# Is "The Varieties of Religious Experience: A Study in Human Nature" by William James a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of The Varieties of Religious Experience: A Study in Human Nature by William James (Longmans, Green & Co., 1902) is identified by: The American issue is identified by the statement "First Edition June, 1902" on the verso of the title leaf, which the English issue does NOT carry. Both the New York and London issues bear the Longmans, Green imprint dated 1902 and are collected together.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- The American issue is identified by the statement "First Edition June, 1902" on the verso of the title leaf, which the English issue does NOT carry
- The definitive first-issue point is the misspelling "Nietsche" (for Nietzsche) at page 38, line 11; the second printing corrects this to "Nietzsche." Collation is the Gifford Lectures text, octavo, with publisher's ads at the rear
- Verified against two independent sources (Athena Rare Books ABAA description plus corroborating bibliographic notes)
- Publisher imprint reads Longmans, Green & Co.
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | William James |
| Publisher | Longmans, Green & Co. |
| Year | 1902 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | The American issue is identified by the statement "First Edition June, 1902" on the verso of the title leaf, which the English issue does… |
| Book-club edition exists? | No |

## Points of issue
The American issue is identified by the statement "First Edition June, 1902" on the verso of the title leaf, which the English issue does NOT carry. The definitive first-issue point is the misspelling "Nietsche" (for Nietzsche) at page 38, line 11; the second printing corrects this to "Nietzsche." Collation is the Gifford Lectures text, octavo, with publisher's ads at the rear. Verified against two independent sources (Athena Rare Books ABAA description plus corroborating bibliographic notes).

## Is this the true first?
Both the New York and London issues bear the Longmans, Green imprint dated 1902 and are collected together. The census note ("US customarily treated as first") oversimplifies: the London issue is generally reported to have been made up from the American sheets with a cancel (substitute) title leaf and published slightly earlier (c. 9 June 1902), while the earliest American trade notice is 21 June 1902 — so precedence is genuinely contested. The American issue is nonetheless the one carrying the datable "First Edition June, 1902" statement and the documented "Nietsche" point, so it is the issue collectors identify by internal evidence.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Not a notable book-club title. The chief later-issue tell within the first edition is the corrected "Nietzsche" spelling at p.38/l.11, marking the second (and later) printings; the English issue lacks the "First Edition June 1902" statement.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *The Varieties of Religious Experience: A Study in Human Nature* by William James a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/the-varieties-of-religious-experience-a-study-in-human-natur
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.