# Is "Against the Day" by Thomas Pynchon a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Against the Day by Thomas Pynchon (The Penguin Press, 2006) is identified by: Copyright page states "First Edition" with a complete number line ending in 1. US The Penguin Press printing of 2006 is the true first edition, published November 2006.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- Copyright page states "First Edition" with a complete number line ending in 1
- A very thick single volume of over a thousand pages; the dust jacket carries the printed retail price at the lower flap
- A true first printing must show both the stated First Edition and the full number line retaining the 1
- Publisher imprint reads The Penguin Press
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Thomas Pynchon |
| Publisher | The Penguin Press |
| Year | 2006 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | Copyright page states "First Edition" with a complete number line ending in 1 |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
Copyright page states "First Edition" with a complete number line ending in 1. A very thick single volume of over a thousand pages; the dust jacket carries the printed retail price at the lower flap. A true first printing must show both the stated First Edition and the full number line retaining the 1.

## Is this the true first?
US The Penguin Press printing of 2006 is the true first edition, published November 2006.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Later printings drop the 1 from the number line and/or note a later printing. No prominent book club edition is a concern for this title.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Against the Day* by Thomas Pynchon a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/against-the-day
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.