You ever feel like you're just drowning in "hustle culture" advice that feels totally hollow? Honestly, most leadership books are just dry manuals written by people who haven't felt a real human emotion since the nineties. That’s exactly why the I Know This to Be True book series caught fire the way it did. It didn’t try to be a textbook. It tried to be a conversation.
It started with a pretty ambitious idea. The Nelson Mandela Foundation teamed up with Blackwell & Ruth to basically corner some of the most influential people on the planet—we're talking Greta Thunberg, Bryan Stevenson, even Gloria Steinem—and ask them one thing: What actually matters?
These aren't biographies. They're tiny, punchy manifestos. You can finish one over a cup of coffee, but you’ll probably be thinking about it for three weeks.
The Nelson Mandela Connection and Why It Actually Matters
The whole project was inspired by Mandela’s legacy. That’s a heavy weight to carry. But the I Know This to Be True book series handles it by focusing on "Long Walk to Freedom" vibes—the idea that leadership isn't about power, but about persistence and integrity.
Nelson Mandela believed that shared stories could change the world. It sounds cheesy, I know. But when you read the interview with Bryan Stevenson (the guy behind the Equal Justice Initiative), you start to see the grit behind the sentiment. Stevenson talks about "proximity"—that you can’t understand a problem unless you’re standing right next to the people suffering from it.
That’s a recurring theme across the whole series. It’s not about high-level strategy; it’s about getting your hands dirty in the real world.
Bryan Stevenson, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, and the Art of Not Quitting
If you’re looking for a highlight reel, you have to start with the Stevenson and Ginsburg volumes.
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Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s entry is particularly poignant now. She didn't just talk about the law. She talked about the incremental nature of change. She’s famous for saying you shouldn't react in anger because it just saps your energy. Think about that for a second. In an era where everyone is screaming on social media, one of the most powerful women in history is telling you that a quiet, steady hand is actually more effective.
Then there's Stephen Curry. Yeah, the basketball player.
You might think a sports star doesn't fit next to a Supreme Court Justice. You’d be wrong. Curry’s I Know This to Be True book focuses on the concept of the "undersized" underdog. He talks about how being told "no" became his fuel. It’s a lesson in mindset that applies whether you’re shooting threes or trying to launch a startup in a crowded market.
Each book follows a similar format:
- A long-form interview that feels more like a transcript of a late-night chat.
- Beautiful, stark photography that makes the subject look human, not like a statue.
- Key "truths" highlighted so you don't miss the point.
Is It Just Celebrity Worship?
I’ll be honest: there’s a risk with these kinds of series. It can easily veer into "rich people telling you to work hard" territory. We've all seen those cringey LinkedIn posts.
But the series mostly avoids this by picking people who have actually sacrificed something. When Greta Thunberg talks about the weight of the world, she isn't doing it for the "brand." She’s doing it because she’s terrified of the alternative. Her book is remarkably blunt. There's no fluff. She basically says, "Stop praising me and start listening to the scientists."
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It’s refreshing.
The diversity of voices is also a big win. You’ve got Gloria Steinem talking about the long road of feminism, and then you’ve got someone like Albie Sachs, the South African activist who lost an arm to a car bomb during the apartheid era. Sachs’s perspective on forgiveness is, frankly, mind-blowing. If a guy who was literally blown up can talk about the "soft vengeance" of building a democracy, what's our excuse for being bitter?
Why the Design Matters (Yes, Even the Covers)
We have to talk about the physical books. They’re small. They fit in a jacket pocket.
In a world of 400-page business "bibles" that could double as doorstops, these are slim. The tactile experience matters. They use high-quality paper and bold typography. It feels like you’re holding a piece of art.
This was a deliberate choice by the publishers. They wanted something "giftable" but also something that felt permanent. It’s the antithesis of a blog post or a TikTok tip. It’s a physical reminder of a specific person’s life philosophy.
How to Actually Use the Lessons in These Books
Reading these is one thing. Actually doing something with the information is where most people fail.
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Don't binge-read them. If you buy five of them at once, you’ll just blur the advice together. Pick one person who genuinely puzzles you or someone you deeply admire. Read it. Then, spend a week trying to apply one specific thing they said.
For example, if you read the Gloria Steinem volume, try her approach to "listening circles." Instead of trying to dominate every meeting, try to create a space where the quietest person in the room feels safe to speak. It’s harder than it sounds.
Actionable Takeaways from the Series
If you're looking for a quick cheat sheet on what these books teach, here's the "too long; didn't read" version of the collective wisdom:
- Proximity is power. You can't solve problems from a distance. Get close to the people you're trying to help or the industry you're trying to disrupt.
- Anger is a tool, not a lifestyle. Use it to spark action, but don't let it be the fuel that sustains you. It burns out too fast.
- Vulnerability is a leadership trait. Every single person in this series admits to being scared or uncertain. The difference is they moved anyway.
- The "long game" is the only game. Whether it's climate change or judicial reform, nothing happens overnight.
Final Thoughts on the Collection
The I Know This to Be True book series isn't going to give you a 10-step plan to make a million dollars. It won't teach you how to optimize your SEO or manage a remote team in Slack.
What it does is much more valuable: it gives you a moral compass. It reminds you that the people we look up to are just humans who decided to stay committed to a single truth for a very long time.
If you're feeling a bit lost or burnt out, grab the Bryan Stevenson or the Nelson Mandela volume. They won't solve your problems, but they'll definitely change how you look at them.
Your Next Steps
Stop looking for the "perfect" self-help book and start looking for perspective. To get the most out of this series, follow this path:
- Start with one volume: Don't buy the whole set yet. Pick the one person whose life mirrors the challenges you're currently facing.
- Journal the "Truths": Every book ends with a summary of the subject's core beliefs. Write those down in your own notebook and see if they actually align with how you’re living your life right now.
- Share the wisdom: These books were literally designed to be discussed. Use the questions at the end of the interviews to start a real conversation with a mentor or a friend. It’s way better than talking about the weather.
The real value of the series isn't in the ink on the pages; it's in the shift it creates in your own head. Go find your truth.