# Is "As She Climbed Across the Table" by Jonathan Lethem a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of As She Climbed Across the Table by Jonathan Lethem (Doubleday, 1997) is identified by: Copyright page states 'FIRST EDITION' accompanied by a complete number line descending to 1. US Doubleday hardcover (1997) is the true first.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- Copyright page states 'FIRST EDITION' accompanied by a complete number line descending to 1
- Doubleday anchor colophon present
- Cloth-backed boards, dust jacket with the publisher's original flap price intact and unclipped
- Publisher imprint reads Doubleday
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Jonathan Lethem |
| Publisher | Doubleday |
| Year | 1997 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | Copyright page states 'FIRST EDITION' accompanied by a complete number line descending to 1 |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
Copyright page states 'FIRST EDITION' accompanied by a complete number line descending to 1. Doubleday anchor colophon present. Cloth-backed boards, dust jacket with the publisher's original flap price intact and unclipped.

## Is this the true first?
US Doubleday hardcover (1997) is the true first. A Faber UK edition followed and is a separate first-thus, not the first.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Book-club issues are smaller and lighter, lack the number line, carry no flap price, may show a small blind-stamped dot or square on the rear board, and do not state 'FIRST EDITION'.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *As She Climbed Across the Table* by Jonathan Lethem a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/as-she-climbed-across-the-table
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.