<ARTICLE>  5
<LEGEND>                                                            
          JOHN WILEY & SONS, INC., AND SUBSIDIARIES
                   FINANCIAL DATA SCHEDULE
        (Dollars in Thousands Except Per Share Data)

THIS   SCHEDULE   CONTAINS  SUMMARY  FINANCIAL   INFORMATION
EXTRACTED  FROM  THE  CONSOLIDATED  STATEMENT  OF  FINANCIAL
POSITION  AND  THE CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF INCOME  AND  IS
QUALIFIED  IN  ITS ENTIRETY BY REFERENCE TO  SUCH  FINANCIAL
STATEMENTS.
                                  
<PERIOD-TYPE>                     3-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                             APR-30-1997
<PERIOD-START>                                MAY-01-1996
<PERIOD-END>                                  JUL-31-1996
<CASH>                                         $    8,163
<SECURITIES>                                            0
<RECEIVABLES>                                     110,150
<ALLOWANCES>                                       28,744
<INVENTORY>                                        61,416
<CURRENT-ASSETS>                                  178,191
<PP&E>                                             65,028
<DEPRECIATION>                                     36,330
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                                    417,333
<CURRENT-LIABILITIES>                             254,106
<BONDS>                                                 0
<COMMON>                                           20,511
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                                   0
<PREFERRED>                                             0
<OTHER-SE>                                        104,283
<TOTAL-LIABILITY-AND-EQUITY>                      417,333
<SALES>                                                 0
<TOTAL-REVENUES>                                   99,217
<CGS>                                                   0
<TOTAL-COSTS>                                      33,682
<OTHER-EXPENSES>                                   53,819
<LOSS-PROVISION>                                        0
<INTEREST-EXPENSE>                                    744
<INCOME-PRETAX>                                    11,295
<INCOME-TAX>                                        4,066
<INCOME-CONTINUING>                                 7,229
<DISCONTINUED>                                          0
<EXTRAORDINARY>                                         0
<CHANGES>                                               0
<NET-INCOME>                                        7,229
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                         .44
<EPS-DILUTED>                                         .44