The points of issue
Number line reading 1 3 5 7 9 10 8 6 4 2 on the copyright page is the key identifier; Poseidon Press (a Simon and Schuster imprint), New York; first-issue dust jacket priced on the front flap.
Is this the true first?
The US Poseidon Press hardcover of 1994 is the true first edition. It won the 1994 National Book Award for Fiction, Gaddis's second such award after JR in 1976.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Book-club editions lack the number line and the printed jacket price, are typically smaller and lighter, and may carry a blind stamp to the rear board.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of A Frolic of His Own a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: Number line reading 1 3 5 7 9 10 8 6 4 2 on the copyright page is the key identifier; Poseidon Press (a Simon and Schuster imprint), New York; first-issue dust jacket priced on the front flap.
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. The US Poseidon Press hardcover of 1994 is the true first edition. It won the 1994 National Book Award for Fiction, Gaddis's second such award after JR in 1976.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Book-club editions lack the number line and the printed jacket price, are typically smaller and lighter, and may carry a blind stamp to the rear board.
I have a first edition of A Frolic of His Own — 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.