# Is "Fear of Flying" by Erica Jong a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Fear of Flying by Erica Jong (Holt, Rinehart and Winston, New York, 1973) is identified by: The true first was published by Holt, Rinehart and Winston, New York, in 1973 (first printing October 1973; 340 pp). US Holt, Rinehart and Winston 1973 is the true first and the collected first; the census cites a UK Secker & Warburg 1974 edition, which follows the US issue (UK detail reported, not independently confirmed here).

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- The true first was published by Holt, Rinehart and Winston, New York, in 1973 (first printing October 1973
- The first printing has "First Edition" stated on the copyright page with no additional printing line; later printings add a dated printing notice (e.g., "Second Printing, June 1974"), which confirms that the "First Edition" slug standing alone marks the first
- It is bound in light blue cloth with the title in red on the spine and issued in a priced dust jacket (price present at the front flap)
- The stated-first slug, binding, and priced jacket are corroborated across multiple dealer descriptions
- Publisher imprint reads Holt, Rinehart and Winston, New York
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Erica Jong |
| Publisher | Holt, Rinehart and Winston, New York |
| Year | 1973 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | The true first was published by Holt, Rinehart and Winston, New York, in 1973 (first printing October 1973 |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
The true first was published by Holt, Rinehart and Winston, New York, in 1973 (first printing October 1973; 340 pp). The first printing has "First Edition" stated on the copyright page with no additional printing line; later printings add a dated printing notice (e.g., "Second Printing, June 1974"), which confirms that the "First Edition" slug standing alone marks the first. It is bound in light blue cloth with the title in red on the spine and issued in a priced dust jacket (price present at the front flap). The stated-first slug, binding, and priced jacket are corroborated across multiple dealer descriptions.

## Is this the true first?
US Holt, Rinehart and Winston 1973 is the true first and the collected first; the census cites a UK Secker & Warburg 1974 edition, which follows the US issue (UK detail reported, not independently confirmed here).

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
A 1973 Book Club Edition exists; standard BCE tells are a blind-stamp (dot/square) to the rear board, "Book Club Edition" on the lower front jacket flap, and a jacket without a printed price.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Fear of Flying* by Erica Jong a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/fear-of-flying
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.