# Is "Crook Manifesto" by Colson Whitehead a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Crook Manifesto by Colson Whitehead (Doubleday, 2023) is identified by: "FIRST EDITION" stated with a number line descending to 1. US Doubleday first edition; second volume of the Harlem trilogy following Harlem Shuffle.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- "FIRST EDITION" stated with a number line descending to 1
- (Exact jacket flap price not independently verified; treat any printed price as a check only after confirming the stated-first and number-line points.)
- Publisher imprint reads Doubleday
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Colson Whitehead |
| Publisher | Doubleday |
| Year | 2023 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | "FIRST EDITION" stated with a number line descending to 1 |
| Book-club edition exists? | — |

## Points of issue
"FIRST EDITION" stated with a number line descending to 1. (Exact jacket flap price not independently verified; treat any printed price as a check only after confirming the stated-first and number-line points.)

## Is this the true first?
US Doubleday first edition; second volume of the Harlem trilogy following Harlem Shuffle.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No notable club edition.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Crook Manifesto* by Colson Whitehead a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/crook-manifesto
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.