# Is "Goodbye, Columbus" by Philip Roth a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Goodbye, Columbus by Philip Roth (Houghton Mifflin, 1959) is identified by: First edition states 'First Printing' on the copyright page under the Houghton Mifflin imprint. US Houghton Mifflin is the true first; the UK Deutsch edition of 1959 is later.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- First edition states 'First Printing' on the copyright page under the Houghton Mifflin imprint
- Roth's first book and National Book Award winner
- Bound in publisher's black cloth with the spine lettered in yellow and white, in the original pictorial dust jacket which should retain its printed price on the front flap
- Publisher imprint reads Houghton Mifflin
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Philip Roth |
| Publisher | Houghton Mifflin |
| Year | 1959 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | First edition states 'First Printing' on the copyright page under the Houghton Mifflin imprint |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
First edition states 'First Printing' on the copyright page under the Houghton Mifflin imprint. Roth's first book and National Book Award winner. Bound in publisher's black cloth with the spine lettered in yellow and white, in the original pictorial dust jacket which should retain its printed price on the front flap.

## Is this the true first?
US Houghton Mifflin is the true first; the UK Deutsch edition of 1959 is later. As Roth's debut the first printing is genuinely scarce and is frequently faked or married to upgraded jackets, so the stated 'First Printing' line together with an unrestored original jacket are the points to confirm.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
The book-club edition lacks the 'First Printing' statement, carries a blind-stamp (dot or square) on the rear board, and is printed on cheaper, bulkier paper.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Goodbye, Columbus* by Philip Roth a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/goodbye-columbus
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.