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The Half of It: A new, powerful discussion of race, identity and political polarisation through the lens of the mixed-race experience
The world and its politics are becoming ever more polarised, leaving no room for the light and the shade. In The Half of It, Emma and Nicole will explore race and identity through the lens of the mixed race experience, creating a space for discussion and illuminating the true nuances of the mixed-race identity and what this really means.
In The Half of It, Emma and Nicole, hosts of the critically acclaimed podcast Mixed Up, will discuss what it truly means to be mixed-race and all the different layers that fall into this. They will delve into everything from culture and identity, to interracial relationships, to adoption, to understanding the historical context of mixed-race people – and ultimately culminating in a rounder and deeper appreciation for the mixed-identity.
They will illuminate us on their own experiences of growing up mixed, interweaving guest interviews and insights from people they talk to along the way.
Emma and Nicole want to break down barriers and open up a deeper dialogue of the mixed-race experience. Although this was born out of a desire to speak directly to the mixed-race community, they discovered there is something in it for everyone. Whether you are mixed, you know someone mixed, if you have ever considered dating outside of your race, if you’re a parent committed to exposing your child to a more diverse view of the world, or indeed an adult committed to expanding your view of culture and identity – this is for you.
In The Half of It, Emma and Nicole, hosts of the critically acclaimed podcast Mixed Up, will discuss what it truly means to be mixed-race and all the different layers that fall into this. They will delve into everything from culture and identity, to interracial relationships, to adoption, to understanding the historical context of mixed-race people – and ultimately culminating in a rounder and deeper appreciation for the mixed-identity.
They will illuminate us on their own experiences of growing up mixed, interweaving guest interviews and insights from people they talk to along the way.
Emma and Nicole want to break down barriers and open up a deeper dialogue of the mixed-race experience. Although this was born out of a desire to speak directly to the mixed-race community, they discovered there is something in it for everyone. Whether you are mixed, you know someone mixed, if you have ever considered dating outside of your race, if you’re a parent committed to exposing your child to a more diverse view of the world, or indeed an adult committed to expanding your view of culture and identity – this is for you.
384 pages, Hardcover
Published December 24, 2024
14 people are currently reading
204 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
July 17, 2024
This review is based on an advance reading copy gifted to me by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
I will preface this review by saying I completely understand everyone’s experience is different and I held this truth at the forefront of my mind while reading. I also want to acknowledge I have an uncorrected proof copy and certain things in the book could have changed before publication.
I feel a more accurate title would’ve been “Problems with Being Mixed” because there was little to nothing positive said about the mixed race experience. It was mostly all social politics, racism and “poor me”. Which is not what I thought this book was going to be about.
While reading this, I felt the authors were reaching and many “problems” felt dramatized or purely created. Again, I reiterate, I know everyone’s experience is different. I personally do not get offended by someone’s curiosity about my race or being asked what I’m mixed with…or saying my hair is frizzy (IT IS)… etc, so differences like this made it hard for me to see the point of what I was reading because I just couldn’t relate.
Some of the foundational ideologies presented as early as the Introduction and persisting throughout were problematic for me. In an effort to be socially or politically correct it felt the authors often spoke in circles, contradicted themselves, or defied rational thought completely. Because many ideas were questionable to me, it made much of the resulting conclusions moot.
Since I have a proof copy, I unfortunately didn’t have access to data sources, but this would have been much appreciated during my reading. The data referenced seemed to be outdated and not at a high academic level, while many of the interpretations and applications drawn from them seemed generalized, inaccurate or misguided. It was almost as if the authors searched for the data to prove their point rather than critically analyzing professional data and coming to a logical conclusion based on it. This was just my impression without having the sources provided.
Lastly, a lot of this book just seems to be the author’s podcast in written form. Large portions of the pages were comprised of long quotes from their podcast which made it difficult to read because it was like stream of consciousness and the speaking was too relaxed to translate well into text (filled with “um” and “uh”; jumping from one incomplete thought to another). I could just listen to the podcast if I wanted, so I would’ve appreciated having more original content for the book.
Overall, I did not see myself or my experience as a mixed race individual at all in this book, which was really disappointing. I was hoping for something that felt like a celebration of being mixed while relating to other serious and non-serious experiences from growing up mixed, but this book is mostly just another social commentary on racial injustice that really felt like it had a stronger focus on the Black experience, rather than the mixed one.
It just wasn’t what I was looking for or expecting on top of having some challenging aspects to it.
I will preface this review by saying I completely understand everyone’s experience is different and I held this truth at the forefront of my mind while reading. I also want to acknowledge I have an uncorrected proof copy and certain things in the book could have changed before publication.
I feel a more accurate title would’ve been “Problems with Being Mixed” because there was little to nothing positive said about the mixed race experience. It was mostly all social politics, racism and “poor me”. Which is not what I thought this book was going to be about.
While reading this, I felt the authors were reaching and many “problems” felt dramatized or purely created. Again, I reiterate, I know everyone’s experience is different. I personally do not get offended by someone’s curiosity about my race or being asked what I’m mixed with…or saying my hair is frizzy (IT IS)… etc, so differences like this made it hard for me to see the point of what I was reading because I just couldn’t relate.
Some of the foundational ideologies presented as early as the Introduction and persisting throughout were problematic for me. In an effort to be socially or politically correct it felt the authors often spoke in circles, contradicted themselves, or defied rational thought completely. Because many ideas were questionable to me, it made much of the resulting conclusions moot.
Since I have a proof copy, I unfortunately didn’t have access to data sources, but this would have been much appreciated during my reading. The data referenced seemed to be outdated and not at a high academic level, while many of the interpretations and applications drawn from them seemed generalized, inaccurate or misguided. It was almost as if the authors searched for the data to prove their point rather than critically analyzing professional data and coming to a logical conclusion based on it. This was just my impression without having the sources provided.
Lastly, a lot of this book just seems to be the author’s podcast in written form. Large portions of the pages were comprised of long quotes from their podcast which made it difficult to read because it was like stream of consciousness and the speaking was too relaxed to translate well into text (filled with “um” and “uh”; jumping from one incomplete thought to another). I could just listen to the podcast if I wanted, so I would’ve appreciated having more original content for the book.
Overall, I did not see myself or my experience as a mixed race individual at all in this book, which was really disappointing. I was hoping for something that felt like a celebration of being mixed while relating to other serious and non-serious experiences from growing up mixed, but this book is mostly just another social commentary on racial injustice that really felt like it had a stronger focus on the Black experience, rather than the mixed one.
It just wasn’t what I was looking for or expecting on top of having some challenging aspects to it.
July 31, 2024
Growing up as a little mixed race girl, to white parents, I wish this book had existed when I was younger. Not only did I devour this funny, sometimes sad, yet informative book but my parents read it too and it opened the floodgates for some really important conversations we’d never had before. Trust me when I say this book is a modern guide for anyone who knows, lives with or is related to someone of mixed race heritage - they’ll thank you and you’ll thank the authors.
October 8, 2024
I wish I had a book like this when I was younger, it breaks down the nuances of mixed race identity in a straight-forward way. The book make these experiences, which are often questioned and misunderstood, feel normal. In the end of the day, that is what they are.
The authors do not sugarcoat anything, including first-hand stories and research so you can see the challenges and joys that life at the intersection of race and culture brings.
From a point of view of a mixed race person, reading this was a very affirming experience. Those who are not of mixed background but want to learn about it can also benefit simply by learning more about a different life experience and point of view.
The authors do not sugarcoat anything, including first-hand stories and research so you can see the challenges and joys that life at the intersection of race and culture brings.
From a point of view of a mixed race person, reading this was a very affirming experience. Those who are not of mixed background but want to learn about it can also benefit simply by learning more about a different life experience and point of view.
July 12, 2025
When talking about race, we often see the world in Black and white. But as this warm, insightful and unflinchingly honest book shows us, the reality for the growing numbers of people with mixed heritage is rather more complicated. Skillfully blending their personal insights with multiple voices from their popular Mixed Up podcast (who despite representing a wide range of mixes find much common ground), Emma and Nicole tackle tough topics and open up new, much-needed, conversations that will hopefully lead to a more empathetic and informed discussion in future.
May 13, 2025
Important read!! Feel like if I listened to the podcast it would be a lot of overlap though
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews