UNITED STATES             12/31/97
                    SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                         WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

                              SCHEDULE 13G

               UNDER THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
                     (AMENDMENT NO.          )*
                         INITIAL FILING

JOHN WILEY & SONS, INC.
(NAME OF ISSUER)
CLASS B
(TITLE CLASS OF SECURITIES)
968223305
(CUSIP NUMBER)

CHECK THE FOLLOWING BOX IF A FEE IS BEING PAID WITH THIS
STATEMENT.__(A FEE IS NOT REQUIRED ONLY IF THE FILING PERSON: (1)
HAS A PREVIOUS STATEMENT ON FILE REPORTING BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP OF
MORE THAN FIVE PERCENT OF THE CLASS OF SECURITIES DESCRIBED IN ITEM
1; AND (2) HAS FILED NO AMENDMENT SUBSEQUENT THERETO REPORTING
BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP OF FIVE PERCENT OR LESS OF SUCH CLASS.) (SEE
RULE 13D-7).

*THE REMAINDER OF THIS COVER PAGE SHALL BE FILLED OUT FOR A
REPORTING PERSON'S INITIAL FILING ON THIS FORM WITH RESPECT TO THE
SUBJECT CLASS OF SECURITIES, AND FOR ANY SUBSEQUENT AMENDMENT
CONTAINING INFORMATION WHICH WOULD ALTER THE DISCLOSURES PROVIDED
IN A PRIOR COVER PAGE.

THE INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE REMAINDER OF THIS COVER PAGE SHALL
NOT BE DEEMED TO BE "FILED" FOR THE PURPOSE OF SECTION 18 OF THE
SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934 ("ACT") OR OTHERWISE SUBJECT TO THE
LIABILITIES OF THAT SECTION OF THE ACT BUT SHALL BE SUBJECT TO ALL
OTHER PROVISIONS OF THE ACT (HOWEVER, SEE THE NOTES).



















CUSIP NO  968223305                13G       PAGE 2 OF 5 PAGES


1.  NAME OF REPORTING PERSON
    S.S. OR I.R.S. IDENTIFICATION NO. OF PERSON
    STATE STREET BANK AND TRUST COMPANY, TRUSTEE       04-1867445
    OR DISCRETIONARY ADVOSOR VARIOUS COLLECTIVE INVESTMENT FUNDS
    FOR EMPLOYEE BENEFIT PLAN AND OTHER INDEX ACCOUNTS WILEY CL A

2.  CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP.*

    NOT APPLICABLE

3.  SEC USE ONLY

4.  CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION

    BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS

5.  SOLE VOTING POWER
    26,283 SHARES
6.  SHARED VOTING POWER
    0 SHARES
7.  SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER
    26,283 SHARES
8.  SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER
    0 SHARES
9.  AGGREGATED AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON
    26,283 SHARES
10. CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (9) EXLUDES CERTAIN
    SHARES*
    NOT APPLICABLE

11. PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW 9
    5.7% 
12. TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON*
     BK

CUSIP NO  968223305                13G       PAGE 2A OF 5 PAGES


1.  NAME OF REPORTING PERSON
    S.S. OR I.R.S. IDENTIFICATION NO. OF PERSON
  STATE STREET BANK AND TRUST COMPANY,TRUSTEE/CO-TRUSTEE 04-1867445
     VARIOUS TRUST ACCOUNTS                   WILEY CL B
                   
2.  CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP.*

    NOT APPLICABLE                                   A __
                                                     B __
3.  SEC USE ONLY

4.  CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION

    BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS

5.  SOLE VOTING POWER
    178,388 SHARES
6.  SHARED VOTING POWER
          0 SHARES
7.  SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER
          0 SHARES
8.  SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER
    178,388 SHARES
9.  AGGREGATED AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON
    178,388 SHARES
10. CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (9) EXCLUDES CERTAIN
    SHARES*
     NOT APPLICABLE 
11. PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW 9
    5.7 %
12.  TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON*
     BK
                         SCHEDULE 13G        PAGE 3 OF 5 PAGES
ITEM 1.
  (A)  NAME OF ISSUER
       
       JOHN WILEY & SONS, INC.

  (B)  ADDRESS OF ISSUER'S PRINCIPAL EXECUTIVE OFFICES

       605 THIRD AVENUE
       NEW YORK, NY 10158  
              
             
ITEM 2.

     (A)  NAME OF PERSON FILING

          STATE STREET BANK AND TRUST COMPANY, TRUSTEE


     (B)  ADDRESS OF PRINCIPAL BUSINESS OFFICE OR, IF NONE,
          RESIDENCE

          225 FRANKLIN STREET, BOSTON, MA 02110


     (C)  CITIZENSHIP

          BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS

     (D)  TITLE CLASS OF SECURITIES

          CLASS B
     
     (E)  CUSIP NUMBER

          968223305

ITEM 3.   IF THIS STATEMENT IS FILED PURSUANT TO RULE 13D-1(B), OR
          13D-2(B), CHECK WHETHER THE PERSON FILING IS A:

     (B)  _X_  BANK AS DEFINED IN SECTION 3(A)(6) OF THE ACT

                                                 PAGE 4 of 5 PAGES

ITEM 4. OWNERSHIP
  (A)  AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED
       204,671 SHARES

  (B)  PERCENT OF CLASS
       6.5%

  (C)  NUMBER OF SHARES AS TO WHICH SUCH PERSON HAS:

    (I)  SOLE POWER TO VOTE OR TO DIRECT THE VOTE
         204,671 SHARES

   (II)  SHARED POWER TO VOTE OR TO DIRECT THE VOTE
               0 SHARES

  (III)  SOLE POWER TO DISPOSE OR TO DIRECT THE DISPOSITION OF
         26,283  SHARES

   (IV)  SHARED POWER TO DISPOSE OR TO DIRECT THE DISPOSITION OF
         178,388 SHARES

ITEM 5.   OWNERSHIP OF FIVE PERCENT OR LESS OF A CLASS

          NOT APPLICABLE

ITEM 6.   OWNERSHIP OF MORE THAN FIVE PERCENT ON BEHALF OF ANOTHER
          PERSON.

          NOT APPLICABLE

ITEM 7.  IDENTIFICATION AND CLASSIFICATION OF THE SUBSIDIARY WHICH
         ACQUIRED THE SECURITY BEING REPORTED ON BY THE PARENT    
              HOLDING COMPANY

          NOT APPLICABLE

ITEM 8.  IDENTIFICATION AND CLASSIFICATION OF MEMBERS OF THE GROUP

          NOT APPLICABLE

ITEM 9.  NOTICE OF DISSOLUTION OF GROUP

          NOT APPLICABLE

                                                  PAGE 5 OF 5 PAGES

ITEM 10.  CERTIFICATION

          THE FOLLOWING CERTIFICATION SHALL BE INCLUDED IF THE
          STATEMENT IS FILED PURSUANT TO RULE 13D-1(B):

          BY SIGNING BELOW I CERTIFY THAT, TO THE BEST OF MY
KNOWLEDGE AND BELIEF, THE SECURITIES REFERRED TO ABOVE WERE
ACQUIRED IN THE ORDINARY COURSE OF BUSINESS AND WERE NOT ACQUIRED
FOR THE PURPOSE OF AND DO NOT HAVE THE EFFECT OF CHANGING OR
INFLUENCING THE CONTROL OF THE ISSUER OF SUCH SECURITIES AND WERE
NOT ACQUIRED IN CONNECTION WITH OR AS A PARTICIPANT IN ANY
TRANSACTION HAVING SUCH PURPOSES OR EFFECT.

     THIS REPORT IS NOT AN ADMISSION THAT STATE STREET BANK AND
TRUST COMPANY IS THE BENEFICIAL OWNER OF ANY SECURITIES COVERED BY
THIS REPORT, AND STATE STREET BANK AND TRUST COMPANY EXPRESSLY
DISCLAIMS BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP OF ALL SHARES REPORTED HEREIN
PURSUANT TO RULE 13D-4.

                         SIGNATURE

     AFTER REASONABLE INQUIRY AND TO THE BEST OF MY KNOWLEDGE AND
BELIEF, I CERTIFY THAT THE INFORMATION SET FORTH IN THIS STATEMENT
IS TRUE, COMPLETE AND CORRECT.

                         11 FEBRUARY 1998
                    
                         STATE STREET BOSTON CORPORATION
                         STATE STREET BANK AND TRUST COMPANY,    
                         TRUSTEE


                         /s/ Mary Sue Spain                       
     
                         Senior Compliance Officer