"What a gem of a book. I received it yesterday and have read it cover to cover. Your book was so carefully crafted that I could read it cover to cover and enjoy it all. You provide a wonderful amount of information that is so contemporary.You have accomplished something amazing to me. . . . . You accomplished the first compilation that truly has cross-regional representation and multiple representations for mixing so it was not limited to black white.. . .Thank you for including me in such a wonderful gift for young people, their parents, educators, counselors, etc." Maria P. P. Root Psychologist and author of the "Bill of Rights for Racially Mixed People." Root is also the editor of the ground-breaking volumes, The Multiracial Experience: Racial Borders as the New Frontier (1996) and Racially Mixed People in America (1992), Sage Publications. "The anticipation is finally over!!! I received the book through Amazon and I was really excited about it (read the whole thing last night). With so many interviews and topics, it keeps the reader's attention. It's well diverse in the selection process which makes it universal to all multiethnic persons. I related to many [of the people quoted], and didn't with others. But it provides you with true voices of real persons who go through the same self-assessments. I can imagine how helpful and enlightening something like this would have been when I was younger. . . . I just wanted to let you know you did a great thing for all of us. Arigato." Ches Evans, 23 His story appears in the book. His mother is Asian and his father is European-American. "I love What Are You? I've always resented the fact that many people either see me as some sort of enigma or believe that I am confused, unhappy and insecure because I am mixed. The book dispels that negative stereotype that the media often perpetuates. "I was really delighted to read about the experiences of other mixed race people and was even more delighted when I found that I shared the same feelings as many of the people featured in the book. Lots of times I was saying, 'Yes! I feel that same exact way!' That was very comforting to me since I didn't feel that anyone would understand what I was going through as a teenager. "Now I am an adult who is confident and proud to be of mixed ethnic background. I was really happy to see that there were many young people with such good heads on their shoulders; who were insightful and extremely articulate about their varied experiences and pride. "It is a wonderful and honest book that gets to the heart of what it means to be multicultural. I enjoyed reading it immensely." Meilina Wilkinson, 24 Her story appears in the book. Her father is European-American and her mother was Taiwanese. "I'm confused by my reaction to the book. I had butterflies opening the envelope and while I quickly skimmed the table of contents. Quickly the euphoria changed to familiar, yet repressed feelings of 'other-ness,' alienation, ambiguity--almost sadness. The book's impact is inevitably felt on all levels, as being mixed is something you can never truly 'abandon' or 'escape'; it is intricately woven into every experience, simple and profound. Now I understand that the source of my confusion is the gradual process of the book's impact as it revisits myriad experiences in my history, and stirs them all up again. As they settle back down, the influence of each experience has been slightly altered and better understood. Congratulations and thank you for creating a powerful resource whose impact waxes daily." Matthew Kelley Editor-in-Chief & Publisher MAVIN, a magazine that celebrates the mixed-race experience http://www.mavin.net "First of all, I'd like to say that it was great to be part of this book. I love the fact that my words are among those of many young people talking about the under-discussed topic of biracial children. Even though my interview was held when I was several years younger and my manner of expressing myself was much different, it is nice to see that I've always had the same straightforward and strong view about myself and about race. "I enjoyed reading the book immensely. My views on race have always been constant at core but ever evolving, but the book has provided me with greater insight. It has helped me to consider things that I had been unwilling to think about too closely before, like the pressure to consider yourself African-American if you have any African-American heritage. "It has also hopefully, made me more understanding and less self righteous. I used to be really upset by [biracial] people who choose to accept only one part of their heritage; those who could just 'pass' and did so. I thought that they were taking the easy way out and that made me mad, because I hate racial categorization and anything I consider conformist behavior. Now I've come to accept that people have to make their own choices and that just because I might act differently it is not my place to judge. I believe part of this acceptance came from hearing other people's stories, seeing their views, and accepting them. "I'm really excited just to have the book on my shelf. My friends and I don't tend to discuss race much since racial issues rarely pop up, so my strongly held beliefs aren't widely known. I'm hoping that the book will be a conversation piece and that maybe we'll have some interesting discussion. I'm interested to know my friends' views and have them know mine. It's one more way to see how they perceive the world and themselves and to understand them a little better." Amanda Holzhauer She is quoted in the book. Her mother is African-American and her father is European-American. "I thought the book was really wonderful and quite informative. I read Monina Diaz's experiences and it was like reading my own! It's good to know that I'm not alone." Nicole Rivera She was quoted in the book. Her father is Puerto Rican and her mother is African-American. "My husband gave me your book as a gift. It was such a blessing. I just absolutely loved it. I'm an African-American mother of two biracial boys (part African-American/part German). Your book inspired me so much that I started a support group for parents of biracial and multiracial children. The group is temporarily called W.A.Y. 2000 (What Are You, 2000). I just wanted to write to you and express my gratitude for your writing this book. Thank you ever so much." Nadine Shaw-Landesvatter "I am half black half Navajo, and I saw your book in the library and immediately picked it up and read it cover to cover in one day. I was so happy that someone had actually compiled stories of mixed-race teens, seeing that I am one myself. It felt good to finally read the stories about people who had been through similar issues that I deal with when it comes to race. Although my childhood wasn't horrible, as some people would like to believe, I learned a lot about mixed-race people by reading your book. Thanks so much for doing such a great job!" Liz "I wanted to tell you that your book is stellar! I purchased it in February and enjoyed every moment of reading it. I could relate to so many of the subjects in your book, it withdrew emotions of tears, sorrow, anger, triumph and joy from deep within my soul, a place where I held a lot of feelings inside for so long, since childhood. . . . My mother's parents were an interracial married couple (her mother was European American (Mother-Irish, French, Scottish and British and Father-German) and so were her father's parents (his father was African American and his mother was Native American (Blackfeet Indian) and my Biological father's mother was Native American (father was Cherokee and her mother was Creek, Blackfeet and Seminole) and his father was Mongolian. I've been called so many names, that it's ridiculous! People are so unbelievably ignorant! . . . Thank you for your bravery to write such a book, I commend you to the fullest..."race" is a very touchy subject for many people. Finally, someone thought it was high time we mixed-race individuals were noticed and brought out of our bondage of non-existence! Thank you Ms. Gaskins for a job well-done!" Crystal Montgomery What Are You? is receiving rave reviews from Amazon.com and BarnesandNoble.com readers. Go to these sites and see what they say. 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