# Is "Couples" by John Updike a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Couples by John Updike (Alfred A. Knopf, 1968) is identified by: The trade first edition states 'FIRST EDITION' on the copyright page and carries the Borzoi/Knopf colophon. US Knopf trade first is the true first edition and precedes the UK Andre Deutsch edition of 1968.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- The trade first edition states 'FIRST EDITION' on the copyright page and carries the Borzoi/Knopf colophon
- The book is bound in blue cloth-covered boards with silver lettering to the spine and upper board, with the top edge stained blue
- The first-issue dust jacket carries the printed price on the front flap (present, not clipped, on a first-state jacket)
- Publisher imprint reads Alfred A. Knopf
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | John Updike |
| Publisher | Alfred A. Knopf |
| Year | 1968 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | The trade first edition states 'FIRST EDITION' on the copyright page and carries the Borzoi/Knopf colophon |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
The trade first edition states 'FIRST EDITION' on the copyright page and carries the Borzoi/Knopf colophon. The book is bound in blue cloth-covered boards with silver lettering to the spine and upper board, with the top edge stained blue. The first-issue dust jacket carries the printed price on the front flap (present, not clipped, on a first-state jacket).

## Is this the true first?
US Knopf trade first is the true first edition and precedes the UK Andre Deutsch edition of 1968. A separate signed limited issue exists; the often-cited '500 copies, boxed' figure could not be verified from reliable sources, so the exact limitation is left unstated here.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Book club copies lack the 'FIRST EDITION' statement and the printed jacket price and typically carry a blind-stamped impression on the rear board.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Couples* by John Updike a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/couples
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.