Irwin Shaw First Editions

• Sailor Off the Bremen and Other Stories — 1939 · Random HouseTrue first is the Random House issue. The copyright page of the first printing carries a positive 'First Printing' (Random House) statement; later printings add a printing-history line. This was Shaw's first book of fiction and his first story collection, and it contains 'The Girls in Their Summer Dresses.' Octavo in maroon cloth. US Random House first; the Jonathan Cape London edition followed in 1940. Later Random House printings state the printing history on the copyright page; the first printing does not.
• Welcome to the City and Other Stories — 1942 · Random HouseRandom House first edition, first printing, with the first printing stated on the copyright page and no printing-history line added. An octavo bound in red cloth with silver stamping to the spine, issued in a pictorial dust jacket that should retain its printed price on the front flap. Shaw's second story collection, following Sailor off the Bremen (1939). US Random House 1942 first. The stated first printing and the absence of any added printing-history line establish the first issue. Later printings add a printing-history line to the copyright page; the first printing carries only the first-printing statement and no such history.
• Act of Faith and Other Stories — 1946 · Random HouseRandom House first printing carries a stated 'First Printing'/'First Edition' on the copyright page; later printings add a printing-history line. A collection of WWII-era stories including the title story. US Random House first; the Jonathan Cape London edition followed in 1947. Later printings state the printing history; the first printing does not.
• The Young Lions — 1948 · Random HouseFirst printing carries a stated 'First Printing' on the copyright page. Octavo, 689 pages, scarlet and black cloth with gilt lettering. The dust jacket bears a Samuel Sugar design and is priced on the front flap; the first-issue jacket price is unclipped. A small Presentation Edition is reported to precede the trade first. His major WWII novel and a key Shaw collectible. US Random House first; the Jonathan Cape London edition followed in 1949. The Book-of-the-Month Club edition has a rear-board blind-stamp and a jacket without printed price; the trade first carries the stated 'First Printing' and an unclipped priced jacket.
• Mixed Company: Collected Short Stories — 1950 · Random HouseRandom House first printing carries a stated 'First Printing' on the copyright page; later printings add a printing-history line. An omnibus gathering of Shaw's short fiction, including 'The Girls in Their Summer Dresses' and 'The Eighty-Yard Run.'. US Random House first; the Jonathan Cape London edition followed in 1951. Later printings state the printing history; the first printing does not.
• The Troubled Air — 1951 · Random HouseFirst printing carries a stated 'First Printing' on the copyright page. Octavo, 418 pages, cloth over boards with top edge stained black and black endpapers. His McCarthy-era novel set in the live-radio industry. US Random House first; the Jonathan Cape London edition followed in 1951. Later printings state the printing history; the first printing does not.
• Lucy Crown — 1956 · Random HouseTrue first bound in red cloth, 339 pages, Shaw's third novel. Identify by the explicit "First Printing" statement on the copyright page with no later-printing line or number sequence; later printings replace or drop that statement. The first-issue dust jacket should retain its printed front-flap price. US Random House (1956) is the true first; Jonathan Cape issued the first UK edition the same year, 1956. A Book-of-the-Month Club edition exists; it lacks the stated "First Printing" and typically shows a blind-stamped board indent on the rear cover, so it is readily distinguishable from the trade first.
• Tip on a Dead Jockey and Other Stories — 1957 · Random HouseFirst printing of Shaw's story collection (ten stories, including the title piece first collected here). Random House first identified by the copyright-page printing statement with no later-printing slug. US Random House (1957) is the true first; Jonathan Cape issued the UK edition the same year as 'Tip on a Dead Jockey'. Later Random House printings are noted on the copyright page; confirm the absence of any added printing line.
• Two Weeks in Another Town — 1960 · Random HouseFirst edition, Random House, New York, 1960, 414 pages. Consistent with Random House practice of the period, the first printing carries the words First Edition on the copyright page with no later-printing line added; a reprint would remove that wording. The book is bound in striped boards with a pink top edge, and the first-issue dust jacket is a wrap-around illustrated design that should retain its printed…. The US Random House (1960) issue is the true first; Jonathan Cape published the first UK edition the same year in London. A book club edition exists; it lacks the Random House First Edition statement, typically omits the printed jacket price, and often shows a blind board indent. Check the copyright page for the First Edition wording and confirm the striped boards and printed-price wrap-around jacket.
• Selected Short Stories of Irwin Shaw — 1961 · Modern Library / Random HouseFirst-thus only: a Modern Library compilation (number 319) of previously published stories, with an author preface, red cloth, approximately 426 pages. The first Modern Library printing is dated by the dust-jacket spine title list and the jacket's catalogue listing rather than by any copyright-page printing statement. Not a true first of any contained story; this is a first-thus Modern Library collection assembling earlier work. Later Modern Library printings are identified by changes to the dust-jacket spine number/title list, the standard Modern Library dating method.
• Love on a Dark Street and Other Stories — 1965 · Delacorte PressFirst printing of the US story collection, published by Delacorte Press in 1965. Delacorte titles of this era identify the first printing by the statement "First Printing" on the copyright page, with no later-printing statement or additional printing history present; confirm that wording and the absence of any subsequent-printing line. Issued in a first-issue dust jacket that should retain the printed price on…. US Delacorte Press (1965) is the true first; Jonathan Cape issued the first UK edition (August 1965), described by dealers as the first British and only UK hardback edition. A Dell paperback followed in 1966; some listings dated 1966 are this Dell reprint, not the hardback first. Confirm the Delacorte imprint, the 1965 date, and the "First Printing" statement on the copyright page.
• Voices of a Summer Day — 1965 · Delacorte PressFirst printing, 223 pages, navy cloth spine over yellow boards with gilt facsimile signature, untrimmed fore-edge. Identify by the absence of any later-printing statement on the copyright page and a matching first-issue dust jacket. US Delacorte Press (1965) is the true first; Weidenfeld & Nicolson issued the first UK edition the same year (192 pages, blue cloth). Reprints are indicated on the copyright page; confirm there is no later-printing line.
• Rich Man, Poor Man — 1970 · Delacorte PressFirst printing is identified by the words First printing stated on the copyright page, with no later printings listed. Delacorte of this era used a stated First printing line rather than a number row. Issued in red cloth boards with gilt spine lettering in a dust jacket carrying the original price. US Delacorte edition is the true first. The UK first followed from Weidenfeld and Nicolson, also 1970. Book club printings (Book-of-the-Month Club and Literary Guild) are common and lack the First printing statement; they are typically identified by a blind-stamped dot or square on the rear board and a dust jacket with no printed price.
• Evening in Byzantium — 1973 · Delacorte PressFirst printing is identified by 'First printing' stated on the copyright page with no later printings listed; Delacorte of this era used a stated 'First printing' line rather than a number row. New York: Delacorte Press, 1973, 368 pages, in a first-issue dust jacket that should retain its printed price on the front flap. US Delacorte edition is the true first. The UK first followed from Weidenfeld and Nicolson, also 1973 (ISBN 0297765590). Book club printings are common and lack the 'First printing' statement; they are typically identified by a blind-stamped mark on the rear board and a price-clipped or unpriced jacket.
• Nightwork — 1975 · Delacorte PressFirst printing is identified by First printing stated on the copyright page with no later printings listed; Delacorte of this era used a stated First printing line rather than a number row. The first edition is bound in blue textured cloth-over-boards and issued in a pictorial dust jacket carrying the printed price on the front flap. US Delacorte edition is the true first. The UK first was published by Weidenfeld and Nicolson in 1975 (corrected from New English Library, which issued the later UK paperback rather than the first hardcover). A book club printing exists; it lacks the First printing statement and is typically identified by a blind-stamped mark (often a small dot or square) on the rear board and an unpriced jacket.
• Beggarman, Thief — 1977 · Delacorte PressFirst printing is identified by First printing stated on the copyright page with no later printings listed. Delacorte of this era used a stated First printing line rather than a number row. Sequel to Rich Man, Poor Man. US Delacorte edition is the true first. The UK first was published by Weidenfeld and Nicolson in 1977 (corrected from New English Library, which issued the later UK paperback). Book club printings are common and lack the First printing statement; they are typically identified by a blind-stamped mark on the rear board and an unpriced jacket.
• The Top of the Hill — 1979 · Delacorte PressFirst printing is identified by First printing stated on the copyright page with no later printings listed. Delacorte of this era used a stated First printing line rather than a number row. US Delacorte edition is the true first. The UK first was published by Weidenfeld and Nicolson in 1979 (corrected from New English Library, which issued the later UK paperback). Book club printings are common and lack the First printing statement; they are typically identified by a blind-stamped mark on the rear board and an unpriced jacket.
• Bread Upon the Waters — 1981 · Delacorte PressThe first trade printing is identified by First printing stated on the copyright page with no later printings listed. The specific claim of a number line ending in 1 could not be confirmed and has been removed; verify the stated First printing line on the copyright page instead. US Delacorte trade edition is the true first. The UK first followed from Weidenfeld and Nicolson in 1981. A separate Franklin Library leather-bound edition and a signed limited edition were also issued in 1981; do not confuse these with the trade first. Book club printings exist alongside the Franklin Library issue; book club copies lack the First printing statement and are typically identified by a blind-stamped mark on the rear board.
• Acceptable Losses — 1982 · Arbor HouseFirst edition, first printing identified by the publisher's number line 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 descending to 1 on the copyright page (ISBN 0-87795-437-2). An octavo of 303 pages issued in dust jacket. Shaw's last novel. The US Arbor House edition is the true first; a UK New English Library edition also appeared in 1982 and follows the American printing. Book club editions exist, are typically thinner and lighter in the board, and lack the printed number line on the copyright page.

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