books and friends should be few but good

used to imply that having a small number of high-quality books and trustworthy friends is more valuable than having many casual or unreliable ones

The proverb "books and friends should be few but good" likely comes from European wisdom, with similar ideas appearing in Spanish and German proverbs. It emphasizes the importance of quality over quantity in both books and friendships. It is used to advise that having a few valuable books and trustworthy friends is better than having many that are not meaningful or reliable. People use this saying when discussing the importance of making careful choices about whom to trust and what to read, as both can have a strong influence on one's life.