She's Nice Though

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.

"A sharp essay collection that celebrates our collective insecurities and failures." - New York Times Book Review

"In these intimate and sharp explorations, Mercado interrogates the origins and edges of her own affability, probing the ways in which gender, race, geography, and other identity markers can shape-or warp-human personality." - Poets & Writers

"She's Nice Though is the latest showcase of Mercado's searing humor and insight. In her new book, she explores the limitations of being nice and polite. Delving into the cultural expectations of shallow pleasantries, Mercado wonders if there is actual value in being endlessly accommodating and polite. In humorous, relatable essays, Mercado explores this moral conundrum along with participating in the bread craze during the peak of the pandemic, her unique dog, what it's like to be an Asian American woman living in the Midwest, the less than impressive "social media apology," and more. " - Shondaland

"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

"Mia Mercado's writing is hilarious, warm, relatable, confessional and emotional. Her writing leaps off the page!" -