Who said “If I were to live my life over again, I would be an American. I would steep myself in…”?

Verified

Henry James. A published source records them saying or writing it.

SourceSaid to Hamlin Garland in 1906 and quoted by Garland in Roadside Meetings (1930; reprinted by Kessinger Publishing, 2005, , ch. XXXVI: Henry James at Rye, p. 461

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“If I were to live my life over again, I would be an American. I would steep myself in America, I would know no other land.”
— Henry James
VerifiedSaid to Hamlin Garland in 1906 and quoted by Garland in Roadside Meetings (1930; reprinted by Kessinger Publishing, 2005, , ch. XXXVI: Henry James at Rye, p. 461 · evidenceExile

Cite this quote

For academic work, cite the original where you can: Said to Hamlin Garland in 1906 and quoted by Garland in Roadside Meetings (1930; reprinted by Kessinger Publishing, 2005, , ch. XXXVI: Henry James at Rye, p. 461.

APA

James, H. (n.d.). If I were to live my life over again, I would be an American. I would steep myself in America, I would know no other land. [Quotation]. Famous Quotations Network. Retrieved October 24, 2026, from https://www.famous-quotations.com/quotes/6819-if-i-were-to-live-my-life-over/

MLA

James, Henry. “If I were to live my life over again, I would be an American. I would steep myself in America, I would know no other land.” Famous Quotations Network, https://www.famous-quotations.com/quotes/6819-if-i-were-to-live-my-life-over/. Accessed 24 Oct. 2026.

Chicago

James, Henry. “If I were to live my life over again, I would be an American. I would steep myself in America, I would know no other land.” Famous Quotations Network. Accessed October 24, 2026. https://www.famous-quotations.com/quotes/6819-if-i-were-to-live-my-life-over/.

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