--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It is chiefly through books that we enjoy…" description: "\"It is chiefly through books that we enjoy intercourse with superior minds; and these invaluable communications are within the reach of all.\" — Stephani..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/65f/stephanie-felicite-comtesse-de_book_it-is-chiefly-through-books-that-we-enjo_2891423.jpg" --- # It is chiefly through books that we enjoy intercourse with… ![“It is chiefly through books that we enjoy intercourse with superior minds; and these invaluable communications are within the reach of all.” quote by Stephanie Felicite, comtesse de Genlis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/65f/stephanie-felicite-comtesse-de_book_it-is-chiefly-through-books-that-we-enjo_2891423.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/65f/stephanie-felicite-comtesse-de_book_it-is-chiefly-through-books-that-we-enjo_2891423.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/65f/stephanie-felicite-comtesse-de_book_it-is-chiefly-through-books-that-we-enjo_2891423.jpg) > “It is chiefly through books that we enjoy intercourse with superior minds; and these invaluable communications are within the reach of all.” [Stephanie Felicite, comtesse de Genlis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-felicite-comtesse-de-genlis/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Books let us converse with great thinkers, making elite ideas accessible to everyone. **In simple terms:** Reading connects us to brilliant minds. Key Takeaway Read to broaden your perspective. Themes education accessibility intellectual growth Mood inspirational thoughtful Type philosophical educational When to use this quote - self‑education - library use - online courses - book clubs Key Concepts humanism democratization of knowledge Questions to Reflect On - How can you share valuable books with those lacking access? - What barriers prevent you from reading more? A Different Perspective Access depends on literacy and available resources. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Book](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/book/) [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Books Enjoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books-enjoy-244948/) [Chiefly Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/chiefly-books-244947/) [Communication](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/communication/) [Enjoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/enjoy/) [Intercourse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/intercourse/) [Invaluable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/invaluable/) [Invaluable Communications](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/invaluable-communications-4063381/) [Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mind/) [Minds Invaluable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/minds-invaluable-3175342/) [Psychology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychology/) [Superior Minds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/superior-minds-244949/) [Superiors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/superiors/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) ## Related quotes > [It is chiefly through books that we enjoy intercourse with superior minds, and these invaluable means of communication are in the reach of all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-ellery-channing/it-is-chiefly-through-books-that-we-enjoy-intercourse-with-superior/) [William Ellery Channing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-ellery-channing/) > [It is chiefly through books that we enjoy intercourse with superior minds. In the best books, great men talk to us, give us their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-ellery-channing/it-is-chiefly-through-books-that-we-enjoy-intercourse-with-superior-2/) [William Ellery Channing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-ellery-channing/) > [“It is chiefly through books that we enjoy the intercourse with superior minds...”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-ellery-channing/it-is-chiefly-through-books-that-we-enjoy-the-intercourse-with/) [William Ellery Channing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-ellery-channing/) > [It is chiefly through books that we enjoy intercourse with the superior minds, and these invaluable means of communication are in reach of all.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-ellery-channing/it-is-chiefly-through-books-that-we-enjoy-intercourse-with-the/) [William Ellery Channing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-ellery-channing/) > [Some superior minds are unrecognized because there is no standard by which to weigh them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-joubert/some-superior-minds-are-unrecognized-because-there-is-no-standard-by/) [Joseph Joubert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-joubert/) > [Avid readers are enchanted by meaning, which is available chiefly in books.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mason-cooley/avid-readers-are-enchanted-by-meaning-which-is-available-chiefly-in/) [Mason Cooley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mason-cooley/) > [Some books you read. Some books you enjoy. But some books just swallow you up, heart and soul.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joanne-harris/some-books-you-read-some-books-you-enjoy-but-some-books-just-swallow/) [Joanne Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joanne-harris/) > [“The beauty of being a bookseller is that you don't have to be a literary critic: all you have to do to books is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-morley/the-beauty-of-being-a-bookseller-is-that-you-don-t-have-to-be-a/) [Christopher Morley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-morley/) > [The books we enjoy as children stay with us forever -- they have a special impact. Paragraph after paragraph and page after page, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sid-fleischman/the-books-we-enjoy-as-children-stay-with-us-forever-they-have-a/) [Sid Fleischman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sid-fleischman/) > [Only think about the people you enjoy. Only read the books you enjoy, that make you happy to be human. Only go to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-altucher/only-think-about-the-people-you-enjoy-only-read-the-books-you-enjoy/) [James Altucher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-altucher/) > [“We profit little by books we do not enjoy.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lubbock/we-profit-little-by-books-we-do-not-enjoy/) [John Lubbock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lubbock/) > [“Writing my books I enjoy. It is the thinking them out that is apt to blot the sunshine from my life.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-g-wodehouse/writing-my-books-i-enjoy-it-is-the-thinking-them-out-that-is-apt-to/) [P.G. Wodehouse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-g-wodehouse/) > [In crime, I like Ian Rankin and James Lee Burke. As for historical books, I enjoy Bernard Cornwell, Patrick O'Brien, and C. S. Forester…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alastair-reynolds/in-crime-i-like-ian-rankin-and-james-lee-burke-as-for-historical/) [Alastair Reynolds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alastair-reynolds/) > [“If you enjoy reading my books as much as I enjoy writing them, then I am happy. Its got nothing to do with the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-rimmer/if-you-enjoy-reading-my-books-as-much-as-i-enjoy-writing-them-then-i/) [Peter Rimmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-rimmer/) > [It is chiefly through books that we enjoy the communion with superior minds... In the best books, authors talk to us, give us their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-ellery-channing/it-is-chiefly-through-books-that-we-enjoy-the-communion-with-superior/) [William Ellery Channing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-ellery-channing/) ## More by Stephanie Felicite, comtesse de Genlis > [In our lonely hours we awake those sleeping images with which our memories are stored, and vitalize them again.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-felicite-comtesse-de-genlis/in-our-lonely-hours-we-awake-those-sleeping-images-with-which-our/) [Stephanie Felicite, comtesse de Genlis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-felicite-comtesse-de-genlis/) > [How are we justly to determine in a world where there are no innocent ones to judge the guilty?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-felicite-comtesse-de-genlis/how-are-we-justly-to-determine-in-a-world-where-there-are-no-innocent/) [Stephanie Felicite, comtesse de Genlis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-felicite-comtesse-de-genlis/) > [Ah! the spendthrift, love: it gives all and everything with the first sigh!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-felicite-comtesse-de-genlis/ah-the-spendthrift-love-it-gives-all-and-everything-with-the-first/) [Stephanie Felicite, comtesse de Genlis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-felicite-comtesse-de-genlis/) > [If you want to succeed in the world it is necessary, when entering a salon, that your vanity should bow to that of others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-felicite-comtesse-de-genlis/if-you-want-to-succeed-in-the-world-it-is-necessary-when-entering-a/) [Stephanie Felicite, comtesse de Genlis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-felicite-comtesse-de-genlis/) > [Homeliness is the best guard of a young girl's virtue.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-felicite-comtesse-de-genlis/homeliness-is-the-best-guard-of-a-young-girl-s-virtue/) [Stephanie Felicite, comtesse de Genlis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-felicite-comtesse-de-genlis/) > [Do not sanction an absurdity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-felicite-comtesse-de-genlis/do-not-sanction-an-absurdity/) [Stephanie Felicite, comtesse de Genlis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-felicite-comtesse-de-genlis/) > [Sensibility cannot be acquired; people are born thus, or they have it not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-felicite-comtesse-de-genlis/sensibility-cannot-be-acquired-people-are-born-thus-or-they-have-it/) [Stephanie Felicite, comtesse de Genlis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-felicite-comtesse-de-genlis/) [Explore all 8 Stephanie Felicite, comtesse de Genlis quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-felicite-comtesse-de-genlis/) ## 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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