# Is "Fiskadoro" by Denis Johnson a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Fiskadoro by Denis Johnson (Alfred A. Knopf, 1985) is identified by: Knopf (Borzoi) first edition, ISBN 0-394-53839-0. The US Knopf hardcover (1985) is the true first edition.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- Knopf (Borzoi) first edition, ISBN 0-394-53839-0
- Copyright page states FIRST EDITION with a number line descending to 1
- Borzoi colophon
- Johnson's second novel (221 pp), quarter black cloth over black paper boards with pictorial jacket
- Verify the jacket price is present and unclipped
- Publisher imprint reads Alfred A. Knopf
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Denis Johnson |
| Publisher | Alfred A. Knopf |
| Year | 1985 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | Knopf (Borzoi) first edition, ISBN 0-394-53839-0 |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
Knopf (Borzoi) first edition, ISBN 0-394-53839-0. Copyright page states FIRST EDITION with a number line descending to 1; Borzoi colophon. Johnson's second novel (221 pp), quarter black cloth over black paper boards with pictorial jacket. Verify the jacket price is present and unclipped.

## Is this the true first?
The US Knopf hardcover (1985) is the true first edition.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Book-club issues omit the number line and the priced jacket.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Fiskadoro* by Denis Johnson a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/fiskadoro
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.