--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The best books for a man are not always…" description: "\"The best books for a man are not always those which the wise recommend, but often those which meet the peculiar wants, the natural thirst of his mind, ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c57/william-ellery-channing-3428_books_the-best-books-for-a-man-are-not-always_749776.jpg" --- # The best books for a man are not always those which the… ![“The best books for a man are not always those which the wise recommend, but often those which meet the peculiar wants, the natural thirst of his mind, and therefore awaken interest and rivet thought.” quote by William Ellery Channing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c57/william-ellery-channing-3428_books_the-best-books-for-a-man-are-not-always_749776.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c57/william-ellery-channing-3428_books_the-best-books-for-a-man-are-not-always_749776.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c57/william-ellery-channing-3428_books_the-best-books-for-a-man-are-not-always_749776.jpg) > “The best books for a man are not always those which the wise recommend, but often those which meet the peculiar wants, the natural thirst of his mind, and therefore awaken interest and rivet thought.” [William Ellery Channing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-ellery-channing/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He argues that a man's best books are those that satisfy his unique curiosity, not just the wise' recommendations. **In simple terms:** Books that match personal curiosity are best. Key Takeaway Read what truly interests you. Themes education individuality curiosity Mood thoughtful inspirational Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - choosing reading material - personal development - academic study Key Concepts personal growth literary taste Questions to Reflect On - What topics ignite your mind? - How do you balance personal interest with expert advice? A Different Perspective May ignore the value of classic wisdom. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Best Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/best-books/) [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Books Man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books-man-1428329/) [Interest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/interest/) [Man Wise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/man-wise/) [Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mind/) [Natural](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/natural/) [Peculiar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/peculiar/) [Peculiar Wants](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/peculiar-wants-5836579/) [Psychology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychology/) [Rivet Thought](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rivet-thought-5836580/) [Thirst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thirst/) [Wise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wise/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) ## Related quotes > [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 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/) > [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/) > [“By writing books, a man turns into a universe.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milan-kundera/by-writing-books-a-man-turns-into-a-universe/) [Milan Kundera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milan-kundera/) > [“Most-gifted or recommended books? Man’s Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl The Fourth Turning by William Strauss (Also, Generations by William Strauss, which was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-ferriss/most-gifted-or-recommended-books-man-s-search-for-meaning-by-viktor/) [Timothy Ferriss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-ferriss/) > [Given the books of a man, it is not difficult, I think, to detect therein the personality of the man, and the station in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-henry-stoddard/given-the-books-of-a-man-it-is-not-difficult-i-think-to-detect/) [Richard Henry Stoddard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-henry-stoddard/) > [“Well, this is a story about books.” “About books?” “About accursed books, about the man who wrote them, about a character who broke out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlos-ruiz-zafon/well-this-is-a-story-about-books-about-books-about-accursed-books-2/) [Carlos Ruiz Zafón](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlos-ruiz-zafon/) > [Well, this is a story about books." About books?" About accursed books, about a man who wrote them, about a character who broke out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlos-ruiz-zafon/well-this-is-a-story-about-books-about-books-about-accursed-books/) [Carlos Ruiz Zafon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlos-ruiz-zafon/) > [There are other books in a man's library besides Ovid, and after dawdling ever so long at a woman's knee, one day he gets…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-makepeace-thackeray/there-are-other-books-in-a-man-s-library-besides-ovid-and-after/) [William Makepeace Thackeray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-makepeace-thackeray/) > [“And I thought about books. And for the first time I realized that a man was behind each one of the books. A man…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/and-i-thought-about-books-and-for-the-first-time-i-realized-that-a/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [It is those books which a man possesses but does not read which constitute the most suspicious evidence against him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/it-is-those-books-which-a-man-possesses-but-does-not-read-which/) [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) > [Man's books are but man's alphabet, Beyond and on his lessons lie - The lessons of the violet, The large gold letters of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joaquin-miller/man-s-books-are-but-man-s-alphabet-beyond-and-on-his-lessons-lie-the/) [Joaquin Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joaquin-miller/) > [“...books give a man ideas, they make him want to live.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-engel/books-give-a-man-ideas-they-make-him-want-to-live/) [Patricia Engel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-engel/) > [One of my favorite books is 'Man's Search for Meaning.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-s-sharma/one-of-my-favorite-books-is-man-s-search-for-meaning/) [Robin S. Sharma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-s-sharma/) > [“I possessed nearly five thousand volumes in my library at Rome; but after reading them over many times, I found out that with a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexandre-dumas/i-possessed-nearly-five-thousand-volumes-in-my-library-at-rome-but/) [Alexandre Dumas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexandre-dumas/) ## More by William Ellery Channing > [The reveries of youth, in which so much energy is wasted, are the yearnings of a Spirit made for what it has not found…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-ellery-channing/the-reveries-of-youth-in-which-so-much-energy-is-wasted-are-the/) [William Ellery Channing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-ellery-channing/) > [A man may quarrel with himself alone; that is, by controverting his better instincts and knowledge when brought face to face with temptation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-ellery-channing/a-man-may-quarrel-with-himself-alone-that-is-by-controverting-his/) [William Ellery Channing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-ellery-channing/) > [Science and art may invent splendid modes of illuminating the apartments of the opulent; but these are all poor and worthless compared with the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-ellery-channing/science-and-art-may-invent-splendid-modes-of-illuminating-the/) [William Ellery Channing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-ellery-channing/) > [Men are never very wise and select in the exercise of a new power.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-ellery-channing/men-are-never-very-wise-and-select-in-the-exercise-of-a-new-power/) [William Ellery Channing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-ellery-channing/) > [All virtue lies in individual action, in inward energy, in self determination. There is no moral worth in being swept away by a crowd…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-ellery-channing/all-virtue-lies-in-individual-action-in-inward-energy-in-self/) [William Ellery Channing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-ellery-channing/) > [We honor revelation too highly to make it the antagonist of reason, or to believe that it calls us to renounce our highest powers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-ellery-channing/we-honor-revelation-too-highly-to-make-it-the-antagonist-of-reason-or/) [William Ellery Channing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-ellery-channing/) > [To give a generous hope to a man of his own nature, is to enrich him immeasurably.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-ellery-channing/to-give-a-generous-hope-to-a-man-of-his-own-nature-is-to-enrich-him/) [William Ellery Channing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-ellery-channing/) > [No man receives the full culture of a man in whom the sensibility to the beautiful is not cherished; and there is no condition…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-ellery-channing/no-man-receives-the-full-culture-of-a-man-in-whom-the-sensibility-to/) [William Ellery Channing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-ellery-channing/) > [I call that mind free which jealously guards its intellectual rights and powers, which calls no man master, which does not content itself with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-ellery-channing/i-call-that-mind-free-which-jealously-guards-its-intellectual-rights/) [William Ellery Channing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-ellery-channing/) > [Error is discipline through which we advance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-ellery-channing/error-is-discipline-through-which-we-advance/) [William Ellery Channing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-ellery-channing/) > [Ideas are the mightiest influence on earth. One great thought breathed into a man may regenerate him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-ellery-channing/ideas-are-the-mightiest-influence-on-earth-one-great-thought-breathed/) [William Ellery Channing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-ellery-channing/) > [To live content with small means; to seek elegance rather than luxury, and refinement rather than fashion; to be worthy, not respectable, and wealthy,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-ellery-channing/to-live-content-with-small-means-to-seek-elegance-rather-than-luxury/) [William Ellery Channing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-ellery-channing/) > [“god be thanked for books. they are the voices of the distant and the dead, and make us heirs of the spiritual life of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-ellery-channing/god-be-thanked-for-books-they-are-the-voices-of-the-distant-and-the/) [William Ellery Channing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-ellery-channing/) > [Perhaps in our presence, the most heroic deed on earth is done in some silent spirit, the loftiest purpose cherished, the most generous sacrifice…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-ellery-channing/perhaps-in-our-presence-the-most-heroic-deed-on-earth-is-done-in-some/) [William Ellery Channing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-ellery-channing/) > [Each of us is meant to have a character all our own, to be what no other can exactly be, and do what no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-ellery-channing/each-of-us-is-meant-to-have-a-character-all-our-own-to-be-what-no/) [William Ellery Channing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-ellery-channing/) [Explore all 130 William Ellery Channing quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-ellery-channing/) ## More Books 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/) > [If what I write is literature, I guess you'd better emphasize the 'litter.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lydia-lunch/if-what-i-write-is-literature-i-guess-you-d-better-emphasize-the/) [Lydia Lunch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lydia-lunch/) > [My sentences got sharper and my stories more efficient, and I gradually learned to imagine the reader more clearly and to empathize with that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-thompson-walker/my-sentences-got-sharper-and-my-stories-more-efficient-and-i/) [Karen Thompson Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-thompson-walker/) > [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/) > [“Within the pages of books, I've journeyed to Mandalay, the Milky Way and Santa Fe, without once having to leave my armchair.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-ansbro/within-the-pages-of-books-i-ve-journeyed-to-mandalay-the-milky-way/) [Kevin Ansbro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-ansbro/) > [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/) > [“Tacitus did not write a most dangerous book. His readers made it so.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-k-krebs/tacitus-did-not-write-a-most-dangerous-book-his-readers-made-it-so/) [Christopher K. Krebs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-k-krebs/) > [“Take some books and read; that’s an immense help; and books are always good company if you have the right sort.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louisa-may-alcott/take-some-books-and-read-that-s-an-immense-help-and-books-are-always/) [Louisa May Alcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louisa-may-alcott/) > [Reader, if you are gifted with nerves like mine, aspire to any character but that of a wit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-lamb/reader-if-you-are-gifted-with-nerves-like-mine-aspire-to-any/) [Charles Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-lamb/) > [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/) > [“Be careful about reading health books. Some fine day you'll die of a misprint.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-herz/be-careful-about-reading-health-books-some-fine-day-you-ll-die-of-a/) [Markus Herz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-herz/) > [But editors are still the world's readers. And thus the eyes of the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/betsy-lerner/but-editors-are-still-the-world-s-readers-and-thus-the-eyes-of-the/) [Betsy Lerner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/betsy-lerner/) [Browse all 59,485 Books quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The best books for a man are not always those which the wise recommend, but often those which meet the peculiar wants, the natural thirst of his mind, and therefore awaken interest and rivet thought.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "William Ellery Channing" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-ellery-channing/the-best-books-for-a-man-are-not-always-those-which-the-wise/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Books" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-ellery-channing/the-best-books-for-a-man-are-not-always-those-which-the-wise/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c57/william-ellery-channing-3428_books_the-best-books-for-a-man-are-not-always_749776.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c57/william-ellery-channing-3428_books_the-best-books-for-a-man-are-not-always_749776.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c57/william-ellery-channing-3428_books_the-best-books-for-a-man-are-not-always_749776.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The best books for a man are not always those which the wise recommend, but often those which meet the…” — William Ellery Channing", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "William Ellery Channing", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-ellery-channing/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The best books for a man...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-ellery-channing/the-best-books-for-a-man-are-not-always-those-which-the-wise/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-ellery-channing/the-best-books-for-a-man-are-not-always-those-which-the-wise/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```