# Is "Being There" by Jerzy Kosinski a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Being There by Jerzy Kosinski (Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1971) is identified by: First edition, first printing, 1971 Harcourt Brace Jovanovich (New York). True first is the 1971 Harcourt Brace Jovanovich edition, identified by the 'ABCDE' letter line.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- First edition, first printing, 1971 Harcourt Brace Jovanovich (New York)
- The first-issue point is the letter sequence 'ABCDE' on the copyright page (a descending letter line, not a number line)
- Bound in quarter brown cloth over black paper-covered boards, with spine lettering in blue and black
- Issued in a priced dust jacket designed by Hal Siegel; the printed price should be present on the front flap
- Publisher imprint reads Harcourt Brace Jovanovich
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Jerzy Kosinski |
| Publisher | Harcourt Brace Jovanovich |
| Year | 1971 |
| True first | UK edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | First edition, first printing, 1971 Harcourt Brace Jovanovich (New York) |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
First edition, first printing, 1971 Harcourt Brace Jovanovich (New York). The first-issue point is the letter sequence 'ABCDE' on the copyright page (a descending letter line, not a number line). Bound in quarter brown cloth over black paper-covered boards, with spine lettering in blue and black. Issued in a priced dust jacket designed by Hal Siegel; the printed price should be present on the front flap.

## Is this the true first?
True first is the 1971 Harcourt Brace Jovanovich edition, identified by the 'ABCDE' letter line. UK edition: The Bodley Head, 1972.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
The book club edition lacks the 'ABCDE' letter line, is typically blind-stamped on the rear board, and its jacket lacks the printed price.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Being There* by Jerzy Kosinski a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/being-there
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.