Barack Obama (Former USA President) As 2018 draws to a close, I’m continuing a favorite tradition of mine and sharing my year-end lists. It gives me a moment to pause and reflect on the year through the books I found most thought-provoking, inspiring, or just plain loved. It also gives me a chance to highlight talented authors – some who are household names and others who you may not have heard of before. Here’s my best of 2018 list.

Just looking at the cover of this book stirs deep emotion in me. It was perhaps the first book that I read out of interest and left a deep impression. Mandela was a revolutionary but unlike others, he succeeded in lifting his people from the yoke of foreign oppression and lived to harvest the fruits of his sacrifice. The tale of South Africa is a bittersweet one however and in the words of Mandela "After climbing a great hill, one only finds that there are many more hills to climb".

In these uncertain days, it’s easy for us to be carried away by our fear into realms of panic, anxiety, and helplessness. At such times, it might be useful to dive into a book that reminds us of how strong human beings can be — both as individuals and as a collective. Here is a selection of books that I have chosen — novels, memoirs, biographies, non-fiction masterpieces and helpful guides — that have inspired me over the years into a place of greater courage in my own soul, as well restoring my confidence in humanity as a whole.

FAVORITE BOOK "Long Walk to Freedom: The Autobiography of Nelson Mandela."

Gunhee Park (Co-Founder/Populum) Some other books I’ve really enjoyed: [...] Long Walk to Freedom.