Wouldn't it be wonderful to know the inner thoughts of the world's most influential people, to understand how world leaders and acclaimed artists as diverse as Maya Angelou, Bill Clinton, Nelson Mandela, Desmond Tutu, The Dalai Lama, and Marian Wright Edelman formulate their ideas on achievement and character, success and failure, life and learning? The Most Important Thing I Know presents just such a treasure trove of personal, powerful insights from more than 90 internationally celebrated individuals-written in their own hand, on their own stationery.

A Life's Little Instruction Book written by those who have navigated the paths of life better than anyone, The Most Important Thing I Know brims with wisdom, advice, common sense, even wry humor, like General Colin Powell's take on life at the helm of state: "You have achieved excellence as a leader when people will follow you anywhere, if only out of curiosity."

Presented on beautiful facsimile-pages that reproduce the world's most famous stationery (and most prominent handwriting), this delightful book will invigorate anyone who's seeking a little help over life's hurdles. A marvelous gift idea or a superior personal empowerment tool, The Most Important Thing I Know is inspiration at its most important.