She's Nice Though

Essays on Being Bad at Being Good

by Mia Mercado

On Sale: 08/30/2022

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She's Nice Though

Essays on Being Bad at Being Good

by Mia Mercado

On Sale: 08/30/2022

Format:

Amazon Indigo

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Book Overview
Author Info

About the Book

A PUBLISHERS WEEKLY SUMMER READ STAFF PICK

In this thought-provoking, humorous collection of essays, the author of Weird But Normal and morning blogger at The Cut explores kindness, agreeability, goodness, and the assumptions and expectations that come with being female, Asian, and Midwestern.

Everyone knows Midwesterners are salt-of-the-earth folk defined by their goodness, niceness, and politeness . . . right?. In this funny, wide-ranging collection, Mia Mercado ponders her identity as an Asian woman living in the Midwest, including what “nice” means—and why anyone would want to be it. Drawing on a wide range of subjects, including her body, her dog, trash reality television, bizarre Tweets from strangers, and her high school science teacher, she uncovers weird, long-overdue truths about ourselves, our frailty, and our failings—seeing them not as a source of shame but a cause for celebration.

She’s Nice Though offers a mind-bending glimpse into our misperceptions and misconceptions as humans, as viewed by a razor-sharp cultural critic, hilarious millennial content queen, and expert essayist with a unique voice and a gift for detail. Like Jia Tolentino's Trick Mirror, Michelle Zauner's Crying in H-Mart, and Samantha Irby’s Wow No Thank You, Mia’s humorous myth-busting second book reflects the illusions and delusions of contemporary life—and who we really are.

Critical Praise

“In this hilarious collection, Mercado explores the concept of what it’s like to be a “nice girl.” She plays with form, including essays written as lists: [e.g.] ways she’ll die because she’s too nice to ask for help. Mercado is half Filipino, and she examines the stereotype of the submissive Asian woman and how that has influenced her life. Mercado’s laugh-out-loud [stories] will delight readers.” — Booklist

“Mercado returns with another collection of humorous essays exploring her experience as an Asian woman from the Midwest. . . . Mercado maintains her self-deprecating humor while offering serious reflections on American culture, and the mix hits home. Mercado’s fans will eat this up.”
— Publishers Weekly