# Is "American Pastoral" by Philip Roth a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of American Pastoral by Philip Roth (Houghton Mifflin, 1997) is identified by: Houghton Mifflin first edition, Boston 1997 (ISBN 0-395-86021-0), bound in quarter black cloth over black paper boards with gilt lettering to the spine. US Houghton Mifflin is the true first; the UK Jonathan Cape edition is later.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- Houghton Mifflin first edition, Boston 1997 (ISBN 0-395-86021-0), bound in quarter black cloth over black paper boards with gilt lettering to the spine
- The first printing has the full number line ending in 1 (complete 10-to-1 line) on the copyright page, in the original priced jacket
- Pulitzer Prize winner
- Publisher imprint reads Houghton Mifflin
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Philip Roth |
| Publisher | Houghton Mifflin |
| Year | 1997 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | Houghton Mifflin first edition, Boston 1997 (ISBN 0-395-86021-0), bound in quarter black cloth over black paper boards with gilt lettering… |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
Houghton Mifflin first edition, Boston 1997 (ISBN 0-395-86021-0), bound in quarter black cloth over black paper boards with gilt lettering to the spine. The first printing has the full number line ending in 1 (complete 10-to-1 line) on the copyright page, in the original priced jacket. Pulitzer Prize winner.

## Is this the true first?
US Houghton Mifflin is the true first; the UK Jonathan Cape edition is later. Signed copies exist and are sought.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
The book-club edition lacks the full 10-to-1 number line, is smaller and lighter with a blind-stamp to the rear board, and its jacket bears no printed price.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *American Pastoral* by Philip Roth a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/american-pastoral
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.