The Age of Reason
The Age of Reason is Jean-Paul Sartre's novel, first published as L'âge de raison by Gallimard in 1945, and the first part of The Roads to Freedom. Over three days in Paris in 1938, teacher Mathieu hunts for money. Hamish Hamilton issued Eric Sutton's translation in London in 1947.
- Editions tracked
- 4
- First edition
- Gallimard, 1945
- First published
- Gallimard, 1945
- First UK edition
- Hamish Hamilton, 1947
- Series
- The Roads to Freedom
The first edition of The Age of Reason by Jean-Paul Sartre was published in Paris by Gallimard in 1945. We track 4 editions.
Which edition do you have?
First edition
- 1st Gallimard1945 Other · The Roads to Freedom 1 I own The Age of Reason, Gallimard 1945 Log in to want this
Later and other editions
- Modern Library1947 Hardback · The Roads to Freedom 1 I own The Age of Reason, Modern Library 1947 Log in to want this
- Hamish Hamilton1947 Hardback · The Roads to Freedom 1 I own The Age of Reason, Hamish Hamilton 1947 Log in to want this
- Knopf1947 Hardback · The Roads to Freedom 1 I own The Age of Reason, Knopf 1947 Log in to want this
We have not yet researched the issue points for this book. If you know how to tell the first from later printings, tell us and we will credit you once it is checked against a second source.
Awards, adaptations and setting
Setting and characters
- Set in
- Paris, France
- Genre
- philosophical fiction, existentialist novel
Read next
- Followed by
- The Reprieve
In print
- Editions recorded
- 21 on Open Library, 17 in English
- Wikipedia
- Articles in 11 languages
From Wikidata and Open Library, both CC0. A prize or a new adaptation often lifts demand for the first printing.
More by Jean-Paul Sartre
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Read the guide →Frequently asked questions
Who published the first edition of The Age of Reason?
The first edition of The Age of Reason by Jean-Paul Sartre was published in Paris by Gallimard in 1945.
How many editions of The Age of Reason are there?
We track 4 editions of The Age of Reason, including 1 first edition. Each has its own page with how to identify it.
What should I read after The Age of Reason?
In order, it is followed by The Reprieve, according to Wikidata.
Where these facts come from
- The Age of Reason (novel), Wikipedia (en.wikipedia.org)
- The age of reason (H. Hamilton, London, 1947), Open Library (openlibrary.org)
Every fact on this page was checked against the sources listed. Checked 29 October 2026. Reviewed by Harriet Ellis; read how we check facts.