Advanced
Error loading page.
Try refreshing the page. If that doesn't work, there may be a network issue, and you can use our self test page to see what's preventing the page from loading.
Learn more about possible network issues or contact support for more help.
Title details for Of Beetles and Angels by Mawi Asgedom - Available

Of Beetles and Angels

A Boy's Remarkable Journey from a Refugee Camp to Harvard

by Mawi Asgedom
Mawi Asgedom
Audiobook (Includes supplementary content)
1 of 1 copy available
Borrow Listen to a sample Listen to a sample
1 of 1 copy available
Read the remarkable true story of a young boy's journey from civil war in east Africa to a refugee camp in Sudan, to a childhood on welfare in an affluent American suburb, and eventually to a full-tuition scholarship at Harvard University.
Following 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.

  • Creators

  • Publisher

  • Release date

    June 7, 2016

  • Formats

    • OverDrive Listen audiobook

      • ISBN: 9781478967378
      • File size: 97585 KB
      • Duration: 03:23:18

  • Languages

    • English

  • Reviews

    • Publisher's Weekly

      Starred review from September 2, 2002
      In 1983, at age seven, the author and his family arrived in this country, having fled the Eritrean and Ethiopian conflict. "This earnest account of Asgedom's life up to his graduation from Harvard is peppered with powerful moments," wrote PW. Ages 10-up.

    • Library Journal

      September 1, 2016

      When Asgedom was four, he and his family fled the civil war cleaving Eritrea and Ethiopia, spending three years in a Sudanese refugee camp. In 1983, assisted by World Relief, the family settled in a Chicago suburb. Their new life wasn't easy: Asgedom's father, once a respected community leader and healer, was barely employed, money was tight, and two family members were killed by drunk drivers. Asgedom had a mischievous streak, once attempting to rob a parking meter of its coins. His father's unwavering guidance, however, kept him working hard--in school and in life--treating all people with equal respect, whether the "lowliest of beetles" or one of "God's angels." Encouraged by school administrators, the author went to Harvard on full scholarship, giving a commencement address in 1999 in which he revealed details of his personal story that few of his classmates knew. That story, a best seller when originally published in 2000, is available here for the first time on audio. Earnestly narrated by Asgedom, with an epilog recorded in June 2016, the spare memoir is ideal for all libraries, especially those with immigrant or refugee communities. VERDICT Asgedom's drive will inspire new audiences, and, more important, his kindness and humanity should prove most resonating of all.--Terry Hong, Smithsonian BookDragon, Washington, DC

      Copyright 2016 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Formats

  • OverDrive Listen audiobook

subjects

Languages

  • English

Loading