# Is "American Tabloid" by James Ellroy a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of American Tabloid by James Ellroy (Knopf, 1995) is identified by: 'First Edition' stated on the copyright page with the Borzoi colophon and a number line ending in 1. US Alfred A.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- First hardcover. 'First Edition' stated on the copyright page with the Borzoi colophon and a number line ending in 1
- Dust jacket with original price
- Publisher imprint reads Knopf
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | James Ellroy |
| Publisher | Knopf |
| Year | 1995 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | First hardcover. 'First Edition' stated on the copyright page with the Borzoi colophon… |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
First hardcover. 'First Edition' stated on the copyright page with the Borzoi colophon and a number line ending in 1. Dust jacket with original price.

## Is this the true first?
US Alfred A. Knopf true first, published 1995; first novel of the Underworld USA Trilogy.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No major book club edition to confuse with the first. Confirm the 'First Edition' statement on the copyright page.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *American Tabloid* by James Ellroy a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/american-tabloid
CC BY 4.0. Part of the Canonical First-Edition Points of Issue dataset (https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/api/first-edition-titles.json). Last reviewed 2026-07-03.