Title: From Sand Dunes to Mountain Tops: The Story of Bishop John Victor Samuel
Author: Shirin Samuel
Publisher: Partridge Publishing Singapore
ISBN: 978-1543767452
Pages: 216
Genre: Biographies & Memoirs / Leaders & Notable People
Reviewed by: Anthony Avina

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No matter what background or culture a person comes from, anyone can contribute to the history of this world. From farmers and soldiers to Kings and Queens, everyone in this world has the ability to use their voice or take action and change the course of history with but a single moment. As Mahatma Gandhi once said, “A small body of determined spirits fired by an unquenchable faith in their mission can alter the course of history.”

In author Shirin Samuel’s From Sand Dunes to Mountain Tops: The Story of Bishop John Victor Samuel, the author takes readers into the life and impact of her husband, Bishop John Victor Samuel. Born and raised in a pastor’s home within a Methodist Church in North India, the author’s education in Christian education would prove fruitful in her new life after marrying the Bishop and moving to Pakistan. Both working for the church, the couple would dedicate themselves to important causes within the country, from helping women and children to helping the poor. Through the author’s voice and the subject’s life, the book follows a man’s struggles and victories as he works to impact history and serve others as best he can.

The author did an incredible job of balancing the book with personal narrative and inspiring anecdotes of experiences and moments in the author’s life with the Bishop. The imagery and personal experience the author shares with the Bishop help paint a relatable and inspiring image of their life together, showcasing a little-known history of this corner of the world concerning Christianity within a majority Islamic nation. The way the author was able to showcase not only the Bishop’s accomplishments but her own as well, and incorporated that into the more biographical nature of the book and how their relationship ebbed and flowed throughout the years was incredible to read.

This is the perfect read for those who enjoy memoirs and biographies, especially those that focus on or hone in on specific figures or notable historical icons to specific cultures and movements. As someone who enjoys learning about different cultures and their history, even if I don’t necessarily subscribe to their faiths, I found the author’s story to be quite inviting and engaging to read. What stood out to me was how the author showcased the Bishop’s work to reach across borders in differing faiths and find common ground, believing that through cooperation and peace could our world survive, as well as the people within a community who came from different backgrounds altogether. That was what truly inspired me.

Authentic, hopeful, and engaging, author Shirin Samuel’s From Sand Dunes to Mountain Tops: The Story of Bishop John Victor Samuel is a must-read memoir and biography. The honesty and depth of personal history the author delved into related to her husband was engaging to say the least, and the inspiring way the Bishop worked to help others and bridge the gap between faiths was a great step in the right direction for the betterment of our society.