# Is "Drama City" by George Pelecanos a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Drama City by George Pelecanos (Little, Brown, 2005) is identified by: First edition stated on the copyright page over a complete number line descending to 1. US Little, Brown (New York, 2005) is the true first; a standalone novel with no preceding UK or limited issue.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- First edition stated on the copyright page over a complete number line descending to 1
- The first printing is bound in black quarter cloth over blue boards with iridescent blue lettering stamped on the spine, and issues in a photographic dust jacket showing fingers gripping a chain-link fence (jacket photograph credited to Robert Llewellyn)
- A correct first-issue jacket carries the printed cover price on the front flap and is not clipped; the text runs to 291 pages followed by a two-page About the Author
- Publisher imprint reads Little, Brown
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | George Pelecanos |
| Publisher | Little, Brown |
| Year | 2005 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | First edition stated on the copyright page over a complete number line descending to 1 |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
First edition stated on the copyright page over a complete number line descending to 1. The first printing is bound in black quarter cloth over blue boards with iridescent blue lettering stamped on the spine, and issues in a photographic dust jacket showing fingers gripping a chain-link fence (jacket photograph credited to Robert Llewellyn). A correct first-issue jacket carries the printed cover price on the front flap and is not clipped; the text runs to 291 pages followed by a two-page About the Author.

## Is this the true first?
US Little, Brown (New York, 2005) is the true first; a standalone novel with no preceding UK or limited issue.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No significant book-club issue affecting the trade first-printing point; identify the trade first by the stated 'First edition' and full number line rather than by jacket art alone, since later states reuse the same design.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Drama City* by George Pelecanos a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/drama-city
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.