# Is "A New England Nun and Other Stories" by Mary E. Wilkins Freeman a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of A New England Nun and Other Stories by Mary E. Wilkins Freeman (Harper & Brothers, 1891) is identified by: First edition octavo collating i-iii,iv,1-468,469-476 (publisher's advertisements), with flyleaves front and rear.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- First edition octavo collating i-iii,iv,1-468,469-476 (publisher's advertisements), with flyleaves front and rear
- Bound in pictorial blue cloth, the front panel stamped in white, black, and gold, the spine panel stamped in gold
- The collection gathers twenty-four stories, including the title story and 'The Revolt of Mother,' and drew a substantial unsigned review in the Atlantic Monthly of June 1891 that helped cement Freeman's standing as a leading short-story writer of New England regional life
- Publisher imprint reads Harper & Brothers
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Mary E. Wilkins Freeman |
| Publisher | Harper & Brothers |
| Year | 1891 |
| True first | — |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | First edition octavo collating i-iii,iv,1-468,469-476 (publisher's advertisements), with flyleaves front and rear |
| Book-club edition exists? | — |

## Points of issue
First edition octavo collating i-iii,iv,1-468,469-476 (publisher's advertisements), with flyleaves front and rear. Bound in pictorial blue cloth, the front panel stamped in white, black, and gold, the spine panel stamped in gold. The collection gathers twenty-four stories, including the title story and 'The Revolt of Mother,' and drew a substantial unsigned review in the Atlantic Monthly of June 1891 that helped cement Freeman's standing as a leading short-story writer of New England regional life.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *A New England Nun and Other Stories* by Mary E. Wilkins Freeman a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/a-new-england-nun-and-other-stories
CC BY 4.0. Part of the Canonical First-Edition Points of Issue dataset (https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/api/first-edition-titles.json). Last reviewed 2026-07-04.