# Is "American Sphinx: The Character of Thomas Jefferson" by Joseph J. Ellis a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of American Sphinx: The Character of Thomas Jefferson by Joseph J. Ellis (Alfred A. Knopf, 1997) is identified by: Knopf states 'First Edition' on the copyright page accompanied by the Borzoi colophon (Knopf house practice; no descending number line). US Alfred A.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- Knopf states 'First Edition' on the copyright page accompanied by the Borzoi colophon (Knopf house practice; no descending number line)
- Issued in cloth-backed boards with a price-bearing first-state dust jacket
- Publisher imprint reads Alfred A. Knopf
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Joseph J. Ellis |
| Publisher | Alfred A. Knopf |
| Year | 1997 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | Knopf states 'First Edition' on the copyright page accompanied by the Borzoi colophon (Knopf house practice; no descending number line) |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
Knopf states 'First Edition' on the copyright page accompanied by the Borzoi colophon (Knopf house practice; no descending number line). Issued in cloth-backed boards with a price-bearing first-state dust jacket.

## Is this the true first?
US Alfred A. Knopf (New York), 1997, is the true first edition. Won the National Book Award for Nonfiction, 1997.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Book-club editions generally lack the 'First Edition' statement and the printed jacket price and are often smaller and lighter than the trade first.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *American Sphinx: The Character of Thomas Jefferson* by Joseph J. Ellis a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/american-sphinx-the-character-of-thomas-jefferson
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.