Half and Half: Writers on Growing Up Biracial and Bicultural

Rating:
Summary: A wonderful book for biracial/bicultural families and people
Review: received this book as a gift from a mentor in undergraduate school. It has given so much to me in terms of understanding my experiences as a biracial person, especially growing up in a rural, mostly white town. This book is also great for people who want to know what struggles we face as we try to define ourselves both as individuals and as members of US society. There are also some wonderful stories written by parents of biracial and bicultural children that speak to their worries, fears and hopes for their offspring. I found those stories particularly amazing because they speak to the differences between children and their parents. I appreciate the attention to the multicultural perspective and the way the authors weave many aspects such as socio-economic status, culture, gender and sexuality into their stories. Overall, this book is a collection of experiences that unifies the reality of those of us who fall somewhere in between dichotomized racial constructs.

Rating:
Summary: Boring and mostly unimaginative
Review: The early entries in the book (first 100 pages) are very interesting tales of unconventional lives revealing the author's confusion with his/her ethnicity. However, after ten or so entries, the reading becomes old and repitive revealing many Americans need to preach their problems. Being biracial/multicultural is not a problem but a gift which I can personally attest. The readings need more creativity in establishing a point that is engaging but captivating. Its too easy to simply say back when I was 4 I came to the realization that... and over and over again. With this book all I can say is find the entry which most relates to your personal history because this book proves that the whole is not greater than the sum, of a portion mind you,of its parts.

Rating:
Summary: Half and Half is engaging and insightful
Review: This collection of essays from well known contemporary "ethnic" writers takes the reader through myriad of racial and cultural "combinations" and the results of those combinations. For those who come from a bicultural or biracial background, you will find yourself nodding in agreement with some of the issues tackled by each of the authors. For those who are merely looking for a fascinating read, this book will open your mind to the issues that confront a sector of the American population which is often ignored or discounted. From the book, the reader senses how the need for us to categorize people neatly in racial/ethnic boxes can affect a whole generation of Americans who identify with 2 or more ethnic groups. This is a must read for people who want to stay in tune with the social trends of the ethnic potpourri that is the 90's.