Jumia Books How to Hold a Cockroach: A Book for Those Who Are Free and Don’t Know It by Matthew Maxwell

How to Hold a Cockroach by Matthew Maxwell is a deceptively simple yet profoundly moving book that blends parable, poetry, and philosophy into a compact guide for inner liberation. With whimsical illustrations by Allie Daigle, this book invites readers into a metaphorical world where a cockroach becomes a symbol of the uncomfortable truths we often avoid—and the surprising freedom that comes from embracing them.

Written in a minimalist, storybook style, the narrative follows a character who encounters a cockroach and is forced to confront their instinctive reactions. Through this encounter, Maxwell explores themes of fear, judgment, control, and the illusions we carry about what it means to be free. The book gently dismantles the idea that freedom comes from changing external conditions, offering instead the radical insight that freedom is a shift in perception.

Perfect for readers of all ages who are navigating change, grief, anxiety, or spiritual awakening, How to Hold a Cockroach is both a mirror and a balm. It’s ideal for fans of Kahlil Gibran, Thich Nhat Hanh, or Rumi—those who appreciate wrapped in simplicity and metaphor.

Whether gifted as a meditative keepsake or used as a tool for reflection, this book is a quiet revolution in how we relate to discomfort, identity, and the stories we tell ourselves. It reminds us that we are already free—we just need to see it.