Mountains to Cross
Finding Life's Purpose in Service
Mountains to Cross is a hopeful memoir about finding meaning in charity work and leaving a lasting legacy in the world.
Soldier and Wall Street executive Abraham M. George’s inspirational memoir–cum–self-help book Mountains to Cross is about serving the poor in India.
George, who has worked on initiatives to uplift impoverished children in India, including the Shanti Bhavan Children’s Project, dreamed of ending generational poverty. He arrived at this work after serving as a soldier in the Himalayas and then being a financier in the US. His first foray into social work came via opening a boarding school that propelled poor children to prestigious universities and prosperous futures. Guidance for others is included alongside this story, as where the book encourages others to define success in terms of purposeful living and making a difference in the world.
George’s experiences are fleshed out with details of tents buried under thick snow, mountains echoing after loud detonations, and kerosene lamps that glowed too weakly to cast a shadow. He recalls how the wind howled “as though the mighty Himalayas were angry with us for having invaded their territory,” and how the barren site on which he built his first school became picturesque with lush trees and hibiscus. There are keen thoughts on what it takes to prepare next generations for the world as well. Some clichés arise, though: George’s story is compared to a billowing fabric of disparate threads woven together, and the metaphor of mountains needing to be crossed is leaned upon too heavily.
The book deviates from its personal tale to issue sharp critiques of Indian society, describing social cruelties and criticizing the caste system as a hidden apartheid. It is more distinctive when it focuses on George’s setbacks and challenges: He experienced financial devastation during the Great Recession, was defrauded by a business partner, and undertook a failed agricultural venture; at one point, his school in India was kept afloat by donors. He discusses his personal shortcomings and limitations and also makes note of his extensive risk-taking. However, all such hurdles are treated as learning opportunities, and with the idea that being vulnerable helps in forming true connections. The polished delivery of the book’s recreated conversations, though, as with exchanges with school staff about teaching children how to be achievers and practice sustainability, requires suspended disbelief.
Reflective and full of learned wisdom, Mountains to Cross is an uplifting memoir about finding meaning and fulfillment through helping marginalized children in India.
Reviewed by
Joseph S. Pete
Disclosure: This article is not an endorsement, but a review. The publisher of this book provided free copies of the book and paid a small fee to have their book reviewed by a professional reviewer. Foreword Reviews and Clarion Reviews make no guarantee that the publisher will receive a positive review. Foreword Magazine, Inc. is disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.
