# Is "Hiroshima" by John Hersey a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Hiroshima by John Hersey (Alfred A. Knopf, 1946) is identified by: First edition, first printing: Knopf, 1946, with 'FIRST EDITION' stated on the copyright page and the Borzoi colophon. The New Yorker issue of Aug 31, 1946 is the true first printing of the text; the Knopf book (1946) is the first edition in book form ('first thus').

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- First edition, first printing: Knopf, 1946, with 'FIRST EDITION' stated on the copyright page and the Borzoi colophon
- Issued in original cloth with the first-issue dust jacket
- The entire text first appeared in The New Yorker, August 31, 1946 (single-issue), which is a separate, highly collected 'first appearance.'
- Publisher imprint reads Alfred A. Knopf
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | John Hersey |
| Publisher | Alfred A. Knopf |
| Year | 1946 |
| True first | UK edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | First edition, first printing: Knopf, 1946, with 'FIRST EDITION' stated on the copyright page and the Borzoi colophon |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
First edition, first printing: Knopf, 1946, with 'FIRST EDITION' stated on the copyright page and the Borzoi colophon. Issued in original cloth with the first-issue dust jacket. The entire text first appeared in The New Yorker, August 31, 1946 (single-issue), which is a separate, highly collected 'first appearance.'

## Is this the true first?
The New Yorker issue of Aug 31, 1946 is the true first printing of the text; the Knopf book (1946) is the first edition in book form ('first thus'). The UK Hamish Hamilton edition (1946) and a Penguin Special followed. Collectors distinguish the magazine first appearance from the Knopf book first.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Numerous later printings and a 1985 expanded edition (adds the chapter 'The Aftermath') exist; the expanded edition is textually distinct and not the 1946 first. Book club copies lack the 'FIRST EDITION' statement.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Hiroshima* by John Hersey a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/hiroshima
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.