# Is "Evening in Byzantium" by Irwin Shaw a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Evening in Byzantium by Irwin Shaw (Delacorte Press, 1973) is identified by: First printing is identified by 'First printing' stated on the copyright page with no later printings listed; Delacorte of this era used a stated 'First printing' line rather than a number row. US Delacorte edition is the true first.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- First printing is identified by 'First printing' stated on the copyright page with no later printings listed
- Delacorte of this era used a stated 'First printing' line rather than a number row
- New York: Delacorte Press, 1973, 368 pages, in a first-issue dust jacket that should retain its printed price on the front flap
- Publisher imprint reads Delacorte Press
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Irwin Shaw |
| Publisher | Delacorte Press |
| Year | 1973 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | First printing is identified by 'First printing' stated on the copyright page with no later printings listed |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
First printing is identified by 'First printing' stated on the copyright page with no later printings listed; Delacorte of this era used a stated 'First printing' line rather than a number row. New York: Delacorte Press, 1973, 368 pages, in a first-issue dust jacket that should retain its printed price on the front flap.

## Is this the true first?
US Delacorte edition is the true first. The UK first followed from Weidenfeld and Nicolson, also 1973 (ISBN 0297765590).

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Book club printings are common and lack the 'First printing' statement; they are typically identified by a blind-stamped mark on the rear board and a price-clipped or unpriced jacket.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Evening in Byzantium* by Irwin Shaw a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/evening-in-byzantium
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.