably in “A Strange and Unprecedented Time,” an insightful take on the pandemic as told in a diarylike record of her lockdown experience. Mercado’s fans will eat this up.
Starred review from December 1, 2022
Mercado (Weird but Normal: Essays) has proffered a collection of essays and short stories that are both hilarious and heartwarming. From identifying kind people (hint: check for smiles and whether they are Tom Hanks) to the "politicization of human decency," Mercado analyzes every facet of niceness. What are the implications of presumed and performative niceness as a woman, a Midwesterner, a Filipina? Where would a person fit in with the cast of Mean Girls? How many screams are shy people allotted in their lifetime? These answers and more are found within the thought-provoking and witty assortment of stories. Narrator Natalie Naudus is the perfect complement to this candid narrative. She fully embraces Mercado's self-deprecating style and nails the comedic timing to produce a stirring, and, at times, sidesplitting performance. While Mercado promises "Buy the audiobook to hear me sing," it is Naudus who picks up the torch and delivers. VERDICT This engaging audio will appeal to listeners looking for laugh-out-loud life stories about the curse of good girl energy in an era of bad bitch vibes. Recommended for fans of Lindy West and Samantha Irby.--Lauren Hackert
Copyright 2022 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.
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