The points of issue
Copyright page states 'First Edition' with a Random House number line whose lowest figure is '2' (the line does not descend to 1). ISBN 0-394-48447-9; thick octavo of about 861 pages; first-issue jacket carries the printed price unclipped.
Is this the true first?
US Random House is the true first, preceding the UK (Jonathan Cape) edition. Won the 1989 Pulitzer Prize for General Nonfiction and the 1988 National Book Award for Nonfiction.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Book-club copies lack the printed jacket price, may carry a rear-board blindstamp, and omit the stated 'First Edition'. The 'First Edition' line, the Random House line stopping at '2', and the priced jacket identify the trade first.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of A Bright Shining Lie: John Paul Vann and America in Vietnam a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: Copyright page states 'First Edition' with a Random House number line whose lowest figure is '2' (the line does not descend to 1). ISBN 0-394-48447-9; thick octavo of about 861 pages; first-issue jacket carries the printed price unclipped.
How do I tell the first printing from a later one?
Check the copyright page for the publisher's first-printing convention and confirm the points above. US Random House is the true first, preceding the UK (Jonathan Cape) edition. Won the 1989 Pulitzer Prize for General Nonfiction and the 1988 National Book Award for Nonfiction.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Book-club copies lack the printed jacket price, may carry a rear-board blindstamp, and omit the stated 'First Edition'. The 'First Edition' line, the Random House line stopping at '2', and the priced jacket identify the trade first.
I have a first edition of A Bright Shining Lie: John Paul Vann and America in Vietnam — what should I do?
If you're clearing books, New Mexico Literacy Project offers free pickup in Albuquerque, any condition, and makes sure collectible copies aren't lost. To sell, see the author's collecting guide. Either way, nothing valuable ends up in a landfill.