# Is "Go Down, Moses" by William Faulkner a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Go Down, Moses by William Faulkner (Random House, New York, 1942) is identified by: First edition states 'FIRST EDITION' on the copyright page; the title page and binding read 'Go Down, Moses and Other Stories' (the 'and Other Stories' was later dropped). True US first; precedes the UK Chatto & Windus edition of 1942.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- First edition states 'FIRST EDITION' on the copyright page; the title page and binding read 'Go Down, Moses and Other Stories' (the 'and Other Stories' was later dropped)
- Primary first-issue binding: black cloth, titling and rule stamped in gilt and red on spine and front panel, with a red top stain
- First-issue dust jacket lists eight titles on the rear panel beginning with 'Storm.' Several scarcer variant bindings are recorded, distinguished by an unstained top edge
- Publisher imprint reads Random House, New York
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | William Faulkner |
| Publisher | Random House, New York |
| Year | 1942 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | First edition states 'FIRST EDITION' on the copyright page; the title page and binding read 'Go Down, Moses and Other Stories' (the 'and… |
| Book-club edition exists? | No |

## Points of issue
First edition states 'FIRST EDITION' on the copyright page; the title page and binding read 'Go Down, Moses and Other Stories' (the 'and Other Stories' was later dropped). Primary first-issue binding: black cloth, titling and rule stamped in gilt and red on spine and front panel, with a red top stain. First-issue dust jacket lists eight titles on the rear panel beginning with 'Storm.' Several scarcer variant bindings are recorded, distinguished by an unstained top edge.

## Is this the true first?
True US first; precedes the UK Chatto & Windus edition of 1942. The 'and Other Stories' on the title page and spine is a recognized first-issue point.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No book club edition. Later printings drop both the 'and Other Stories' wording and the 'FIRST EDITION' statement.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Go Down, Moses* by William Faulkner a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/go-down-moses
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.