# Is "Chimera" by John Barth a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Chimera by John Barth (Random House, 1972) is identified by: First printing carries the Random House number line whose lowest surviving digit is the figure 2 (Random House removed numbers as printings advanced, so a true first retains the 2). True first is the 1972 Random House edition, New York.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- First printing carries the Random House number line whose lowest surviving digit is the figure 2 (Random House removed numbers as printings advanced, so a true first retains the 2)
- The dust jacket is priced on the front flap and is not price-clipped
- Won the 1973 National Book Award for fiction
- Publisher imprint reads Random House
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | John Barth |
| Publisher | Random House |
| Year | 1972 |
| True first | UK edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | First printing carries the Random House number line whose lowest surviving digit is the figure 2 (Random House removed numbers as printings… |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
First printing carries the Random House number line whose lowest surviving digit is the figure 2 (Random House removed numbers as printings advanced, so a true first retains the 2). The dust jacket is priced on the front flap and is not price-clipped. Won the 1973 National Book Award for fiction.

## Is this the true first?
True first is the 1972 Random House edition, New York. UK first followed from Andre Deutsch, 1974.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
A Book-of-the-Month Club edition exists, identified by a blind-stamp dot to the rear board and an unpriced jacket flap; some club jackets read Book Club Edition.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Chimera* by John Barth a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/chimera
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.