Hirsch grew up in Wimbledon, London, the daughter of a white British father and a black Ghanaian mother who had emigrated to Britain.

[2] Bernardine Evaristo in The Times Literary Supplement wrote that Brit(ish) is "a free-flowing book of ideas, experiences and analysis that reach far beyond the personal.

[5] David Goodhart in the London Evening Standard wrote that there was an "interesting book struggling to get out" but argued that "Hirsch's fluid definition of racism encourages victim status among minorities".

Goodhart criticized a near-lack of "acknowledgement of progress" and that Hirsch "offers no answers except that white people need to check their privilege more", but found that there is "plenty to agree with in her critique of the evasions and embarrassments over race in Britain".

[6] Kwasi Kwarteng in The Sunday Times summarized that "despite the persuasive arguments, Hirsch overplays the idea that Britain is a racist, dystopian nightmare.