--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Read first the best books. The important…" description: "\"Read first the best books. The important thing for you is not how much you know, but the quality of what you know.\" — Desiderius Erasmus" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1ce/desiderius-erasmus-3351_book_read-first-the-best-books-the-important_3143518.jpg" --- # Read first the best books. The important thing for you is… ![“Read first the best books. The important thing for you is not how much you know, but the quality of what you know.” quote by Desiderius Erasmus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1ce/desiderius-erasmus-3351_book_read-first-the-best-books-the-important_3143518.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1ce/desiderius-erasmus-3351_book_read-first-the-best-books-the-important_3143518.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1ce/desiderius-erasmus-3351_book_read-first-the-best-books-the-important_3143518.jpg) > “Read first the best books. The important thing for you is not how much you know, but the quality of what you know.” [Desiderius Erasmus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/desiderius-erasmus/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. True knowledge is measured by depth and relevance, not by quantity of facts. **In simple terms:** Quality of knowledge matters more than amount. Key Takeaway Seek deep understanding over sheer volume. Themes education knowledge quality learning wisdom Mood thoughtful motivational Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - studying for exams - professional development - personal growth - teaching methods Key Concepts epistemology critical thinking humanism Questions to Reflect On - What criteria define valuable knowledge? - How can you prioritize depth in learning? A Different Perspective Overemphasis on memorization can hinder critical thinking. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Best Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/best-books/) [Book](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/book/) [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Books Important](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books-important-287728/) [Firsts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/firsts/) [Important](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/important/) [Important things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/important-things/) [Know Quality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/know-quality-945751/) [Knows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knows/) [Quality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/quality/) [Quality Know](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/quality-know-3210741/) [Read](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/read/) [Read Best](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/read-best-364301/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) ## Related quotes > [An artist should be well read in the best books, and thoroughly high bred, both in heart and bearing. In a word, he should…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ruskin/an-artist-should-be-well-read-in-the-best-books-and-thoroughly-high/) [John Ruskin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ruskin/) > [Buy good books, and read them; the best books are the commonest, and the last editions are always the best, if the editors are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lord-chesterfield/buy-good-books-and-read-them-the-best-books-are-the-commonest-and-the/) [Lord Chesterfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lord-chesterfield/) > [Read the best books first, or you may not have a chance to read them all](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/read-the-best-books-first-or-you-may-not-have-a-chance-to-read-them/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [People of quality know everything without ever having learned anything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/moliere/people-of-quality-know-everything-without-ever-having-learned-anything/) [Moliere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/moliere/) > [“Quality ... you know what it is, yet you don't know what it is. But that's self-contradictory. But some things are better than others,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-m-pirsig/quality-you-know-what-it-is-yet-you-don-t-know-what-it-is-but-that-s/) [Robert M. Pirsig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-m-pirsig/) > [Quality... you know what it is, yet you don't know what it is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-m-pirsig/quality-you-know-what-it-is-yet-you-don-t-know-what-it-is/) [Robert M. Pirsig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-m-pirsig/) > [There is a beauty and a special quality in being what I am. I know it, and I've learned how to use it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mauro-ranallo/there-is-a-beauty-and-a-special-quality-in-being-what-i-am-i-know-it/) [Mauro Ranallo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mauro-ranallo/) > [“If you who own the things people must have could understand this, you might preserve yourself. If you could separate causes from results, if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-you-who-own-the-things-people-must-have-could-understand-this-you/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Sometime you dont know the quality of what you have accomplished until it is tested. Persistence makes things that look impossible to become possible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stankyrich/sometime-you-dont-know-the-quality-of-what-you-have-accomplished/) [Stankyrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stankyrich/) > [Everyone should know my quality and what I bring to the team.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/xabi-alonso/everyone-should-know-my-quality-and-what-i-bring-to-the-team/) [Xabi Alonso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/xabi-alonso/) > [I don't need to explain myself. All the managers I've had know my quality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marouane-fellaini/i-don-t-need-to-explain-myself-all-the-managers-i-ve-had-know-my/) [Marouane Fellaini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marouane-fellaini/) > [“We know the quality of another’s heart through her voice.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-tempest-williams/we-know-the-quality-of-another-s-heart-through-her-voice/) [Terry Tempest Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-tempest-williams/) > [Is there some principal of nature which states that we never know the quality of what we have until it is gone?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herman-melville/is-there-some-principal-of-nature-which-states-that-we-never-know-the/) [Herman Melville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herman-melville/) > [I know I have the quality to prove myself any time I am given the chance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelechi-iheanacho/i-know-i-have-the-quality-to-prove-myself-any-time-i-am-given-the/) [Kelechi Iheanacho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelechi-iheanacho/) > [Even though quality cannot be defined, you know what quality is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-m-pirsig/even-though-quality-cannot-be-defined-you-know-what-quality-is/) [Robert M. Pirsig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-m-pirsig/) ## More by Desiderius Erasmus > [Wherever you encounter truth, look upon it as Christianity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/desiderius-erasmus/wherever-you-encounter-truth-look-upon-it-as-christianity/) [Desiderius Erasmus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/desiderius-erasmus/) > [War is delightful for those who don't know it](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/desiderius-erasmus/war-is-delightful-for-those-who-don-t-know-it/) [Desiderius Erasmus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/desiderius-erasmus/) > [They may attack me with an army of six hundred syllogisms; and if I do not recant, they will proclaim me a heretic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/desiderius-erasmus/they-may-attack-me-with-an-army-of-six-hundred-syllogisms-and-if-i-do/) [Desiderius Erasmus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/desiderius-erasmus/) > [Invoked or not invoked, the god is present.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/desiderius-erasmus/invoked-or-not-invoked-the-god-is-present/) [Desiderius Erasmus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/desiderius-erasmus/) > [Eagles don't catch flies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/desiderius-erasmus/eagles-don-t-catch-flies/) [Desiderius Erasmus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/desiderius-erasmus/) > [The entire world is my temple, and a very fine one too, if I'm not mistaken, and I'll never lack priests to serve it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/desiderius-erasmus/the-entire-world-is-my-temple-and-a-very-fine-one-too-if-i-m-not/) [Desiderius Erasmus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/desiderius-erasmus/) > [A good prince will tax as lightly as possible those commodities which are used by the poorest members of society: grain, bread, beer, wine,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/desiderius-erasmus/a-good-prince-will-tax-as-lightly-as-possible-those-commodities-which/) [Desiderius Erasmus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/desiderius-erasmus/) > [Christians would show sense if they dispatched these argumentative Scotists and pigheaded Ockhamists and undefeated Albertists along with the whole regiment of Sophists to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/desiderius-erasmus/christians-would-show-sense-if-they-dispatched-these-argumentative/) [Desiderius Erasmus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/desiderius-erasmus/) > [When I get a little money I buy books; and if any is left I buy food and clothes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/desiderius-erasmus/when-i-get-a-little-money-i-buy-books-and-if-any-is-left-i-buy-food/) [Desiderius Erasmus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/desiderius-erasmus/) > [From hence, no question, has sprung an observation ... confirmed now into a settled opinion, that some long experienced souls in the world, before…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/desiderius-erasmus/from-hence-no-question-has-sprung-an-observation-confirmed-now-into-a/) [Desiderius Erasmus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/desiderius-erasmus/) > [Nothing is so foolish, they say, as for a man to stand for office and woo the crowd to win its vote, buy its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/desiderius-erasmus/nothing-is-so-foolish-they-say-as-for-a-man-to-stand-for-office-and/) [Desiderius Erasmus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/desiderius-erasmus/) > [Retain the wind by compressing the belly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/desiderius-erasmus/retain-the-wind-by-compressing-the-belly/) [Desiderius Erasmus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/desiderius-erasmus/) > [So our student will flit like a busy bee through the entire garden of literature, light on every blossom, collect a little nectar from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/desiderius-erasmus/so-our-student-will-flit-like-a-busy-bee-through-the-entire-garden-of/) [Desiderius Erasmus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/desiderius-erasmus/) > [By identifying the new learning with heresy, you make orthodoxy synonymous with ignorance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/desiderius-erasmus/by-identifying-the-new-learning-with-heresy-you-make-orthodoxy/) [Desiderius Erasmus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/desiderius-erasmus/) > [Now what else is the whole life of mortals, but a sort of comedy in which the various actors, disguised by various costumes and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/desiderius-erasmus/now-what-else-is-the-whole-life-of-mortals-but-a-sort-of-comedy-in/) [Desiderius Erasmus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/desiderius-erasmus/) [Explore all 124 Desiderius Erasmus quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/desiderius-erasmus/) ## More Book quotes > [I think a new world will arise out of the religious mists when we approach our Bible with the idea that it is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/i-think-a-new-world-will-arise-out-of-the-religious-mists-when-we/) [Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/) > [If I had a dollar for every time I couldn’t sleep, I could buy a billion locks and finally read a book in peace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aesop-rock/if-i-had-a-dollar-for-every-time-i-couldn-t-sleep-i-could-buy-a/) [Aesop Rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aesop-rock/) > [Young men, especially in America, write to me and ask me to recommend “a course of reading.” Distrust a course of reading! People who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-lang/young-men-especially-in-america-write-to-me-and-ask-me-to-recommend-a/) [Andrew Lang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-lang/) > [The Rosary is the book of the blind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fulton-j-sheen/the-rosary-is-the-book-of-the-blind/) [Fulton J. Sheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fulton-j-sheen/) > [I have many who keep me going, I am very fortunate in this sense. There is nothing like a child who knows more about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/floyd-cooper/i-have-many-who-keep-me-going-i-am-very-fortunate-in-this-sense-there/) [Floyd Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/floyd-cooper/) > [I think books in which people are really happy and things are going well are probably the most challenging novels there are to write,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-quindlen/i-think-books-in-which-people-are-really-happy-and-things-are-going/) [Anna Quindlen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-quindlen/) > [It's like the query letter problem that I just mentioned, magnified a hundredfold. You might be good at telling a story, but that doesn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/it-s-like-the-query-letter-problem-that-i-just-mentioned-magnified-a/) [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) > [I don't think I have made as much of my life as I should have. I should have written more books.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-m-schlesinger-jr/i-don-t-think-i-have-made-as-much-of-my-life-as-i-should-have-i/) [Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-m-schlesinger-jr/) > [Some books are not read in the right way because they have skipped a stage of opinion, assume a crystallization of information in society…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-lessing/some-books-are-not-read-in-the-right-way-because-they-have-skipped-a/) [Doris Lessing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-lessing/) > [“People talk about books that write themselves, and it's a lie. Books don't write themselves. It takes thought and research and a backache and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/people-talk-about-books-that-write-themselves-and-it-s-a-lie-books/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [There are great books in this world and great worlds in books.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-bronte/there-are-great-books-in-this-world-and-great-worlds-in-books/) [Anne Bronte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-bronte/) > [The purpose of this book is to supply, in the form suitable for laymen, guidance in the adoption and execution of an investment policy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-graham/the-purpose-of-this-book-is-to-supply-in-the-form-suitable-for-laymen/) [Benjamin Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-graham/) > [But I think that of all the literature that I studied, the book that did more than any other to fire my enthusiasm was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kwame-nkrumah/but-i-think-that-of-all-the-literature-that-i-studied-the-book-that/) [Kwame Nkrumah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kwame-nkrumah/) > [It's amazing to see things that are suggested in the book fully developed and so brilliantly realized through the artistry of the designers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-collins/it-s-amazing-to-see-things-that-are-suggested-in-the-book-fully/) [Suzanne Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-collins/) > [“But I’ve developed a great reputation for wisdom by ordering more books than I ever had time to read, and reading more books, by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilynne-robinson/but-i-ve-developed-a-great-reputation-for-wisdom-by-ordering-more/) [Marilynne Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilynne-robinson/) [Browse all 29,378 Book quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/book/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Read first the best books. 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