Of Beetles and Angels
SynopsisPlot
ollowing his father's advice to "treat all people-even the most unsightly beetles-as though they were angels sent from heaven," Mawi overcomes the challenges of language barriers, cultural differences, racial prejudice, and financial disadvantage to build a fulfilling, successful life for himself in his new home. Of Beetles and Angels is at once a harrowing survival story and a compelling examination of the refugee experience. With hundreds of thousands of copies sold since its initial publication, and as a frequent selection as one book/one school/one community reads, this unforgettable memoir continues to touch and inspire readers. This special expanded fifteenth anniversary edition includes a new introduction and afterword from the author, a discussion guide, and more.
Story
About this book
Mawi Asgedom was three years old when he left Ethiopia on foot with his mother and brother, fleeing civil war. The family walked to a refugee camp in Sudan before eventually resettling in the United States, where they arrived in a suburb of Chicago. Growing up on welfare in an affluent neighborhood, Mawi faced language barriers, cultural isolation, racial prejudice, and financial hardship. His memoir traces this path from east Africa to the American Midwest with direct, concrete detail.
Central to the book is advice from Mawi's father: to treat all people, even those who seem least worthy of kindness, as if they were angels. This principle guided Mawi through years of adjustment and difficulty, and the memoir examines what it means to hold onto such a belief while navigating an unfamiliar society. Mawi went on to earn a full-tuition scholarship to Harvard University.
The book includes recipes and discussion questions. A fifteenth anniversary edition added a new introduction and afterword from the author along with a discussion guide. Since its first publication, Of Beetles and Angels has been widely used in school and community reading programs across the United States.
