# Is "Cancel All Our Vows" by John D. MacDonald a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Cancel All Our Vows by John D. MacDonald (Appleton-Century-Crofts, 1953) is identified by: Appleton-Century-Crofts, New York, 1953. The US Appleton-Century-Crofts hardcover is the true first.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- Appleton-Century-Crofts, New York, 1953
- One of MacDonald's earliest hardcover novels and his first mainstream (non-crime) book
- The first printing is identified by a terminal
- at the foot of the last page of text
- Publisher imprint reads Appleton-Century-Crofts
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | John D. MacDonald |
| Publisher | Appleton-Century-Crofts |
| Year | 1953 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | Appleton-Century-Crofts, New York, 1953 |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
Appleton-Century-Crofts, New York, 1953. One of MacDonald's earliest hardcover novels and his first mainstream (non-crime) book. The first printing is identified by a terminal (1) at the foot of the last page of text.

## Is this the true first?
The US Appleton-Century-Crofts hardcover is the true first.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Book-club printings typically lack the (1) point, show a blind-stamped dot on the rear board, and carry no price on the jacket.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Cancel All Our Vows* by John D. MacDonald a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/cancel-all-our-vows
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.