# Is "Hell of a Book" by Jason Mott a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Hell of a Book by Jason Mott (Dutton, 2021) is identified by: Dutton (Penguin) hardcover, 2021, about 319 pages. The US Dutton hardcover (2021) is the true first; the book won the 2021 National Book Award for Fiction, announced in November 2021.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- Dutton (Penguin) hardcover, 2021, about 319 pages
- The copyright page states 'First Edition' with a number line descending to 1
- The binding is black paper over boards with the spine backed in yellow and lettered in silver
- The first-issue dust jacket carries the publisher's printed retail price on the front flap and predates any National Book Award seal, banner, or sticker printed onto the jacket
- Publisher imprint reads Dutton
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Jason Mott |
| Publisher | Dutton |
| Year | 2021 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | Dutton (Penguin) hardcover, 2021, about 319 pages |
| Book-club edition exists? | — |

## Points of issue
Dutton (Penguin) hardcover, 2021, about 319 pages. The copyright page states 'First Edition' with a number line descending to 1. The binding is black paper over boards with the spine backed in yellow and lettered in silver. The first-issue dust jacket carries the publisher's printed retail price on the front flap and predates any National Book Award seal, banner, or sticker printed onto the jacket.

## Is this the true first?
The US Dutton hardcover (2021) is the true first; the book won the 2021 National Book Award for Fiction, announced in November 2021. First-issue jackets predate any award seal or banner printed onto the jacket art.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Confirm a stated 'First Edition' with a number line descending to 1, the black boards with yellow-backed silver-lettered spine, and a first-issue jacket without an award seal.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Hell of a Book* by Jason Mott a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/hell-of-a-book
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.