Of Beetles and Angels - A True Story of the American Dream

by Mawi Asgedom.

Hardcover, 2001

Status

Available

Call number

973.04928

Genres

Biography & Memoir

All Topics

Nonfiction

Publication

Chicago, Ill., megadee books, c2001, Hardcover

Description

Biography & Autobiography. Family & Relationships. Juvenile Nonfiction. Multi-Cultural. HTML: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.… (more)

User reviews

LibraryThing member Mdshrk1

This tale is inspirational in that it tells of one family's travails in coming to America. It is also the reexamination of a boy's relationship to his father.

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LibraryThing member trisha1

The true story of one boy's beginnings in a refuge camp in Africa, and later ending up in America with his family. An account of starting with very grim circumstances and little hope, and years later, graduating from Harvard. The message is about working hard, getting the support you need, and

giving support to others. An inspirational story that speaks volumes about not giving up.

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LibraryThing member nancyjensen

Mawi tells the story of his childhood, fleeing Ethiopia with his family as a young child and then he tells of his growing up years outside of Chicago. Struggling at the poverty level, the family perseveres, always pursuing excellence in education. Mawi is there as a teenager when his older brother

dies from an unecessary car accident shortly before his high school graduation and again when his father dies just a few short months later. After high school Mawi wins a full scholarship to Harvard. Mawi's persistence towards excellence pays off and he begins to tell his story publicly.

I read this story this spring as part of a workshop training in ELL offered at my school. We do have a multicultural population at our urban school and I found this story to be relevant. Just this morning one little first grade girl shared that her father had been murdered. This is true, it's reality for many families here. This was eye opening to me.

In the classroom this month we are circling the globe. We are learning a song about the 7 continents and we're looking at one country a week. This week it's Italy. Next week India. After that Vietnam. Then Africa. I have a parent volunteer lined up to share their country. An appreciation for our heritage, no matter where we are from, matters.

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LibraryThing member StonehamHS_Library

A desperate, cold and hungry mother and her small children determined to reach their father continue down the dark and miserable journey from war torn Ethiopia to the Sudan.
This is recounted in the non-fiction story of Beetles and Angels by Mawi Asgedom where the struggles of an immigrant family

are told by their son, Selamawi. His rise out of poverty and discrimination by hard work and dedication is the point of the story. The family consists of: the father Haileab, a doctor and pharmacist in his native Ethiopia and Eritrea; the mother who raised the family of four by herself for several years while Haileab had to escape to Sudan to avoid being drafted or killed in the civil war raging in their homeland; the four young children including the author Mawi, known as Selamawi, and his older brother Tewolde. Overcoming the challenges of their predicament while still giving as much as they could to others is a reoccurring theme in this book. This is proven when Tewolde and his brother Selamawi came upon a shivering and hungry old man “We should give him our sandwiches,”(p.64) said Tewolde. These two boys came from a family of nothing but each other yet were taught to be generous to all they encountered.
The fierce civil war forced this poor family to go off into the unknown with nothing but the clothes on their back. They ended up in America. This however turned out to be a great blessing that they had fled. Thirty years later Haileab went back to his homeland of Ethiopia where all of his friends and relatives were dead from the war. The struggle of being black, poor and uneducated is demonstrated by the father screaming at his sons not to fight back when they were attacked by school bullies as they were almost daily. "In the Sudan we had to fight everyday or they would keep beating you. We are not in Sudan anymore. From now on, let them hit you. Come home beaten and bruised. Do not ever fight back”(p.40). This was part of their adjusting to a new world and new culture. The story contains many such culture clashes. The author narrates his growth through persistence and hard work from being a poor, illiterate native immigrant to a stunningly successful end result.
The way the author described his struggle was easy to identify with and be inspired by. He shows that through persistence all things are possible! This is a valuable lesson for me as well as for Selamawi. The spiritual aspect of the immigrant’s dream was also inspiring “As long as you remember, you’ll share the spirit of the two who dreamed it”(p.134).-J.A.

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LibraryThing member Dottiehaase

Of Beetles & Angels is a contemporary autobiography of a young man's journey to success. When he was four years old, Asgedom's family left their war-ravaged home in Ethiopia and spent three years in a Sudanese refugee camp before coming to the U.S. in 1983. He later earned a full scholarship to

Harvard where in 1999 he delivered the commencement address. Told from Mawi's point of view as a teenager, he describes the conditions in Ethiopia, their escape to Sudan's refugee camp and finally their emigration to America. Once in the United States, things don't immediately fall into place. Mawi is faced with many trials and tribulations, hardships and pain. Nonetheless, he follows his fathers advice to "treat all people- even the most unsightly beetles - as though they were angels sent from heaven," Mawi overcomes racial prejudice, language barriers and financial disadvantage, eventually realizing his dream. Not the best writing in the world, but the story is very good. Mawi is now a motivational speaker.

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LibraryThing member ewyatt

This slim memoir is snipets from Mawi Asgedom's life and lessons learned. Born in Ethiopia, his family was separated and fled to Sudan. Eventually coming to U.S., Asgedom explores what life was like in a new country and the treatment he received at school. There are large bits about his parents and

brother. Mawi was determined to make the most of his opportunities and went on to Harvard.
The book is conversational in style.
We're using it for a all school read project this year.

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LibraryThing member CarrieWuj

3.5 This book was recommended by my son's HS principal, so I was eager to check it out. It is an inspiring tale that broadens a world view and is uber-relevant today as a testimony to the immigrant experience. Mawi came to the US from Ethiopia -- remember "We are the World?" First his family

(mother, sister and brother) spent 3 years in a refugee camp in Sudan when they left quickly to escape fighting between Eritrea and Ethiopia. His father had already departed to avoid military conscription. Miraculously the family was reunited and then accepted into the US when policy was more friendly to those in desperate need. They were settled in the white-collar suburb of Wheaton, IL and sponsored by a local church. There Mawi grew up with both opportunity and obstacles. The vast difference between his homeland and his new home in culture, climate and comportment was mind-boggling, though probably harder on his parents. Mawi experienced prejudice and bullying but was a formidable opponent when paired with his brother and their camp survival tactics. He also had some bad behavior choices, but nothing too far beyond the realm of boyish pranks and once he got serious about school and had some success he straightened out and set goals. His mantra: "Don't give up. You are smart enough. All you have to do is work hard and believe." (111) His father was very instrumental in promoting education and what was achievable in America, though he himself suffered many set-backs in his ability to assimilate. Sadly, both he and his older son were killed by drunk drivers on separate occasions -- a commentary perhaps on our country's hazards, but this was not pursued in the memoir. Instead Mawi anecdotally recounts how he adjusted to his new country and ultimately achieved a pinnacle of success: graduating from Harvard. His commencement address is also included here. The title refers to those Angels along the way that helped him and his family -- church members, teachers, volunteers, sponsors and the Beetles -- the lowlife feeling of not fitting in, of doubting yourself and not having your worth translated to a new land, once you are dispossessed of your native country. His father felt this acutely. It is a worthwhile read to gain some empathy and perspective on problems much bigger than what to have for dinner or what to wear or where to go to school. His inspirational reflection on his experience: "True power comes from focusing on what we can give, not just on what we take. Of the gifts that we can give, the greatest is to see beauty in each other -- in essence, to give beauty to each other. We we give that beauty, we prepare our hearts to receive it back." (134)

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LibraryThing member Kristelh

Ethiopian immigrants story of his journey to the US, growing up in the US and going to college at Harvard.

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