Customer Reviews

Of Beetles and Angels

5 star:		(21)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This is an outstanding story of a young man with great achievements. He takes us through a life of trial survived only by kindness. I was at tears at points throughout this story, and i reccomend this book to anybody who wants to read an amazing epic of a refugee who makes the best of life and graduates and accomplishes great things at harvard. The wide array of emotions that this book drives you to feel all at once, is almost too much to handle at certain climactic points. One of the greatest stories i have read in years, and i recommend this to anyone. This story in fact, reminds me of that great best-selling book The Color of Water.

This book is a tribute to what can be accomplished with hard work, kindness and generosity. My heart and mind were engaged instantly by his story. I highly recommend this book and I encourage you to purchase a copy not only for yourself but to give as a gift. This is a story you will want to share.

The book by Mawi Asgedom is a story of the author's journey from war torn Ethiopia to Harvard University. It is also a story about Mawi's father, Haileab. Haileab was determined to give his children a better life. He could not hand that life to his children and so he motivated and inspired them. He gave up everything-his job, his dignity, his respect, his country, his friends, and more so that his children might have a better life. The impact of this father is visually represented in the book in that all of his words are in capital letters.

My entire family has read this book. We spent several hours discussing it together. Mawi is a great storyteller. He made us laugh and he made us think. I have given at least 15 of Mawi's books to friends and relatives to read. One friend and her husband were so moved by the book that they went and visited the organization, World Relief, in Wheaton, IL to find out what they could do to help refugees. They gave their Christmas bonus to helping several families. Everyone should read this book, adults and children in fourth grade and older, refugees and especially everyone that has contact with people of another culture. I give this excellent, insightful book the highest recommendation.

I have had the pleasure to hear the author speak in person and have now read his book. I am personally very inspired by what this young man has accomplished already in his young life. Every now and then I am lucky enough to read a book that I want to share with others, this is one of those books. I will be giving to friends and family as gifts.

I won't take a lot of space stating what the book is about. Just get it and read it, everyone from middle school through adults. You'll be glad you did.

Of Beetles & Angels

I think the book, Of Beetles & Angels is a good book for reading, and so I recommend it for teachers that teach reading, and read it to students, because students from other regions can learn that people that are not from America can go far in their studies and have a successful life.

This book is about a family that lived well in Ethiopia, but then the father had some problems, and they moved to America. America wasn't like Ethiopia; they had a little trouble when they got here, but with time life treats them better. Selamawi the main character get support from his parents to learn. Selamawi learns English and studies very hard and because of that he goes to study at Harvard.

I'm Hispanic I'm from Baja California, Mexico I go to Roosevelt High School and I read this book in my English class.

Of Beetles And Angels is about an Ethiopian boy that used to live in a refugee camp. He changed his life when he came to America. He became a really bad boy, with his brother. But his brother died in a car accident, so Mawi changed his life. He started to work and study with really good grades at Harvard.
His parents deserve thanks for him becoming a good man. This is a story about a boy from refugee who becomes a really well educated boy. But he had to pass through a lot of problems to have the things he has now.

I recommend this book to students who are from different country, so they can't forget their own culture.

Of Beetles&Angels is a contemporary autobiography of a young man's journey to success. Young adult readers might not be able to relate to the cultural changes Mawi endured but will be able to sympathize with his emotional plight of poverty, racial poverty, and sense of not belonging. Told from his own point of view, Mawi Asgedom graphically describes his people's escape to Sudan's refugee camp and the move to America. Maw's father's optimism in the human race is uplifting. The inspirational theme of seeing angels in the lowest form repeats throughout the book and attempts to teach the reader a moral lesson. He describes the characters he encounters throughout his life so that the reader can identify with most of them, ex. the class bully, the helpful neighbor, or the church community.
Maws inspirational story is motivating and courageous and a must read for teenagers.

Selamawi "Mawi" Asgedom tells of his journey from an Ethipoian/Eritrean refugee to a harvard graduate in his poignant memoir, Of Beetles and Angels. Driven by his family's tireless encouragement, this miracle man faced the challenges of leaving a culture, a homeland, and a way of life behind. Finding angels in the most unlikely places, Mawi reteaches the reader the golden rule through his and his family's acceptance of others, and genuine willingness to help those in need.

I was moved by the recounting of the Asgedoms' trials and triumphs.
This is truly an example of what family should mean; encouraging one another, pushing each other to do their best, and most strikingly, the cohesion that American families sometimes lack. Reading more like a collection of short stories than a work of non-fiction, Of Beetles and Angels captures the reader's attention, emotions, and heart throughout.

Reviewed by CandaceK

Back in June, I went to a leadership conference as a representative of my school, and one of the speakers this conference had was Mawi Asgedom. I found him to be one of the most remarkable, captivating storytellers I've ever known, and I immediately bought his book the next day.

Mawi is a remarkable man, and it is hard for anyone to not be inspired by his story.