# Is "Foreign Affairs" by Alison Lurie a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Foreign Affairs by Alison Lurie (Random House, 1984) is identified by: Random House 1984 first printing: copyright page states 'First Edition' together with a number line whose lowest number is 2 (reading 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9), per Random House practice of this period. US Random House 1984 is the true first.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- Random House 1984 first printing: copyright page states 'First Edition' together with a number line whose lowest number is 2 (reading 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9), per Random House practice of this period
- First-issue cloth with priced jacket
- Publisher imprint reads Random House
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Alison Lurie |
| Publisher | Random House |
| Year | 1984 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | Random House 1984 first printing: copyright page states 'First Edition' together with a number line whose lowest number is 2 (reading 2 3 4… |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
Random House 1984 first printing: copyright page states 'First Edition' together with a number line whose lowest number is 2 (reading 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9), per Random House practice of this period. First-issue cloth with priced jacket.

## Is this the true first?
US Random House 1984 is the true first. The Franklin Library signed limited edition is a separate issue.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Book-club editions lack the 'First Edition' statement and number line, carry a rear-board blind-stamp, and have an unpriced or clipped jacket.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Foreign Affairs* by Alison Lurie a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/foreign-affairs
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.