--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I don't read such small stuff as letters…" description: "\"I don't read such small stuff as letters, I read men and nations. I can see through a millstone, though I can't see through a spelling-book. What a nar..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a52/sojourner-truth-10213_book_i-don-t-read-such-small-stuff-as-letters_1071131.jpg" --- # I don't read such small stuff as letters, I read men and… ![“I don't read such small stuff as letters, I read men and nations. I can see through a millstone, though I can't see through a spelling-book. What a narrow idea a reading qualification is for a voter!” quote by Sojourner Truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a52/sojourner-truth-10213_book_i-don-t-read-such-small-stuff-as-letters_1071131.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a52/sojourner-truth-10213_book_i-don-t-read-such-small-stuff-as-letters_1071131.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a52/sojourner-truth-10213_book_i-don-t-read-such-small-stuff-as-letters_1071131.jpg) > “I don't read such small stuff as letters, I read men and nations. I can see through a millstone, though I can't see through a spelling-book. What a narrow idea a reading qualification is for a voter!” [Sojourner Truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sojourner-truth/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Reading qualifications are insufficient for informed voting; true insight comes from understanding people and societies, not just texts. **In simple terms:** Voting requires deep understanding, not just reading skills. Key Takeaway Prioritize critical thinking over rote learning. Themes education politics voting critical thinking empowerment Mood thoughtful empowering challenging Type philosophical political When to use this quote - civic education programs - community workshops - public debates - policy discussions - voter registration drives Key Concepts literacy civic engagement social awareness historical context voter competence Questions to Reflect On - How can societies value lived experience in civic decisions? - What ways can education become more holistic? A Different Perspective Overemphasis on formal education can exclude experiential knowledge. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Book](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/book/) [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Ideas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideas/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Nations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nations/) [Reading](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reading/) [Suffrage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/suffrage/) [Voters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/voters/) ## Related quotes > [Oh no, honey, I can’t read little things like letters. I read big things like men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sojourner-truth/oh-no-honey-i-can-t-read-little-things-like-letters-i-read-big-things/) [Sojourner Truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sojourner-truth/) > [The trick is to teach yourself to read in small sips as well as long swallows.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/the-trick-is-to-teach-yourself-to-read-in-small-sips-as-well-as-long/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [I was read to as a small child, I read on my own as soon as I could, and I recall being more or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilynne-robinson/i-was-read-to-as-a-small-child-i-read-on-my-own-as-soon-as-i-could/) [Marilynne Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilynne-robinson/) > [“In the end, it is your responsibility to read the small print, whether it is for gig contracts, record contracts, investors, management, booking agents,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/loren-weisman/in-the-end-it-is-your-responsibility-to-read-the-small-print-whether/) [Loren Weisman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/loren-weisman/) > [It is hardly fair to accuse us of ignorance when it was made a crime under the former order of things to learn enough…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-h-white/it-is-hardly-fair-to-accuse-us-of-ignorance-when-it-was-made-a-crime/) George H. White > [“We lay aside letters never to read them again, and at last destroy them out of discretion, and so disappears the most beautiful, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/we-lay-aside-letters-never-to-read-them-again-and-at-last-destroy/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [It was pleasant to me to get a letter from you the other day. Perhaps I should have found it pleasanter if I had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-bailey-aldrich/it-was-pleasant-to-me-to-get-a-letter-from-you-the-other-day-perhaps/) [Thomas Bailey Aldrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-bailey-aldrich/) > [In old days books were written by men of letters and read by the public. Nowadays books are written by the public and read…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/in-old-days-books-were-written-by-men-of-letters-and-read-by-the/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [“(Quoting Goethe :) "We lay aside letters never to read them again, and at last destroy them out of discretion, and so disappears the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-howe/quoting-goethe-we-lay-aside-letters-never-to-read-them-again-and-at/) [James Howe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-howe/) > [ I wish I had \[letters\], can you imagine their value, and I don't mean merely financially. I am sure they were accidentally destroyed or… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretl-braun/i-wish-i-had-letters-can-you-imagine-their-value-and-i-don-t-mean/) [Gretl Braun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretl-braun/) > [About Newton: Nature to him was an open book, whose letters he could read without effort.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/about-newton-nature-to-him-was-an-open-book-whose-letters-he-could/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [“I held out my sisters' letters for him to read. Tears appeared in his eyes, and he kissed the letters and declared, "I love…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-moser/i-held-out-my-sisters-letters-for-him-to-read-tears-appeared-in-his/) [Nancy Moser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-moser/) > [When someone says, will you write a letter to someone who you know is having troubleI did. I dont know if those letters were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-costner/when-someone-says-will-you-write-a-letter-to-someone-who-you-know-is/) [Kevin Costner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-costner/) > [I felt he found my letters and read each one out loud.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roberta-flack/i-felt-he-found-my-letters-and-read-each-one-out-loud/) [Roberta Flack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roberta-flack/) > [“There were letters for her at the bureau-one from her brother, full of athletics and biology; one from her mother, delightful as only mother's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-m-forster-2/there-were-letters-for-her-at-the-bureau-one-from-her-brother-full-of/) [E.M. Forster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-m-forster-2/) ## More by Sojourner Truth > [Truth is powerful and it prevails.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sojourner-truth/truth-is-powerful-and-it-prevails/) [Sojourner Truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sojourner-truth/) > [Because of them I can now live the dream. I am the seed of the free, and I know it. I intend to bear…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sojourner-truth/because-of-them-i-can-now-live-the-dream-i-am-the-seed-of-the-free/) [Sojourner Truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sojourner-truth/) > [That man over there says that women need to be helped into carriages, and lifted over ditches, and to have the best place everywhere.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sojourner-truth/that-man-over-there-says-that-women-need-to-be-helped-into-carriages/) [Sojourner Truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sojourner-truth/) > [I feel safe even in the midst of my enemies; for the truth is powerful and will prevail.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sojourner-truth/i-feel-safe-even-in-the-midst-of-my-enemies-for-the-truth-is-powerful/) [Sojourner Truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sojourner-truth/) > [Let ... individuals make the most of what God has given them, have their neighbors do the same, and then do all they can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sojourner-truth/let-individuals-make-the-most-of-what-god-has-given-them-have-their/) [Sojourner Truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sojourner-truth/) > [God is the great house that holds all his children; we dwell in Him as the fishes dwell in the seas.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sojourner-truth/god-is-the-great-house-that-holds-all-his-children-we-dwell-in-him-as/) [Sojourner Truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sojourner-truth/) > [I feel safe in the midst of my enemies, for the truth is all powerful and will prevail.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sojourner-truth/i-feel-safe-in-the-midst-of-my-enemies-for-the-truth-is-all-powerful/) [Sojourner Truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sojourner-truth/) > [When I got religion, I found some work to do to benefit somebody.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sojourner-truth/when-i-got-religion-i-found-some-work-to-do-to-benefit-somebody/) [Sojourner Truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sojourner-truth/) > [I am for keeping the thing going while things are stirring. Because if we wait till it is still, it will take a great…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sojourner-truth/i-am-for-keeping-the-thing-going-while-things-are-stirring-because-if/) [Sojourner Truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sojourner-truth/) > [The rich rob the poor and the poor rob one another.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sojourner-truth/the-rich-rob-the-poor-and-the-poor-rob-one-another/) [Sojourner Truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sojourner-truth/) > [“You may hiss as much as you please, but women will get their rights anyway”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sojourner-truth/you-may-hiss-as-much-as-you-please-but-women-will-get-their-rights/) [Sojourner Truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sojourner-truth/) > [Then I will speak upon the ashes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sojourner-truth/then-i-will-speak-upon-the-ashes/) [Sojourner Truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sojourner-truth/) > [I am free when I allow my life to unfold. As soon as I restrict myself to new outcomes, I've got shackles on my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sojourner-truth/i-am-free-when-i-allow-my-life-to-unfold-as-soon-as-i-restrict-myself/) [Sojourner Truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sojourner-truth/) > [Christ came from God and a woman. Man had nothing to do with him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sojourner-truth/christ-came-from-god-and-a-woman-man-had-nothing-to-do-with-him/) [Sojourner Truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sojourner-truth/) > [I did not run away, I walked away by daylight….](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sojourner-truth/i-did-not-run-away-i-walked-away-by-daylight/) [Sojourner Truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sojourner-truth/) [Explore all 67 Sojourner Truth quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sojourner-truth/) ## 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! 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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. 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