# Is "Catch-22" by Joseph Heller a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Catch-22 by Joseph Heller (Simon & Schuster, 1961) is identified by: First printing states 'First Printing' on the copyright page (Simon and Schuster, New York, 1961; 443 pages). US Simon and Schuster 1961 is the true first; the UK edition (Jonathan Cape, 1962) follows.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- First printing states 'First Printing' on the copyright page (Simon and Schuster, New York, 1961
- 443 pages)
- Bound in blue cloth with the spine lettered in white and the top edge stained red
- The first-issue dust jacket is the pictorial blue-and-red design by Paul Bacon with its printed price present on the front flap; the rear panel carries the author photograph by Seymour Linden and, in the first issue, no review blurbs
- First printings are often found with a Simon and Schuster 'A Note to the Reader' postcard laid in
- Publisher imprint reads Simon & Schuster
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Joseph Heller |
| Publisher | Simon & Schuster |
| Year | 1961 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | First printing states 'First Printing' on the copyright page (Simon and Schuster, New York, 1961 |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
First printing states 'First Printing' on the copyright page (Simon and Schuster, New York, 1961; 443 pages). Bound in blue cloth with the spine lettered in white and the top edge stained red. The first-issue dust jacket is the pictorial blue-and-red design by Paul Bacon with its printed price present on the front flap; the rear panel carries the author photograph by Seymour Linden and, in the first issue, no review blurbs. First printings are often found with a Simon and Schuster 'A Note to the Reader' postcard laid in.

## Is this the true first?
US Simon and Schuster 1961 is the true first; the UK edition (Jonathan Cape, 1962) follows. Signed first printings exist and are desirable, but the trade first is the landmark.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Book-club copies lack the 'First Printing' statement, typically show a blind-stamp on the rear board, and come in a price-clipped or unpriced jacket.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Catch-22* by Joseph Heller a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/catch-22
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.