# Is "A Bell for Adano" by John Hersey a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of A Bell for Adano by John Hersey (Alfred A. Knopf, 1944) is identified by: First printing has 'FIRST EDITION' stated on the copyright page with no later-printing notation. US Knopf 1944 true first; Hersey's first novel and the 1945 Pulitzer winner.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- First printing has 'FIRST EDITION' stated on the copyright page with no later-printing notation
- First-issue binding is olive (some copies grey) cloth with lettering and decoration in black and red
- Borzoi device present
- First-issue dust jacket carries the printed net price on the front panel, with jacket art credited to John Salter
- Publisher imprint reads Alfred A. Knopf
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | John Hersey |
| Publisher | Alfred A. Knopf |
| Year | 1944 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | First printing has 'FIRST EDITION' stated on the copyright page with no later-printing notation |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
First printing has 'FIRST EDITION' stated on the copyright page with no later-printing notation. First-issue binding is olive (some copies grey) cloth with lettering and decoration in black and red; Borzoi device present. First-issue dust jacket carries the printed net price on the front panel, with jacket art credited to John Salter.

## Is this the true first?
US Knopf 1944 true first; Hersey's first novel and the 1945 Pulitzer winner. The point is 'FIRST EDITION' on the copyright page with no statement of a later printing.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Caution: Knopf retained the 'FIRST EDITION' statement across several early printings (the text went through multiple printings before and around publication), so the statement alone does not prove a true first printing; later printings are distinguished by an added printing notation. Book-club copies lack the statement entirely.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *A Bell for Adano* by John Hersey a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/a-bell-for-adano
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.