# Is "Gun, with Occasional Music" by Jonathan Lethem a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Gun, with Occasional Music by Jonathan Lethem (Harcourt Brace & Company, 1994) is identified by: Lethem's debut novel, Harcourt Brace & Company, 1994 (ISBN 0-15-136458-3). The US Harcourt Brace 1994 hardcover is the true first.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- Lethem's debut novel, Harcourt Brace & Company, 1994 (ISBN 0-15-136458-3)
- The copyright page states 'First edition' and carries Harcourt's descending alphabetic letter line; the true first must show the terminal 'A'
- Binding is quarter green cloth over beige paper boards with orange spine lettering, in the original price-bearing dust jacket whose art is intentionally designed to appear worn or torn
- Publisher imprint reads Harcourt Brace & Company
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Jonathan Lethem |
| Publisher | Harcourt Brace & Company |
| Year | 1994 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | Lethem's debut novel, Harcourt Brace & Company, 1994 (ISBN 0-15-136458-3) |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
Lethem's debut novel, Harcourt Brace & Company, 1994 (ISBN 0-15-136458-3). The copyright page states 'First edition' and carries Harcourt's descending alphabetic letter line; the true first must show the terminal 'A'. Binding is quarter green cloth over beige paper boards with orange spine lettering, in the original price-bearing dust jacket whose art is intentionally designed to appear worn or torn.

## Is this the true first?
The US Harcourt Brace 1994 hardcover is the true first. Because some later printings retain the 'First edition' statement, the terminal 'A' on the letter line is the decisive point. Signed copies exist; no issued limited edition.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Book club issues lack the price on the jacket flap, typically show a blind-stamp dot to the rear board and no letter line; the later Harvest trade paperback is not a first.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Gun, with Occasional Music* by Jonathan Lethem a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/gun-with-occasional-music
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.